Shackled City (Pathfinder) - GM_Chris

Game Master Chris Shannon 719

GM Gristle or Glim, can you re-roll Glim's first attack? Another round of fortune after this.

The fortune is a before hand thing. "He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made."

Probably good for Glim to have it available for saving throws, anyway...?

Finneas and Atol continue to work on their new language, but Atol must have really dislike something Finneas said because he cudgels him. Toffitt slips away from the hags while some of this strength remains. Dyrant forsees dire consequences for his fellow Cuthberite and takes drastics measures in the form of a fireball that kills Cog. Glimmil manages to land on his feet, but is obviously shaken by events as he misses twice before finally finishing off another skeleton. The last skeleton scratches at Glimmil's armor.

The hags manage to evade any harm from Dyrant's fireball and pursue Toffitt into the corner.

"Come here you little rat. Kill my sister will you? I've killed your puppy and now you too."

claw: 1d20 ⇒ 17
claw: 1d20 ⇒ 8
claw: 1d20 ⇒ 9
claw: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Hag 1 touch: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24 - The first moves up and hits.
STR damage: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5
Hag 2 touch: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20 - Not sure if this one hits
STR damage: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6 - rolled in case it applies

Finneas tries to move past Atol to get at Dyrant. Unfortunately, Atol is still upset with Finneas and takes a swing at him."a confused character will not make attacks of opportunity against any creature that it is not already devoted to attacking (either because of its most recent action"

Finneas isn't going to put up with that and forgets his anger for Dyrant as he swings at Atol. Fortunately for Atol,Finneas swings as well at priests as he does at skeletons. Atol attacks him back and the cycle continues.

Atol: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 = 14
Greatsword: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 183d6 + 8 ⇒ (4, 6, 5) + 8 = 231d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 133d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 4, 2) + 8 = 19
Atol: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 = 22
Atol damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Round 6
Skeletons - 26
S1 (-44)
S2 (destroyed)
S3 (destroyed)
S4 (destroyed)
Hag 1(-29)
Hag 2
Finneas = 22+ - tried to move, AoO by Atol, attacked Atol
Atol = 22 - attacked Finneas
Toffitt = 15
Dyrant = 14+
Glimmil = 14

Map to follow.

Edited with this being ROUND 6 and the 1d8 for Atol's cudgel.

I've actually only got my morningstar out so my hit/damage would be less. Also did Atol really do 1d20 on his weapon, because I'd like to know if I can use that after I kill him?

Fort #1 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Fort #1 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Toffitt collapses, paralyzed. He immediately heals 5hp, putting him at full HP. He appears to lapse into a coma, dead.

Round 6 map

Don't forget Hero Points. Finneas and Atol each have two and could cheat death from each other if necessary.

I'm not going to hand out hero points to companions/familiars, but I'll allow a one point use to save one instead of the two points for players. So, Glimmil could save Cog.

Also, to note an off-line discussion, I'll allow a hero point to be used to reroll vs an on-going affect such as the confusion.

Edit: took away the +4 which I see was a modifier for an existing roll vs a reroll.

Ah. That's a bit different than the SRD, which says either a reroll or +4/+8.

So could I spend one to reroll my will vs. confusion at a +4?

Yes, but not +4. I edited that out. Are you sure you don't want to continue swinging at a Cuthberite?

Round 6, Initiative 22, Location K29

So in round 6 I didn't get a random roll 'cause Finneas swung at me, even though he didn't connect? Also, Finneas takes 2hp and I take the other 2 that I did to him from shield other. Just keeping track of the damage.

Also, for reference, the Hags are visible - yes?

Atol will use a hero point to free himself from hitting Finneas and hurting himself!

Willpower vs Confusion 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22 vs DC 20

So in round 7 Atol will be unconfused.

Yes. Hags are visible.

Round 6

"Ok, you wrinkly green do-badders! Time to meet your wrinkly green maker! This one's for Cog!!"

Glimmil advances, continuing to brandish his hammer with both hands, invoking the glittery name of Garl as he closes on one of the witches.

5ft step to F,31 and attacking the hag first. Swift action to begin smiting her.

Glimmil attack (+1 hook-hammer, 2H power, bless, smite): 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 + 3 = 28 for 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 20

Glimmil attack #2 (+1 hook-hammer, 2H power, bless, smite): 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 + 3 = 9 for 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 23

Glimmil attack #3 from blessing of fervor (+1 hook-hammer, 2H power, bless, smite): 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 1 + 3 = 26 for 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 21

Glimmil attack #3 re-roll from hex of fortune - attempt to hit a better AC or possibly crit (+1 hook-hammer, 2H power, bless, smite): 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 12 + 1 + 3 = 31 for 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 22

Add +6 more damage on first hit in the case that the hag is somehow an evil outsider.

Forgot to move hags next to Toffitt in map so Glimmil only got one attack. Fortunately that's enough to take her down.

Ah. Glimmil would've probably charged and used the blessing of fervor for the +2 hit/+2 AC bonus and tried to set himself up to threaten both hags should he have managed to drop one.

Sounds good.

Round 6, Init 14+

1d100 ⇒ 48 Confusion

Aralynn bubbles and jingles and tinkles delightedly. Whatever she is talking about, she is *loving* it.

Dyrant, however, wipes a few emerging tears from his eyes.

"Cog?" Dyrant asks, hoping that the fire that engulfed the puppy was not a fatal blow.

Dyrant's sad eyes turn to Atol, who looks less dazed and confused and more like his usual happy and clueless.

"Atol, you're our only hope...except for Glim. St. Cuthbert has never left you, Atol. I do this for you..and brave Cog."

Dyrant draws his mighty cudgel and floats down to Q27, level with the throne floor.

Dyrant hurls is club at Finn. If you have a problem with Dyrant hurling his cudgel, we can do dagger, same effect. This is more cinematic.

1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 - 6 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 2 + 1 - 6 - 4 - 4 = -2 to hit; (heroism, bless, range, cover, combat);
1d6 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3 damage.

Round 6 Init 22+

Female: Stop this! Stop this instant!

Finneas attempts to summon a heroic surge of will to remove the taint of the hags control from his fractured mind.

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

So round 6 I'm not confused and round 7 I can act.

Missed attacks are still attacks and break invisibility and draw the ire of confused characters, etc.

The remaining hag tries to turn invisible, but fails to do so with an angry Glimmil looming next to her. She provokes from Glimmil as she flies up to the ceiling. Aralynn, Finneas, Toffitt, and Glimmil would swear she's carrying something, but there's nothing there.

Over on the ground, a smoldering Cog moves ever so slightly as he tries to hang onto life.

cast defensively: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Perception
Aralynn 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Atol1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Dyrant 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Finneas 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Glimmil1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Toffitt 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
Sleight of hand1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19

Round 7
Hag 2
Finneas = 22+
Atol = 22 -
Toffitt = 15
Dyrant = 14+
Glimmil = 14

Round 7 Map

Round 7 Init 22+

Finneas shakes his head and comes to his senses.

Male: There she is boy. Get her!

Dropping the morningstar and drawing his greatsword as he steps over Cog's smoldering ashes he swings at the flying hag, his mind trading one confusion for another.

Free to drop Morningstar, Move to get under hag while drawing Greatsword (F30<->G29), Free to Rage, Standard to swing.

Greatsword Power Attack Raging Enlarged: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 303d6 + 17 ⇒ (6, 2, 3) + 17 = 28

Round 7, Initiative 22, Location K29->H30

Atol rushes to the edge of the room and sees the hag bobbing near the ceiling. Debating between a healing burst and stopping the creature that nearly killed them anger overtakes his sensibilities and he tries for the kill.

Atol casts Hold Person, Willpower DC 17. As an added bonus, if she fails her save, she falls.

SR Check 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

This round Atol takes the Blessing of +2AC, +2 Attacks, +2 Reflex saves

Atol can only look on in frustration as the non-humanoid continues to flap its moth wings.

LOL

Round 7, Init 15

Toffitt staggers to his feat and recovers his blade. He then climbs five feet up the wall. He clearly looks on the verge of collapse.

Round 1 of 5 rage: +4 Str. Strength = 4

"What shall we remove first? Your wings? Your tongue? Your shriveled little heart?"

AoO

Still holding his hammer in two hands, Glimmil gives a mighty swing at the retreating hag.

Glimmil AoO (+1 hook-hammer, power, bless, fervor): 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 14 + 1 + 2 = 31 for 1d6 + 1 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 6 + 6 = 16

Round 7, Init 14

"Not so fast!" Glimmil shouts up at the hag, and hastily improvises with the best ranged weapon he has his hands on already - his hook-hammer.

Adding -4 for the improvisation. Swift to begin smiting this hag.

Glimmil hammer throw (+1 hook-hammer, power, bless, fervor, smite): 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 2 - 4 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 14 + 1 + 2 - 4 + 3 = 32 for 1d6 + 1 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24

With his hammer in flight, if the hag fails to drop, Glimmil immediately pulls out his bow and nocks an arrow.

Round 7, Init 14-

Delay for Glim.

Dyrant *facepalms* yet again, his face showing beginning to show a deep red mark where his hand has repeatedly pounded flesh.

Atol! For the love of Cuthbert! Have you learned nothing from our lessons?!

Dyrant, surmising that more of St. Cuthbert's might is needed, flies to L31, 10' up.

Calling upon his spellprayers, Dyrant summons thousands of minute angels to dust the hag (and whatever she is carrying). Plenty of ways to avoid getting Glim, others.

Glitterdust. Will Save DC 18.
No SR.

* * *
1d100 ⇒ 77 Confusion

Aralynn flies 60' away, pouts.

Glimmil's hammer flies true and strikes the hag in the head. Some books splatters on the ceiling before she plummets to the ground. A clunk can be heard in addition to her thud.

Out of Init

Toffitt crawls over to the awful hag and starts decapitating and de-winging her before he collapses into a paralytic pile.

Dyrant 'huzzahs' as a hag falls.

"Die you witchy who#$!" Dyrant exults. "You're not worthy to stand the light of the servants of St. Cuthbert!"

Remembering the burnt puppy, Dyrant flies over to Cog and attempts to heal the puppy.

2d8 + 8 ⇒ (8, 4) + 8 = 20 healing

"C'mon boy. C'mon! Sorry about the burning fire! Really I am...here...eat some hag meat....or a bone?" Dyrant fumbles for a nearby skeleton bone, grasping it in hand and waving it in front of Cog. "Do you want a nice bone, do ya?"

Dyrant will be very relieved when Cog returns to his feet.

Atol shrugs forlornly at the spells failure. I knew I should have used it on Finneas.

To save Cog... and himself, he channels energy for 4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 1, 5) = 12 worth of healing. Looking around, he does it again... channel energy for 4d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 2) = 7 worth of healing. He also converts a Shield of Faith into a Cure Light Wounds for 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 for himself.

He then casts Invisibility Purge to try and locate the object the hags made invisible... and to make sure there's not a fourth hag hiding in the corners of the room. (I am assuming someone tells him the hag was holding something - if not no purge.)

"Is everyone OK? Anyone need more healing?"

Toffitt quivers on the ground, breath rasping.

Finneas' breathing eases as the rage leaves him.

"Atol, are you ok? I'm not sure about this spell, it seems to hurt you as much as it hurts me."

Atol looks at the good Doctor. "My, you are a right mess! Tomorrow I'll have you all fixed up, but for now let's at least get you standing."

He takes out a scroll of Lessor Restoration and casts it on Doctor Toffitt.

1d4 ⇒ 2 more strength.

Seeing how weak he really and truly is, he takes out his second scroll (no more after that I'm afraid) and uses it as well.

1d4 ⇒ 2 more strength.

"I'm fine Finneas though it was a crushing fight. I need to stop attacking you and taking the damage on myself I should think! Other than that we're OK. It's not working out quite as cleanly as I'd like, but with a little more practice and care we should work it out."

"I think we need to get you a ring or something with a permanent Protection from Evil on it though. You're just too deadly when you turn on the party!" Atol grins weakly.

Atol casts the invisibility purge and a staff lies on the ground next to the hag. Sequester is not as good as I thought

Presuming a search of the room after everyone is healed--or at least the more delicate ones are removed--the party will find the following.

In the chest:
- 130 gold pieces
- 12 pieces of assorted silverware (450 gp)
- a plain golden armband (120 gp)
- four potions of cure moderate wounds
- a +1 light mace

On the hags:
- necklace of fireballs (Type III, only two 3d6 spheres left)
- scroll (CL 14) of scrying eyes & greater dispel magic

Dyrant looks around the room and figures the baboon masks on the north wall must be worth something since Tygot has similar ones on his wall. The carpets on the floor and walls also appear to have some value, but there are 24 of them and they weigh 20 pounds each. The skeins of wool are high quality and well-dyed and would surely fetch 20 gp each (15 of them weighing 10 lbs each).

Behind the masks is a hidden switch with a drawer built into the wall. There is only an empty silk the size of the staff there.

As Atol applies his prayerscrolls, Toffitt lies slumped on the ground, face down. He emits a deep but rather weak growl. As he raises his head, the party faces a rather disturbing sight — a considerably more bestial version of the doctor, baring fangs. He snarls at Atol briefly, then gets a surprised look on his face. Looking at his hands, he sees hair and claws sprouting.

He scrambles away from Atol and the others weakly, expecting smites from Cuthbertine cudgels.

Atol stands up and steps back, slowly getting out his cudgel. He keeps his eyes on Toffitt.

"Dyrant! Something happened to the Doctor. The hags did something!"

"Rraw— Not the hawrrg... Hags. Old... Old injury." He feels his mouth and fangs and grimaces. "Mrawr— Their magic's thrown my humors out of balance."

Dyrant's head snaps up to see what is alerting Atol, only to be followed by another *facepalm*.

"Atol, dear, put away that cudgel unless you're using it against yourself. Give the Doctor space and time...he is afflicted, but not by anything we can cure with cudgel. His problems lie with his distance from a true divine influence. We should be patient and show him the way, but the cudgel now would only hasten his flight from sanity," Dyrant returns his attention to Cog.

"I think you'll be fine, boy," Dyrant tussles Cog's fur as Atol's divine spark begins to heal all. Dyrant gives a smile, finally standing and trying to give the Doctor time and space to recover on his own, with dignity.

Dyrant will cast Detect Magic and scan the area, eventually placing all the found items together for identification (some with Read Magic).

Lol@Sequester. :(

Dyrant picks up the staff and examines.

1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 17 + 2 = 35 Spellcraft

For the time being, Dyrant holds onto the scroll gr.dispel magic and scrying eyes and the necklace of fireball.

Also, there are the four glowing disks the skeletons had.

Dyrant examines the staff, but it doesn't detect as magical. However, it sure seems like it should.

I think Atol should try hitting Toffitt with it.

Toffitt takes out a potion and drinks it (lesser restoration 1d4 ⇒ 3). He licks the rim of the potion bottle as if it were a bowl of milk, and then catches himself.

Standing somewhat feebly, he finds himself crouching catlike. Then straightens up. Then eventually lapses back into a crouch. He drinks another potion (lesser restoration 1d4 ⇒ 4) and shakes himself out. As the mutagen's effects fade, he sits in a lotus pose and quietly meditates.

Later, he returns his focus to the room. "Well, there is a bit of good news in this. I suspect the hags' touch set my yellow bile and blood out of balance, which created a catalytic reaction with the monkshood and belladonna in my healing tonic. The sustained impact of the formula on my system seems to have held, and even become a bit more flexible. Although the effect on my physiognomy may be disconcerting to you, it is in fact a sign that the treatment has taken deep root." He smiles broadly, much more relaxed than he has ever been in the party's presence.

He walks tenderly over to the hags. Taking out his surgeon's tools, he prods a bit at their feathers and extracts some blood. "I believe I may be able to isolate some of the properties of their physiology to create a tincture for flight. A most useful thing, should we again encounter our erinyes friend. Er, it may be unpleasant to watch me extracting the needed components...?"

As the hag plummets to the ground, Glimmil wheels about on his heel, zipping past his fallen hammer as if it weren't there and slides on his mailed knees to Cog's side.

Hastily, he removes both mailed gloves and feeling for and discovering some signs of life, he immediately throws his arms around his furry companion's neck.

(no, not Doctor Toffitt)

"We made it! That felt like a close one! And that necklace of fiery orbs. I didn't even see the witch throw a bead, but it almost did us all in! That was really close! But good prevails once again! Cauuuuuldron Fiiiiiiive!"

Glimmil pauses for a moment.

"That's a great idea! We should have a Cauldron High Five!"

Glimmil raises an unmailed hand in the air and gives a knowing nod to the others.

Dyrant happily joins in the Cauldron "High" Five, lowering his hand so that Glim can enjoin.

* * *

Dyrant handles the staff carefully, taking a few test cudgels with it in the air.

"Atol, I'm not sure what this is...yet. Perhaps the magicks put on it by the hags are interfering with my divinations," Dyrant says while his mind goes back to the greater dispel magic scroll.

Willing to wait, he looks around at the party. "Are we ready to move forward or did we wish to rest?"

Dyrant asks the question a bit tentatively as he really doesn't know where to start if they wanted to move forward.

"How about we rest while you figure out the mirror and play with your new staff?"

Finneas looks on in befuddlement as Dyrant "high fives" the little gnome.

Wouldn't that be a low five?
Female: Barbaric custom.
Male: As yes, I remember well the day the high five was invented.
Fifth: I doubt you were 437 years old when you died.
Male: You're ruining the joke.
I don't get your humor any more than the Doctors.

"I'll need to rest. Some fresh meat might be nice too." Toffitt grins toothily, trying to jest around his fangs. "I wonder if those discs somehow correspond to the mirrors. Hrm. Will have to think abou tit more once I've eaten. No, not you Cog." More toothy mirth.

Dyrant nods to Finn and, when the party has rustled up the non-heavy valuables, moves back to the mirror room to begin thinking about getting through the mirrors again.

Dyrant puts the metal plate on the floor.

"Anyone have any ideas? You Aralynn?"

The party looks in the mirror and sees the same scene. Alek still sits there looking no happier.

No one has actually touched the mirror yet, correct?

Atol goes to the mirror and studies the paladin on the other side.

"Now that I've seen him, I think I can communicate with him. Why don't I ask Alek how he got there in the first place? He'll have a limited ability to answer, but we might learn something."

Atol describes how Sending works.

"...so I think he'll have 25 words to say back. Might be enough to give us a clue. If he's imprisoned as I suspect, it will also give him hope."

Atol does not touch the mirror.

Give me a d100 roll with it when you cast it. High is good.

It'll be after resting in any event, but I figured I'd have to do that. :D Poor paladin.

Atol turns to the party, "I thought I might ask, I am Atol, priest of St. Cuthbert. Jenya Urikaas sent us to find you. Please tell me where you are and how you got there?. Does that make sense?"

Per text with GM Gristle, we can rest til morning...unless one of us is going to solo the fire giant. /me gives a glare.

Dyrant rolls the staff between his hands while he sits in the throne, watching the mirror while he does his turn at watch. Aralynn gurgles nearby, wishing for some water to frolick in.

What about that mirror? What about the Paladin? What about this staff? Why would the hags use powerful magics to disguise it so? Out of spite?

Dyrant's thoughts circle for hours before he finally is relieved of watch duty and can sleep.

On the morn, his communion with Aralynn takes longer, as the whispered spellprayers take longer and have greater power to them.

The Saint still speaks to me. We are doing right.

* * *
After his prayer, Dyrant is finally ready to address Atol's question about what to say to Alek.

"I believe your communication plan is an inspired idea, Atol. Angel is wise for guiding you to it. I would go with the following sending:"

"I am Atol, priest of St. Cuthbert. Jenya Urikaas sent us. Tell me where you are. How you got there. Are you near a mirror?"