From the direction of the invisible elf you hear, "You should just... Damn snakeman!"
DC 27 Cast Defensively:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25
"OK, I give up. Just let me live! I'll become visible again in a few seconds."
Ksarress can see that she attempted to cast a spell, but was a little too distracted by the fact that someone just pointed out where she was, resulting in much pain. After failing at the spell, she raises her hands as if to give up.
Or that's what would have happened had Ksarress not made a disembodied head and body appear out of thin air when Gaevus tripped her.
Aram Zey's notes don't appear to be on either of the bodies or obviously labeled as you glance around the library, but you may find more if you look more closely.
Loot:
elixir of love (2), scroll of wall of force, masterwork rapier, masterwork shortbow with 20 arrows, cloak of resistance +1, hat of disguise, headband of alluring charisma +2, ring of protection +2, jewelry (worth 300 gp), 1,825 gp, elixir of hiding, potion of cure serious wounds, potion of invisibility, antitoxin, blue whinnis poison (4), +2 studded leather, +1 rapier, masterwork dagger, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, masterwork thieves’ tools, sunrods (3), 617 gp
Ksarress throws one piece of parchment just into the edge of her her spreading pool of blood, takes out another scroll and begins casting with what I can only presume is an infernal tone. While the party searches the room and corpses, one minute later, the answers to the following questions should appear (though I really only care about the first two for obvious reasons):
Who are you? (The name by which the creature is most commonly known)
What are you? (Gender, race, profession/role)
How was your blood shed? (Brief outline of the events that caused its wound, to the best of the victim's knowledge)
When was your blood shed?
Ksarress would ask for at least one blue whinnis dose, and will apply it to his katana as we prowl the halls. The wall of force is use-able but probably best for someone else.
Male Halfling Swashbuckler 5 / Lore Warden 3 / Exemplar 2 | Max HP 79 | Init +14 | AC 29, Touch 21, FF 21 | CMD 28+ | Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +7
Gaevus looks at the bodies and around the room, pausing briefly only when the blood biography spell goes off. "Creepy," he mutters, before examining the bookshelves closely again. Maybe the lower bookshelves hide something that taller people would miss?
Perception:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34
Seeing Ksarress apply some poison to a katana, Gaevus asks if Ksarress to do the same to his scimitar. "I'd try to do it myself, but, uh, sausage fingers, you know? I wouldn't want to poison myself, and it looks like you know what you're doing...."(@Ksarress: You get Poison Use from being a ninja, right?)
As Ksarress applies the poison, Gaevus sidles over to Yitza. "I think I'm running low on being all panachey and heroic. O-or Genta told me once that I'm supposed to check in with you magicky people after an hour and a half or so. Could I get a refill on heroism?"(@Yitza: This is Gaevus's asking for heroism. Or at least it's how I imagine the only non-caster person in the party asking. If you are low on spell slots, then don't sweat it!)
(@Max: I'd be totally down for you taking it. It won't stack with your magic circle against evil though, right? When does that go down? I don't think that it's a big deal for Gaevus though. He tends to get crit fantastically instead.)
Male Human Cleric 12 Barbarian 1 Init+0// HP:112:112// AC:23/FF:23/T:13/CMD:29/F:+15/R:+7/W:+17
no it doesn't stack - both deflection. Based on the time calculation you just did, I think I have another 100 minutes or so of it - cast it after the Seps and it lasts 180 min, (thanks Extend Rod!).
Male Halfling Swashbuckler 5 / Lore Warden 3 / Exemplar 2 | Max HP 79 | Init +14 | AC 29, Touch 21, FF 21 | CMD 28+ | Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +7
I'm cool with anyone taking it. I'll take it also if no one else wants, but I have pretty high AC, and usually end up near you by the end of battle. Maybe one of the casters wants it?
Female Half-Elf Witch 10 | HP 34/62 | Init +8 | AC 18, touch 14, flatfooted 15 | CMD 16 | Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +11 (+17 ench.)
Genta has a ring of protection +1 she nabbed from earlier in the mod. So far I don't believe it has been relevant.
Genta looks with satisfaction upon the dead Aspis agents, a bit disappointed that she had no role in their demise as Calistria would have liked. Regardless, she and Renyrd start to search the room for Aram Zey's notes, or any useful clues.
Genta's Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17
Renyrd briefly sticks his head under the hat of disguise and takes the form of a ceru - a tiny blue elephant with feet, tail, and ears that are all clawed and spikey. He looks gleeful with his new appearance and starts jumping around! But that makes the hat fall off. Renyrd reverts to his normal form and goes back to searching the room.
Male Halfling Swashbuckler 5 / Lore Warden 3 / Exemplar 2 | Max HP 79 | Init +14 | AC 29, Touch 21, FF 21 | CMD 28+ | Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +7
Did you casters tell Gaevus that there was a Hat of Disguise there? Otherwise, he'd be confused, and think that Renyrd can cast spells now, and would be super jealous at being left out.
Renyrd's change into a ceru is enough to get Gaevus to look up from the lower bookshelves causing him to notice an out of place book high up on one of the southern bookshelves. Once it is pointed out, Max is able to reach up to get it, and he finds that the inside of the book is hollowed out. Inside are a few scroll pages folded and written in Aram Zey's handwriting that detail what should be done in case the Hao Jin Tapestry ever needs to be permanently deactivated. With these notes, you think that you can make your way to where the tapestry is being stored and complete a short (~10 min.) ritual to deactivate it.
Female Half-Elf Witch 10 | HP 34/62 | Init +8 | AC 18, touch 14, flatfooted 15 | CMD 16 | Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +11 (+17 ench.)
Genta always tells people about magic items she finds. Like the NPC said, "Cooperate" is part of the Pathfinder Society credo.
"This ritual permanently deactivates the Hao-Jin Tapestry?" says Genta, looking at the scroll pages worriedly. "That doesn't sound like a great idea..."
Male Human Cleric 12 Barbarian 1 Init+0// HP:112:112// AC:23/FF:23/T:13/CMD:29/F:+15/R:+7/W:+17
"That does sound pretty drastic, but let's see what we find when we get to it. It maybe Something Else is also using it as a back door right into the heart of us."
Yitza gets a funny look on her face, and then tilts her head and shakes it. Some dust and a cobweb falls out of her ear.
"Sorry, must have gotten in my ears when I was crawling under that end table, looking for clues. What did you say? Permanently deactivates it? Er, yeah, maybe not such a good plan A. But we should head that way, to stop nefarious evil-doers and all that, right?"
Rolling well for in-game Perception does not preclude ooc perception fails from reading too quickly...
It takes you 10 minutes to travel to the room where you learn the Hao Jin Tapestry is being stored, making it 100 min. total.
The hallway leading to the room and the room itself are dark. A table at the center of the rectangular room is completely contained within a rune-inscribed circle set into the floor. Atop the table lies a Kelishite man’s body, spread-eagled and bloodstained, surrounded by fresh, untouched plates of food.
You instantly recognize the man as Master of Spells Aram Zey.
The mocking cackles of several women dancing around the table echoes from the darkness, “Aram Zey is dead! At long last, our jailer is dead! Haha ha haha!”
When you can see the far wall...:
At the far end of the chamber hangs a ragged tapestry torn down its center. A peaceful wood with trampled undergrowth is visible through the tear, though the tapestry clearly hangs against a solid wall.
You recognize the Hao Jin Tapestry.
Initiative
Gaevus: Go
Genta: Go
Two Knowledge(Nature) checks to ID. Info to follow,
I would like to submit that, having a wand of expeditious retreat handy and having at least a decent idea that we're about to enter the Hao Jin tapestry room, Ksarress has used the wand prior to entering
I would like to submit that, having a wand of expeditious retreat handy and having at least a decent idea that we're about to enter the Hao Jin tapestry room, Ksarress has used the wand prior to entering
Is reasonable.
M is a wild-looking woman covered in spattered blood. Her wicked smile reveals sharp teeth and her eyes suggest insanity.
DC 18:
M is a maenid, a monstrous humanoid, that can insight confusion with her dancing and poison with her attacks.
DC 23:
Maenids resist fire and are immune to calm emotions.
DC 28:
Maenids also have a number of SLAs and some SR.
H1-3 are women who would be pretty if it were not for their sharp teeth and nails, and their ghastly pale skin.
DC 18:
H1-3 are blood hags, monstrous humanoids, that resist damage not from magical cold iron weapons.
DC 23:
Blood hags are immune to charm, disease, fear, fire, and sleep.
DC 28:
Blood hags can take a fiery form and deal damage in that form by co-occupying a square or detonating themselves back to their normal form in a fireball-like effect. They also have the ability to blood drain.
Female Half-Elf Witch 10 | HP 34/62 | Init +8 | AC 18, touch 14, flatfooted 15 | CMD 16 | Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +11 (+17 ench.)
Knowledge (nature):1d20 + 22 ⇒ (7) + 22 = 29
Genta rattles off everything she can think of about the maenid and the blood hags to her party. Then she steps forward to appraise the situation, and just as quickly returns to the relative safety of the back of the group.
"Dance through this!" Genta shouts out to the singing hags. Before they can react, she casts a spell to make everybody's lives a lot more difficult: black tentacles.
Male Halfling Swashbuckler 5 / Lore Warden 3 / Exemplar 2 | Max HP 79 | Init +14 | AC 29, Touch 21, FF 21 | CMD 28+ | Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +7
Gaevus no longer has heroism.
Presuming I can see the edges of the maenid at the edges of my vision (it was shadowed (45 ft away) but I could see a bit of her and the letter, and I presume Gaevus could hear the cackling):
Gaevus moves into the darkness toward the nearest enemy, grabbing his Blue Scarf around the way. Seeing the crazed looking woman, he goes, "Nope! Nope, nope nope!" and swings with his scimitar.
Standard attack:1d20 + 22 ⇒ (11) + 22 = 33 vs. M's flatfooted AC Damage:1d4 + 12 + 5 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 12 + 5 + 0 = 21 total damage (16 magic slashing, 5 precision, 0 sonic)
Hopefully Gaevus has smartly preserved a charging path for Ksarress, should he need it.
Genta'sblack tentacles grapple and slightly damage the hags.
Gaevus slashes into the maenad.
The bodies of the hags disappear as they reform into balls of fire floating above the tentacles. They proceed to zip around the room, with one each landing in the squares of Gaevus and Max attempting to burn them.
Fire Damage vs. Gaevus:3d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 6) = 14 Fire Damage vs. Max:3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1) = 10 DC 20 Reflex negates.
Male Halfling Swashbuckler 5 / Lore Warden 3 / Exemplar 2 | Max HP 79 | Init +14 | AC 29, Touch 21, FF 21 | CMD 28+ | Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +7
"Oh jeez!" Gaevus flaps his arms and seems to artfully dance around the blood hag's flames.
Reflex:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 29 vs. DC 20 to avoid being burninated
In the chaos, Ksarress rushes forward ignoring the now flaming creatures. The maenid presumably jumps a little at the sudden appearance of the black tentacles and when she turns back Ksarress is there, who attempts to kick her into the black tentacles.
Male Human Cleric 12 Barbarian 1 Init+0// HP:112:112// AC:23/FF:23/T:13/CMD:29/F:+15/R:+7/W:+17
Reflex:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Max is scorched. He adjusts his position 5' and strikes at the fiery form
Spiked Gauntlet:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 dmg:1d4 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 (piercing, not magic or CI)
"Come on guys, like the song says... Our enemies are nothing but dust in the wind!" She starts singing to inspire the party, and pulls out her crossbow just in case.
"I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone.
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity.
Dust in the wind...
All they are is dust in the wind..."
Yitza knows this much about the nature of these enemies:
Know(Nature):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 Know(Nature):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
She'll tell you what she knows about the blood hags, but isn't sure about the other chick...
Male Halfling Swashbuckler 5 / Lore Warden 3 / Exemplar 2 | Max HP 79 | Init +14 | AC 29, Touch 21, FF 21 | CMD 28+ | Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +7
Stepping out of the square with the hot hag, Gaevus taps his boots together (4 rounds remaining) and swiftly swings his scimitar! Gaevus will attack the blood hag H1 until she is down, and then direct any remaining attacks toward the maenid M.
Full Attack (main):1d20 + 25 ⇒ (12) + 25 = 37 vs. H1/M's AC Damage:1d4 + 14 + 5 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 5 + 0 = 22 total damage (17 magic slashing, 5 precision, 0 sonic)
Full Attack (haste):1d20 + 25 ⇒ (12) + 25 = 37 vs. H1/M's AC Damage:1d4 + 14 + 5 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 5 + 0 = 22 total damage (17 magic slashing, 5 precision, 0 sonic)
Full Attack (iterative):1d20 + 20 ⇒ (20) + 20 = 40 vs. H1/M's AC Damage:1d4 + 14 + 5 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 5 + 0 = 22 total damage (17 magic slashing, 5 precision, 0 sonic) Crit Confirmation (iterative):1d20 + 21 ⇒ (7) + 21 = 28 vs. H1/M's AC Crit Damage:1d4 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17 total damage (17 magic slashing)
Tripping Strike + Greater Trip:
Depending on whether the attack resolves against H1 (who I don't think can be tripped) or M (who might be able to be tripped in the tentacles): 28 vs. H/M1's trip CMD
If the trip works: Greater Trip AoO:1d20 + 25 ⇒ (6) + 25 = 31 vs. H1/M's AC Damage:1d4 + 14 + 5 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 5 + 0 = 22 total damage (17 magic slashing, 5 precision, 0 sonic)
Gaevus slashes at the blood hag three times, weakening the fire, but not enough to extinguish it.
The trip doesn't resolve as the critical goes against the hag.
Ah! flaming hag! Fetch shakes of a moments consideration of what adventures her friends may be up to, and begins casting enlarge person as Ivan dismembers the flaming hag.
Female Half-Elf Witch 10 | HP 34/62 | Init +8 | AC 18, touch 14, flatfooted 15 | CMD 16 | Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +11 (+17 ench.)
Black Tentacles CMB:1d20 + 5 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 10 = 33 vs. CMD
Black Tentacles damage:1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 nonmagic bludgeoning
Genta takes a deep breath of relief at the first blood hag's demise. But then she sees another blood hag near Gaevus. "Watch out! Those things explode!" she cries, warningly. In an attempt to forestall a fiery kaboom, she casts a spell. Renyrd opens his mouth and lets out an ear-piercing fox scream directly at the blood hag!
Ear-piercing scream:5d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 4, 1, 5) = 18 sonic damage to H1, Fort DC 20 halves damage and negates daze for 1 round.
Genta's normally quick reflexes fail her, and the fire blasts her full in the face! "I'm on fire! Oh wait, never mind," Genta says, pushing her red hair out of her face. Damage reduced by 10 due to her ring.
The maenad's been readying... though she probably won't make the check to do what she's trying to do, it's a better chance than trying to escape the grapple.
The maenad focuses on casting despite being grappled by the tentacles.
Concentration vs. DC 28:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
And not being too distracted by the threat of Gaevus and Ksarress Concentration vs. DC 21:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
Before reaching out to touch Ksarress sucking away a bit of his life force.
Touch vs. Ksarress:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28 Vampiric Touch Damage:6d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2) = 18
I confused in character vs out of character pondering, sorry - haha well it's too late now that I know what she's doing as just attacking with a glaive and or invisibly grappling her were options :) Ah well guess we do this the uncreative way which lets be honest is mostly Ksarress' style.
As Ksarress steps up to cleave this creature in twain, expecting his will to protect him from its dance and armor from its claws, he grits his teeth against the unexpected draining of his life.
