Skulls and Shackles Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Tyranius

Resting for the night the group continues on and heads for the opposite end of the island.

A tall stone tower topped with battlements rises along the cliffs here. Two eyeless cyclops statues rise above these defenses, gazing sightlessly over the western sea. Above them, the spire continues upward, tapering into a giant crystal shard of pink quartz. At ground level, immense double doors, decorated in ancient glyphs, form the tower’s only entrance.

This stone watchtower is 60 feet tall, with battlements encircling a raised platform about 40 feet up, it provides a commanding view of the seaside cliffs.

After thoroughly checking the doors for traps, Charles attempts to open them, to see what lies inside...

Following smartly Jack keeps his arrow nocked.

Opening the door Charles is surprised to find a pair of cyclops guarding the desolate ruins. The pair are quickly eliminated as the Bloodrager enacts his own type of revenge.

Searching the ruins the group finds little of use and heads south along the mainland of the island. Towards E

Huge stone steps rise along this five-hundred-foothigh plateau, each one carved to accommodate giantsized strides.

The cyclopes of Ghol-Gan built two immense stairways in the sheer cliffs of the island’s central plateau. Each one leads to overgrown highways made of quarried flagstones that connect to the ruins of Sumitha (area G). The stairs wind 500 feet to the top and waymarkers carved with ancient glyphs denote each 100 feet of elevation.

DC 15 Fort save or fatigued.

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16.

Charles has worked up a bit of a sweat once the stairs have been dealt with, but is otherwise unaffected.

"Well, that was bracing!"

He then waits to see how the others have fared...

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Aishe manages the stairs with relative ease, but does take some time to check the waymarkers along the way for anything of interest.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25
Linguistics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Linguistics (reroll, World Traveler): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Perc: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

The climb is a bit tougher than Natalie is used to, but she still manages to make it to the top of the stairs, without incident, alert for any danger in the ruins.

Searching carefully Aishe finds that the ancient markers only served the purpose as to let an individual know the specific elevation.

Continuing further south leads to a giant sized corral. A giant-sized corral sits on the eastern shore of a large lake. Several of the corral’s beams, each one the size of an entire tree, lie broken and smashed on the ground. Massive footprints from some heavy beast have long since dried in the muddy pasture.

"Huh. I wonder what, exactly, they were keeping here..."

With a shrug, Charles continues exploring.

Onward!

Moving past the giant-sized corral Charles sees a small herd of triceratops's calmly grazing nearby on some fresh greens growing within the copious forest within. The triceratops must be the set of massive footprints.

Jack joins Charles and has a look at the herd and smiles.
"Well, we shouldn´t be afraid of dieing of starvation. Ha. Anyone ever ate a dino steak?"

"Not recently, no... Perhaps we should leave them for another time? I am not *quite* that hungry, at present..."

Jack cautiously approaches the herd of Triceratops. Theygrunt and sniff at the ground as they watch Jack.

Aishe nods, "I don't see a reason to disturb them at the moment. Let's continue on."

On to C, then B, then N, M, L, O, and P?

Jack smiles and moves away. No need to spook them.
Jack looks up at the beasts and compares their weight to his and just feels better to be somewhere else when they go nuts!

The group continues to hack a trail through the island south. Rocky hills and ridges rise from this elevated plateau. No trails provide access to its lofty heights, though a 90-foot-high waterfall descends from its northern face of a large cavern.

Aishe looks to the others. "How do we feel about a little climb?"

Looking at the waterfall Jack has his boyish roguish smile.
"Wanna!"

Need climb checks if you are going to begin climbing the cliff-face. It is 90 feet tall.

Could Aishe's monkey familiar carry a rope/grapple up? Climb speed of 30'. Alternately, Aishe's got a good hope and a haste that might come in handy.

I wouldn't see why not.

I can also Fly up, and carry a rope at the same time, but if I need a particular skill to anchor a rope and its STR based, I'd probably struggle.

Between Natalie and Aishe's simian companion the group is able to secure a rope near the top. The monkey requires Natalie's aid as while it can follow simple instructions of going to the top of the cliff-face, that is about all it understands.

Natalie flies up high as as she is just about to tie the rope off she hears a sweet, soothing song coming from within the cave. The song floats through the wind as it is carried down to Jack, Aishe and Charles.

All need to make a Will save.

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Hearing the song Jack feels it pulling on him.

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11, +2 if it is mind-affecting.

EDIT: Not that it matters!

Will Save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Down below Charle's face relaxes from all of the rage he has carried throughout the years. His head cranes upward towards the song from high above.

Slowly walking forward Charles stops at the cliff-face his hand reaches for the rope leading up.

From inside the cave exit a trio of fiendish looking harpies. Their skin is a bright red with glistening black wings, though they each only contain a single eye and are nearly three times the size of a normal harpy! One of the harpies continues her song as the remaining two join her, looking at Natalie floating just on the edge of the cliff.

Everyone but Charles needs to make 2 more Will saves. Going to take this into rounds. No map. Natalie and Aishe's familiar are 90 feet above standing on a ledge against three harpies while the rest of you are below.

Round 1
Jack
Charles- Captivated
Natalie
Aishe
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Daughters of Imerta
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Do I get an action or do I have to effectively make three consecutive will saves before I can carry out an action?

You guys can take a surprise round action from the point of the first song starting.

Aishe, hearing the song, casts a spell to boost their ability to resist it.

Surprise Round
Standard action: Cast good hope

Will Save (Good Hope): 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 = 27
Will Save (Good Hope): 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 = 24

...any chance of doing something to give Charles another save?

Jack quickly calls into the Judgement of Purity (+2 on saves) and Justice (+2 on attack rolls)(swift) and offers a prayer for the group.(Standard)

Natalie immediately casts Black Tentacles on the grouped enemies.

Grapple (Applied to everyone in area): 1d20 + 11 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 4 + 1 = 33
Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

A lot of people have used something like countersong, but otherwise there is not a whole lot to give a second save. Just waiting on saving throws from Jack.

Will: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
Will: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Jack and Aishe are able to resist all of the cyclopean Harpie's song as Natalie falls underneath their control just as her spell completes. Writhing black tentacles reach of from the ground and grasp at the harpie's taloned feet.

Harpy 1 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Harpy 2 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Harpy 3 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Round 1
Jack
Charles- Captivated by Harpy 1
Natalie - Captivated by harpy 3
Aishe
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Daughters of Imerta (1-7)(2-10)(3-9)
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Quickly drawing and letting loose Jack shoots, activating his bane.
RS: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 252d8 + 2d6 + 22 ⇒ (6, 1) + (6, 6) + 22 = 41
RS: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 221d8 + 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (3) + (3, 6) + 11 = 23
RS: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 331d8 + 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (5) + (1, 4) + 11 = 21

You are still down below with the group Jack. the only one's up near the Harpies are Natalie and Aishe's familiar, which are 90 feet above on a ledge.

Do I have no line of sight? I mean I am using a composite longbow

Rather than become vulnerable climbing the rope, Aishe remains on the ground, begins singing, and pulls out her shortbow.

Move action: Begin bard song (Inspire Courage (+2 competence bonus to hit/damage, +2 morale bonus to charm and fear effects, 22 rounds remaining))
Move action: Draw shortbow

Of course, if we have no line of sight and our only option is to climb the rope...guess she'll start in on that

Those down below have no Line of sight of those above. It is a ledge going into a cave with the harpies just inside of the cave trapped in Black tentacles now.

Sorry for the delay - Paizo, then work delays. So, yeah, Aishe will go ahead and try climbing.

Aishe begins climbing the rope.

Full-round action: Double move, climbing rope
Climb (DC 5, Good Hope, Accelerated Climbing): 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 2 - 5 = 10
Climb (DC 5, Good Hope, Accelerated Climbing): 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 - 5 = 17

Jack will put some wax in his ears and start climbing.
take 10 for climbing

Aishe and Jack both take to climbing the rope as the Daughters of Imerta attempt to free themselves from the black tentacles.

Harpy 1 CMD 26: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Harpy 2 CMD 26: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Harpy 3 CMD 26: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

One harpy is able to get free as it flies loose from the cave into the open air past Natalie, who pays it little attention.

Charles looks up high overhead as the harpy continues to sing and mesmerize him. He does small leaps into the air trying to reach for the harpy to no avail.

Round 2
Jack (15 feet)
Charles- Captivated by Harpy 1
Natalie - Captivated by harpy 3
Aishe (30 feet)
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Daughters of Imerta (1-7; outside cave; 20 feet from cave; 110 feet from ground)(2-10; grappled in cave)(3-9; grappled in cave)
----------------------

Jack continues climbing. (Double move)
Take 10

Aishe continues climbing.

Full-round action: Double move, climbing rope
Climb (DC 5, Good Hope, Accelerated Climbing): 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 2 - 5 = 8
Climb (DC 5, Good Hope, Accelerated Climbing): 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 - 5 = 15

Jack and Aishe continue to climb as Charles and Natalie stare on dumbfounded at the song.

Harpy 2 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Harpy 3 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Harpy 2 Black tentacles vs CMD 26: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Harpy 3 Black tentacles vs CMD 26: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Harpy 3 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

As another harpy breaks free she rushes towards Natalie, flying just above her as the harpy draws a deadly looking morningstar.

The remaining free Harpy flying outside the cave continues to sing as she hurtles towards the ground at Charles, eager to gain his affection.

Round 3
Jack (45 feet)
Charles- Captivated by Harpy 1
Natalie - Captivated by harpy 3
Aishe (60 feet)
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Daughters of Imerta (1-7; outside cave; 20 feet from cave; 30 feet from ground)(2-16; Outside of cave next to Natalie)(3-25; grappled in cave)
----------------------

Hrm. Thoughts, Jack? Should we both continue climbing so that Aishe can take care of the one that's still held and you can fire down on the other two, or does she climb down ASAP to protect the others?

I think I can still defend myself, as per song text, so I think I can EFS and be ok.