The 6 Seasoned Pathfinders, Episode 14: Fortress of the Nail (Inactive)

Game Master GHembree

Fey screams as Nord falls. "No. No." she finishes her summoning, and a dog appears. The dog moves up and bites the hell hound. It smites at the creature. "Hastard get to me if you can." She moves closer to the action, and casts Barkskin on herself.

Dog Bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
AC is currently 23

Dusklord grimaces as Nord falls.

"A powerful foe...worthy of my most powerful spell!" he says. The wizard finishes the casting of a persistent glitterdust spell, hoping to blind the creature.

DC 19 Will save, if it succeeds the first it must roll again.

Remember HASTE is in effect!

The summoned dog misses the warhound.

Dusklord's magical flash of gold dust covers the warhound and it's eyes with glitter blinding it for now.

warhound will save vs DC19: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

wAIT, SQUEALY NORD CANNOT FALL!

The warpriest will move up and imbune his sling with frost ability
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 Attack 1
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 Hasted

Attack one
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
1d6 ⇒ 5 Frost

Starling moves forward, draws an arrow and fires it at the warhound. Unfortunately, the heat from the lava distracts her, and the arrow misses the hound by about a foot.

Crossbow, attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

"NO!" shrieks the gnome, as he rides his companion to the floor.

Staring up at the fiend before him, he thrusts his lance forward. "You bastard! There will be NO QUARTER FOR YOU!" he cries, before taking a tactical step backwards.

Standard to swing once, 5ft step back

Lance vs Fiend: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage?: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Here's hoping his blindness works in my favor. :-P

Recap:
Feybella’s summoned dog missed as she cast barkskin on herself.

Dusklord blinds the warhound with his glitter

Current:

E’li shifts forward striking the blind Warhound with a deadly and frosty sling bullet. The cold seems to do extra damage to the fiery monster.

Starling moves forward drawing her bow and firing at the warhound, but the arrow glances off it’s tough hide missing. (Assuming she continues to inspire courage)

Hastard shrieks as Nord crumples to the floor, encouraged by Starling’s song he stabs the blind fiend with his lance before shifting back a step.

Blinded by the glitter the Warhound sniffs the air for it’s foes and lashes out by snapping it’s flaming jaws about the celestial dog nipping at its tail snuffing the summoned creature life force out sending it back to where it came. Pawing at the glitter it fails to clear it’s vision and is still blind.

Bold May Act: Haste, Inspire courage +2
Nessian Warhound: 31+10+7+7 = 55 damage (Blind -4 AC, Will DC19 persistent, 5-1=4 rounds)
Starling: +9 dam
Feybella: 3+9 = 12 damage (AC 23)
Dusklord: 4 dam
Eli: 8 dam
Hastard: 52 dam
Nord: 41+18+8= 67 dam (dead)

Everyone isl up!

I think I forgot the +2 to the last damage

The warpriest will add his good blessing to the sling so it is icy holy and fires two more shots at the hellhound
1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 10 + 2 = 25
1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 = 26

Hit 1
1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7
1d6 ⇒ 3 holy
1d6 ⇒ 2 frost

Hit 2
1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8
1d6 ⇒ 3 holy
1d6 ⇒ 2 icy frost

Fey moves up to longspear range of the dog, and attacks.

Fort Save for the Lava?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 If it's Reflex it's a +5

+1 Longspear: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

He is hasted. Free action to use warpriest blessings

Starling ignores the pain from the lava, concentrates a bit more and fires another bolt at the hound while continuing her bardic performance.

Crossbow, attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Crossbow, damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

DM...I read the persistent spell the same as you do. Ongoing effects shouldn't be treated any differently than the initial save (probably why it's +2 on the spell increase).

Dusklord smiles grimly as the glitter blinds the hound. He draws his metamagic rod and tries to topple the creature with his last magic missiles spell.

toppling magic missiles: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 1) + 3 = 10
trip CMB vs. CMD: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

Assuming the beast doesn't trip with that

Staring for a long, long moment at his friends body, the gnome tears himself away. His open wounds dripping a crimson trail as he makes his way towards his companions.

Scowling, Hastard begins planning his next move.

Double Move: Bllue Line for clarity

(added E’li +2 to the last damage)

E’li evokes a good blessing (standard) on his sling and loads the sling bullet (swift/move) for an attack.

Readying her longspear, Feybella leaps past the hot lava to stab at the blind Warhound, unfortunately missing as it still has enough awareness to dodge the attack.

Starling loads and fires her light crossbow hitting the Warhound in it’s shoulder causing it to snarl in pain. Added +2 bard IC to damage

Dusklord holding his ground, he draws a rod and uses it to blast the warhound with a trio of force missiles strong enough to knock a person over, but they fail to topple over the large four legged Warhound still giving it a good pounding in the process.

Wounded badly, Hastard makes his way around the blind Warhound without incident.

Sniffing the air the Warhound moves in the direction of the last attack coming up on Feybella. It bites at the smelly gnome oracle next to it, but misses as it’s jaws close on the space above the gnome. It is still blinded by the glitter as it snarls in frustration, Feybella feeling it’s hot breath on her. Blind it moves at half speed. So it moves instead of shifting, Therefore it invokes an AoO from Febella’s longspear.

Hasted E’li completes his all out sling attack firing the loaded bullet, then swiftly dropping more ammo in and slinging again. (swift + full-round) Both shots hitting causing the Warhound to howl in pain with the cold doing a little extra damage.

Bold May Act: Haste, Inspire courage +2
Nessian Warhound: 55 + 2 + 10 + 10 + 7+3 + 3 + 8+3 + 3 = 104 damage (Blind -4 AC total, Will DC19 persistent, 4-1= 3 rounds)

Starling: 9 dam
Feybella: 12+6 = 18 damage (AC 23)
Dusklord: 4 dam
Eli: 8 dam
Hastard: 52 dam
Nord: 67 dam (dead)

Starling, Feybella, Dusklord and Hastard are up! (Feybella gets an AoO on it)

AOO

+1 Longspear: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Fey takes a step back, and Casts Cure Moderate Wounds on Hastard.

CMW: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 1) + 5 = 14

Dusklord moves forward and casts create pit underneath the monstrous hound.

"Blind and in the bottom of a pit...that should end this quickly."

create pit, DC 18 Reflex

Warhound Reflex save DC18 vs pit: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Taking the AoO hit from Feybella, the Blind Warhound feels the ground give way and leaps to safe ground. Dusklord's hope for a quick end to the battle proves false.

how beat up does it look

E’li estimates the Warhound has taken quite a beating, there is a small possibility that Starling and Hastard could kill it this round, but it’s more likely It will last long enough to attack again.

Encouraged by her previous hit, Starling loads another bolt and fires it at the hound again. She scored another hit, even if this bolt seems to do less damage than the previous one.

Crossbow attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Crossbow damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Hastard is still up.

Nice hit!

Seeing his foe is still in reach, the gnome viciously stabs at it with his lance. "Die fiend! PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES!"

Poke of Righteousness!: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
(Magical/Piercing) Damage?: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Feybella stabs the Warhound as it lunged at her, wounding it with her longspear.

Stepping back, Feybella uses her magic to heal some of Hastard’s wounds.

Dusklord moves forward through the lava heated spaces as his skin blisters and creates a magical pit underneath the blind Warhound, unfortunately the hellish beast leaps to the side as the pit opens up avoiding the trap.

Starling loads her crossbow and fires another bolt hitting the Warhound and wounding it further, as it growls in pain. Assume she continues bard song.

Emboldened by Feybella’s healing, Hastard gripping the lance with two-hands he stabs at the beast sinking the point of his lance deep into the Warhound’s shoulder.

The badly wounded and blind Warhound snorts as it sniffs the air for its prey, moving forward around the pit edge it provokes from both Feybella and Hastard just before it finds Hastard and clamps its flaming jaws on the small warrior gnome. The Warhound remains blinded by the magic glitter.

Bold May Act: Haste, Inspire courage +2
Nessian Warhound: 104 + 6 + 5 + 6 = 121 damage (Blind -4 AC total, Will DC19 persistent, 3 rounds)

Starling: 9 dam
Feybella: 18 damage (AC 23)
Dusklord: 4+3 = 7 dam
Eli: 8 dam
Hastard: 52 - 14 = 38 + 20? +5? = 63??? Dam (pending AoO)
Nord: 67 dam (dead)

(Feybella and Hastard gets an AoO on the Warhound which get applied before it’s attack! Need to hit AC20 and do 5pts to kill it.)

After the AoO then everyone is up!

If my calculations are accurate: Was at 12 HP prior to CMW -- so 26 HP...-25 from bite....1 positive HP now

No Haste: IC +2

AoO of Self-Preservation!: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 2 = 14
(Magical/Piercing) Damage?: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 2 = 5

Lashing out at the beast clamps down on his neck, the gnomes eyes go red...matching the color of his glowing armor.

Drawing the lance back, he cautiously steps away before shrieking "I SAID DIE HEATHEN!"

5' step
Someone is dieing here...is it me?: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 2 = 23
Damage?: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 2 = 5

Fey smacks Hastard between the shoulder blades and heals him again.

CMW: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (4, 2) + 5 = 11

Hastard misses the blind Warhound as it moves forward and closes it flaming and crushing jaws around the gnome for a moment before snapping back.

Still standing wounded to within an inch of his life, Hastard shifts and strikes again at the Warhound with his lance wounding the hellish beast once more and for the last time as it crumples to the ground dying in defeat!

Feybella partially heals the wounded Hastard giving him more stamina.

*** Combat Over ***

The warpriest will move up to see if he can do anything to help Squely Nord and will channel positive energy around any one who might need it
2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11

Prior to E'li channeling, Hastard leaps forward and skewers the beast.

"Your crimes have come upon you!" he states, matter of fact. Frowning, he turns to his companions. "Sorry for losing my cool there...please forgive me..."

Offering a bow, he moves to his fallen brethren. "You will breath again, Nord. This I vow."

Coup De Grace: 3d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 5, 4) + 6 + 2 = 19

"I'm sorry Hastard. We will do what we can." Fey moves up to the mechanism and studies it.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18 +2 to locate traps

Hastard insures the Warhound's death before E'li channels positive energy healing most everyone full except for Feybella and Hastard.

Feybella takes a look at the hanging cage control mechanism and quickly figures out how to lower Dralneen’s cage safely to the ground. The paracountest is in poor physical condition reduced injured and unconscious she is alive.

Your group picks or breaks the cage’s locked freeing the Paracountess Zarta Dralneen. Any healing will revive her enough to walk on her own and follow you back through the portal to the Citadel Vraid.

Primary Success:
Having rescued the Paracountess, you are able to leave with her without further incident.

You make your own way back to the city and are meet by Venture-Captain Heidmarch at Shoreline Drinkhall, he hastily instructs medics to whisk Dralneen away, turning to your group "Thank you for a job well done!" He further reveals, "According to the Society’s most recent intelligence, Chelish Queen Abrogail II has placed a bounty on the head of Tancred Desimire. It’s unclear whether his crime prompted this or if he angered the queen in another way."

Secondary Success:
Sascha Antif-Arah escape the the Fortress of the Nail. You do hear that Sascha keeps her promising to contact the Society once she’s safely away from the citadel.

Markus Gael also escapes though you never hear from him again.

Shortly after the party turns Dralneen over to the Pathfinder Society for safe passage back to Absalom each of you receives a personalized letter from the paracountess mentioning details about you that the paracountess wouldn’t expected to know. In addition to her profuse thanks and traditional innuendo, the letters also offer the PCs a reward in thanks for their efforts, paid out of the paracountess’s personal wealth rather than the Cheliax factions assets.

This reward takes the form of a single item of the PC’s choice, granted at no cost. This item must have a regular market price of 1,500 gp or less. This item is not restricted by the normal limits of Fame, and can be selected from any legal source. Please post what you select, so that I may denote it on the Chronicle sheet. If you want, for fun you can post what her letter to you said.

This concludes the Fortress of the Nail. I’ll post Chronicles as soon as I have the items selected to add.

(Well done everyone, I wasn’t sure all of you were going to make it out of that one.)

Fey blushes as she reads her letter. How it the world did she know about Spackle? I haven't seen him in months.

She will take an Aegis of Recovery as her item.

Refusing any assistance, claiming "This is my duty!", the tiny man drags his larger companion back through the portal. Huffing and puffing, sweat pooling within the hefty armor, he manages to get the boar back up the stairs and out of the fortress. Onward he drags the animal back to town.

Standing vigilante during the debriefing, his thoughts far away, he nods to Heidmarch. "Yes, yes. All sounds good. Sorry, but I have another matter of urgency to attend to first." By some miracle, he flips the creature over his shoulder and stumbles out of the inn to the first clergy-man he can find. Throwing a wand of coins he falls to his knees. "Please! Please save him...take my head if you must!"

Signaling other priests to join him, the begin praying...or chanting to someone on high and a few moments later, Squealy Nord leaps to his feet with a snort. "Oh! Thank the heaven's!" squeals Hastard, leaping astride his beloved companion.

The pair charge back to the inn where the beaming gnome looks the captain in the eyes and says, "We'll take a Dire Collar."

Starling reads her letter silently, nodding every few seconds. She reads it twice again, then tears it to shreds and throws them into the fire. "It seems like our cherished Society knows more about me - or us - than we'd like. My letter referred to several private events nobody other than me should have known about. Events I would rather forget. I will need to follow things up with the Paracountess and some of my acquaintances in the Society."

Starling will take a Studded Leather Armor +1