The Armageddon Beasts (Inactive)

Game Master Zayne Iwatani

oops I got ahead of myself I guess, I posted round 3

Kyamba lays into the very lively, dead tree for three solid hits that makes it recoil. Rika flies up to take advantage of the Jubjub birds poor flight and hits it with magically energy, exhausting it. Surprisingly the other attack the unruly bird for going against the alpha and it struggles to fight back.

Jubjub alpha vs Jubjub2: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (12) + 31 = 43
Damage: 3d6 + 19 ⇒ (5, 4, 4) + 19 = 32
Jubjub Jubjub3 vs Jubjub2: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (1) + 31 = 32
Damage: 3d6 + 19 ⇒ (6, 2, 6) + 19 = 33
Jubjub Jubjub4 vs Jubjub2: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (16) + 31 = 47
Damage: 3d6 + 19 ⇒ (3, 4, 5) + 19 = 31
Jubjub Jubjub2 vs Alpha: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (10) + 28 = 38
Damage: 3d6 + 16 ⇒ (5, 3, 4) + 16 = 28

The Sard on the other hand seems to have had enough for now and with a new opponent moving in it backs away and seems to merge with another tree, disappearing from sight.

At-will Transport Via Plants. It Casts Defensively and has a high enough concentration to make the check without needing to roll.

Round 3

Initiative:
Kyamba and Rika- Attacks and Exhaustion
Sard- (218 damage) bugs out
Jubjub1 Leader-
Jubjub2-
Jubjub3-
Jubjub4-
Donovan-
(Invisible)(Flying)Imp- watching
Mortimer-
(Flying)Groff- charges in
Invisible)(Mirror Image)(Flying)Fizz- casts Wierd
Darnak-

When Fizz arrives he weaves his magic and all the scuffling birds stop in their tracks, eyes wide and breathing hard. They all then turn a different direction and shriek in fear before falling dead in a heap.

They can't make a Will save that high so they all fail.

Groff and Donovan arrive on the seen just in time to see the Sard vanish into a tree and the forest goes quiet.

The Sard is no longer visible but the combat continues. Everyone but Mortimer is in the small clearing now.

Groff will then wait to charge at where the tree thingy might appear.

Sorry Birdies. Fizzy says, as he cries, invisiblly of course.

Spellcraft (DC 21): 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (3) + 28 = 31

Kyamba freezes when the Sard suddenly disappears right in front of him. His mind races as he tries to comprehend what just happened. Quickly he comes to the conclusion that magic must be somehow involved which narrows the possibilities immensely. He narrows his eyes and begins scanning the forest around the clearing, looking for somewhere that the tree could hide itself.

How many Colossal or larger plants/trees are in the area? Can I also figure out which tree it entered?

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 44
Knowledge: Nature: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Colossal is only 25x25. Even if the Sard was 50 to 60ft tall it is dwarfed by the trees nearby. The forest is made up of trees up to 100ft tall and extremely dense so I consider most of them colossal or better. You guys should probably consider the whole forest difficult terrain but that's another layer of complexity I'd rather not deal with. And you guys are DEEP in this forest. It could have gone anywhere as far as you know. So tell me if you guys want to do anything besides stand here and wait.

Do we need to need to keep doing our actions in structured time or can we start acting out of turn?

I would like you to post in actions for now still. Unless no one has an action to post, otherwise I will skip ahead.

EDIT: Everyone essentially has a round to do something.

Fizzy does an active perception check lol

1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 = 7

Mortimer moves closer, still invisible and flying.

Donovan flies up and looks for signs of movement.

Perception 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (15) + 29 = 44

Darnak is slightly taken aback as the birds just seem to instantly collapse. Wow. That was impressive. ::Well... now what are we looking for?:: He mentally asks as he keeps an eye out for whatever.

Perception: 1d20 + 39 ⇒ (19) + 39 = 58

Round 4

"It's gone for now...no telling where. No choice but to keep an eye out 'till it shows up again." says Kyamba. He looks pretty torn up but is already starting to heal. Other than that he can only shrug as some of the group look to him for answers. "Unless someone can track it."

Meanwhile the Simulacrum has turned visible again and is floating general down to the pile of Jubjubs. She brushes their bright plumage with her hand but otherwise says nothing. "Master..." she whines, looking to the Master Chef for guidance. "It's fine, do what you want." he replies wearily. Rika smiles and turns back to the bodies. "It's gonna be ok sweetie!" she whispers just before starting her incantation.

Rika: Move Action to adjacency with Alpha Jubjub.
Rika: Standard Action to cast Breath of Life on Alpha Jubjub.

Healing: 5d8 + 11 ⇒ (6, 7, 8, 5, 4) + 11 = 41

Mortimer raises his hands, and for the first time in the presence of his new allies casts his first summoning spell. Six gates open around him, and out step Six bone devils. Merging the most horrifying features of carrion-fed insect and withered cadaver, these bony devils move in unsettling lurches. With a thought they all float into the air, then vanish. Mortimer turns back to the party as if nothing just occurred.

I have just cast summon monster 9 to summon 6 Bone Devils. My robe of gates allows me to summon the max amount 3/day, and my superior summoning feat adds another 1 to that. The bone devils are going to be laying down a network of surveillance and confusion with their at will spell like abilities. They are all flying and invisible, and using greater teleport to cover more ground. They're also using major image to replicate party members searching on their own for the Sard.

"back to the ruins then. " and Groff will fly back to the ruins and get back to his rest.

Since it teleports through trees, best to be in an area with the least trees.

that was not creepy at all. Nope not even a little. Fizzy and Fuzz fly back to the ruin as well

Skipping ahead and taking some liberties as DM. Hope I get everyone's intended actions right.

Round 4

Initiative:
Kyamba and Rika-heals Alpha
Sard- (198 damage) something
Jubjub1 Leader- comes to life
Donovan- flies high to check the surrounding area
(Invisible)(Flying)Imp- nothing
Mortimer- Summons Bone Devils
(Flying)Groff- heads back
(Invisible)(Mirror Image)(Flying)Fizz- heads back
Darnak- sticks around

Most of the party stick around but not seeing any threat, Groff and Fizz begin to head back. Mortimer summons some extra-planner help and Donovan takes to the skies. Rika, feeling pity for the Jubjub, casts a spell to revive the alpha. It nuzzles the simulcrum for a moment before it goes stiff. She can easily see fear in its eyes. Just as Mortimer's summons come into existence and begin to take flight, storm clouds move in. What little light from the moon there is, is immediately blocked out by the massive storm front. There is a great boom of thunder that threatens to deafen the group as winds pick up and acid rain falls from the sky.

DC 26 fort or be deafened for:

deafened: 1d4 ⇒ 2 20 min

Round 5

Initiative:
Kyamba and Rika-
Sard- (198 damage)
Donovan-
(Invisible)(Flying)Imp-
Mortimer-
(Flying)Groff-
(Invisible)(Mirror Image)(Flying)Fizz-
Darnak-

Everyone is in the storm and must make the fort roll. It is now completely dark and only those with dark-vision can see. Concentration DC is 26 + spell level.

fortitude save: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (11) + 30 = 41 it is a spell effect, so I get the bonus, even if it is moot

"Best to get clear of the trees people.

Can't you just Sunder it Groff?

I suppose now that you mention it, I could. Didn't even think of it, then again, I also don't know it is a spell effect until someone tells me, I don't have spellcraft. Though my suggestion to get out of the trees has to do with the critter being able to tree step as a free action, which means we'll never pin it down as long as it is surrounded by trees.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 38 ⇒ (4) + 38 = 42
Fort: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

Mortimer covers his ears just in time to avoid being deafened. <<That's a spell, storm of vengeance, we need to get out of the trees, now.>>

It needs to eat a standard action pretty much every time it casts Transport via Plants so we can pin it down once a round. It's still down 200 hp right now, if we run it'll heal up and there's no guarantee that it'll come after us. At least right now we know it is within 1400 ft.

Too bad none of us have Locate Creature or something in that vein.

Groff will try to fly up into the storm and sunder it.

sunder: 1d20 + 46 ⇒ (14) + 46 = 60 this will dispel any spell produced by a caster level below 36.

So Groff is trying to sunder a storm? I am not even sure how to rule this. I mean its a storm. And he is trying to hit it. So let's go with this. Unless someone has a better idea you guys can do four rounds worth of actions or just watch as a dwarf barbarian flies into the clouds and tries to break it. Groff has 40ft movement but we are talking about a storm high in the sky so I think four rounds is being nice. If you take cover and watch his mad rush you take half damage from the storms effects in rounds 1-4.

Acid: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Hail: 5d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 1, 6, 2) = 15

A measly 3 acid and 7 bludgeoning. He is going to take the bolt of lightning but Mortimer's spell will absorb the damage and the other bolts will hit randomly around the forest but without a line of sight they won't hit anyone. Cool?

To use locate creature, it would need to be within 1200 ft. of me and I would have had to be within 30 ft. of it originally, so that's not an option.

Yeah, the spell sundering ability is cool mechanically but flavor wise it just doesn't make much sense. "I hit the spell so hard it stops working". As a wizard that would make me question reality.

So Groff is trying to sunder a storm? I am not even sure how to rule this. I mean its a storm. And he is trying to hit it.

Spell Sunder

The casting range on the spell is 400' plus 40' per level. Thus it could be as far as 1200 leet away from the Sard. Of course I think mr evil tree would have a hell of a time actually figuring out what is precisely below a 360' radius cloud it if were 1200 feet up. Your interpretation is fair enough. BTW fighter, not barbarian. You'd hate my build far more if I made a barbarian.

To use locate creature, it would need to be within 1200 ft. of me and I would have had to be within 30 ft. of it originally, so that's not an option.

Storm of Vengeance has the same range as Locate Creature so it's within the range right now and you only have to have seen a Sard in general, not this specific one. It also needs to have line of sight with us to cast Storm of Vengeance I think, so it's probably even closer than 1200.

Yeah, the spell sundering ability is cool mechanically but flavor wise it just doesn't make much sense. "I hit the spell so hard it stops working". As a wizard that would make me question reality.

Coming from someone who can hop planes, create planes, and create matter and energy from nothing, I think your concept of 'question reality' and mine are not congruent. Shatter Spell is one of the few nice toy fighters get, and even then it is limited to dwarves. I had to take 2 crap feats to even qualify for it. You can dismiss it as 'hitting really hard' or you can get in the spirit of things and say 'the fighter summons his warrior spirit and uses that to unravel the spell'.

Kyamba: I suppose, but that's getting into the air of arbitrary DM ruling. Have I seen such a creature up close before?

Groff: Correct wizards break reality. My point is that countering reality breaking powers usually requires reality breaking powers. Mechanically I think spell sunder is a great ability that gives martial characters a good niche to fight casters. Flavor-wise it just seems really weak to me. If it had the description of "The fighter has an ancient warrior spirit who helps him battle spellcasters, unraveling the fabric of magic with his attacks" I would think that's awesome. As of right now it's just a flavor-less CMB check. It's like somebody applying to a game with a really cool multiclassed character who was awesome mechanics and fighting abilities, but doesn't even bother writing a background. I'd rather take the decently-built guy with a decent background.

I see rules as just rules. It's the GM and players jobs to flavor it. Most feats don't really have flavor text to explain them, and to be honest, when they do offer it, it often causes problems because people read too much into the flavor text and ignore the clear rule text.

It's not like any other rage powers make sense. Or really anything in D&D if you start scrutinizing it. Best not to think about it too much. Flavor things however you want, that's all that matters

Signed
the Alchemist the Master chef

Donovan save:
1d20 + 22 ⇒ (1) + 22 = 23 Deafened!

Donovan's ears ring. He flies up higher 40' and releases the cork on his eversmoking bottle.

Donovam does have a light source from his ioun torch.

Going with Rule of Cool here to move things ahead.

While everyone takes cover from the storm Groff, the Dwarven Fighter rockets into the sky against the wind and stinging rain. He falters only a moment as the rain burns his skin before continuing his suicidal climb. A bolt of lightening splits the sky as it hits the dwarf but a blue shield of arcane energy absorbs the blow. Several more strike trees near the party but they are only momentarily dazzled. And even as hail pounds the stubborn missile, he continues skyward. Finally, reaching the heart of the storm itself he focuses his very essence into his blade. A blade that had beheaded Balors. A storm didn't stand a chance. With a roar of anger and determination he cleaves through the storm like a mountain splitting the clouds. From one end to the other the storm splits and dissipates into nothing. The woods settle into silence at the extraordinary deed.

End of Combat for now.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (9) + 27 = 36
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (19) + 28 = 47

Just as quickly as the storm appears it is sent away again leaving only an eerie calm in its place. Unable to finish of the Sard, Kyamba is forced to admit defeat- at least for now. "It's gotta be somewhere nearby to brew up a storm like that." he says "But it looks like you scared him into hiding Groff. Guess that means we should head back ourselves." though he hasn't given up on the hope of settling things with that damn tree.

Rika is still dealing with the Jubjub, having tried to shield it from the raging storm with her body. Now that it has passed she pets it feathers once more and says "Are you feeling better birdie? Ready to go back to your nest?"

Once everyone is ready Kyamba and Rika will return to camp, though Kyamba is keeping his eyes peeled for the Sard along the way.

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (7) + 24 = 31

"Need to get back home. "

he will comment once he gets back to the ruins. He's a bit worse for wear at this point after being pelted with hail and acid rain.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 32 ⇒ (5) + 32 = 37

Darnak takes his hat off, pops the water off of it and replaces it upon his head before returning back to camp with the others.

at a conference posting is light

Everyone headed back?

Mortimer telepathically checks up on the bone Devils, asking about their progress.

I don't know the total damage from fighting the storm cloud. There's a few rounds of acid and bludgeoning hail I didn't get (at least I have DR against the hail).

6 acid and 15 hail.

1d100 ⇒ 77

The bone devils spread out and cover a lot of ground, using invisibility and illusions to stay safe. They run into a number of wild creatures but none pose a threat. Even with all their abilities they cannot find the Sard with the 2 minutes they have on this plane and disappear. The party moves back the ruins thinking the Sard long gone. But it has one more card to play. A few minutes after you arrive back at camp, another storm appears to be brewing. This doesn't seem to move with unnatural swiftness though. It is another few minutes before it reaches maximum potential but when it does it seems just as violent as the Sard. It seems now as if the whole forest is covered by a late, night thunderstorm. Torrential rain and violent winds batter the group while lightning brightens the sky momentarily before assaulting your ears with thunder.

4d12 ⇒ (7, 10, 8, 1) = 26

It shows no signs of blowing itself out anytime soon.

As a level 20 conjurer, Mortimer can keep one summon monster spell at a time permanent. The bone Devils will be searching for a while.

Mild spoiler. Even if it is permanent the range on Control Weather is 3 miles. He's not finding the Sard unless he gets real lucky. Hence the percentage roll.

All Perceptions are now reduced by 4. spells need a concentration check DC 24+spell level and ranged no longer works. Even revolvers. The forest can block much of the effect though. Range is limited to 50ft, perception at -2, DC 22+spell level, but we are back to darkvision.

Hopefully with 6 bone Devils who are constantly flying and invisible, they'll get lucky. If not, they'll be searching until Mortimer casts his next summon spell.

Concentration: 1d20 + 36 ⇒ (7) + 36 = 43

<<We're leaving.>> Mortimer groups everybody together and teleports them out of the storm. A few hundred feet out of range. We'll wait for it to calm down.

Er Mortimer...you Dimension Locked the camp, remember?

Er Mortimer...you Dimension Locked the camp, remember?

It only effects a 20 ft. area and that was centered where the teleportation circle was.

I thought that was where we were making camp. I guess we could just walk back outside of the lock and cast the teleport

Moments after the teleportation Kyamba staggers into some nearby bushes and proceeds to lose his lunch. "There is no getting used to that..." he pants.

Groff takes a look at his new surroundings.

perception: 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (17) + 31 = 48

"Hurm, still not home. "

I knew I should have been less cryptic. Anyway, reread summon monster and the bone devils cannot teleport or summon others. So their luck decreased. And I am also not sure what kind of communication you have with them. Mortimer can you put up a stat line like Fizz?

1d10 ⇒ 7

The party teleports a safe distance from the storm, outside of the forest. Mortimer's spell lands them on cliff overlooking the storm and the forest. And their they wait. It takes 7 hours but finally something happens. One of the bone devils disappears back to its home plane. Mortimer knows its approximate location but nothing more. It was somewhere within the storm. By this time the sun has begun to come up but the storm still rages.

I figure you can tell when one disappears and maybe its location but I think that is pushing it.