The Seasoned Six: Episode 9, Song of the Sea Witch (Inactive)

Game Master PatheticWretch

Lyrio stores his companion in statute form, while Cody continues trying to heal himself. As he continues bleeding, he manages to activate his wand again, and this time, it works!

Starling fires a pair of crossbow bolts at the enemy, and the first one strikes it soundly, though again it seems to have some kind of protecion most of the group cannot bypass with their weapons. No one with knowledge planes, eh?

Sel'erick likewise strikes with a well-aimed bolt; again, it doesn't penetrate as it ought to have.

Round 3 Initiative (bold may act!)
Inspire Courage +1 atk/+1 dmg
Sel'erik
Starling
Cody -13
Bad guy -47
Lyrio
Lion -17, 2 bleed
Serak
Stephani -9

Serak and Stephani still up!

Stephani continues to attack the beast.

Power Attack, smite: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 1 + 4 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 5 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 3 + 3 = 12 And bypasses DR

Knowledge, Planes: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Starling has a feeling she should know what the creature is - she saw something like it in some rare book a few years ago - but she just can't remember what, exactly. She shakes her head and loads another bolt in her crossbow.

Serak pulls a wand from his belt and fires at the creature!
Acid Arrow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Ranged Touch
Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

Confirm Critical?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Extra Crit Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Seeing it hit the creature, Serak howls with laughter.
How do you like that? God, I didn't think you could get any uglier, but hoo boy.... that acid did a number on you!

Stephani, the only member of the group able to bypass the creature's resistance, reaches back with her longsword, and calling upon the holy power with her, channels it into her blade.

Her blow is swift and deadly, and she chops the creature's head from its body. Abruptly, the whole thing is gone in a puff of smoke and sulfur.

Combat over! Serak, save your wand charge. Nicely done! That had potential to be very deadly, and I think that's one of the toughest combat we've had to date!

With the room secured, it quickly becomes apparent that the flames on the wall are not real, much to Serak's chagrin. They are, instead, emanating from an open book sitting atop an altar, which, once the fiend is destroyed, closes with a thud. The flames in the room immediately cease.

Three bodies lie upon the floor.

Wasted crits suck. Oh well.

Serak scoffs at the illusionary fire.
Stupid.... whatever that thing was! It couldn't even make real fire!

The gnome shuffles over to the book, ignoring the bodies, and opens it, looking at the pages within with a scrutinizing eye, turning the book sideways and upside down like it has some kind of puzzle in it.
So this is what we're after? What's the big deal?

(Assume all the damage is cursed?) (status: Cody 13 dam)

Cody checks to see if anyone else needs bleeding stopped such as the lion.
heal check to stop bleeding: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Stephani takes a knee and says a few prayers, thanking her deity for the power to smite that powerful foe. Then she pulls out her wand and begins the healing process, first checking the 3 bodies, and then healing herself and her friends.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Feel free to roll your own if you need some HP cured.

Serak looks at the book and opens its pages, but fortunately nothing bad happens. He sees all kinds of writing in a language he is not familiar with. The strange flames appear on the walls again when the book is open, but do not generate heat.

When Cody tries his wand again, he finds he is able to cure any of his remaining wounds without problem. the devil's glaive is what caused the bleeding effect, and needed a caster level check on any healing to stop the bleed. If caster level check wasn't high enough, the heal failed and bleeding continued. You are free to heal any further damage normally.

Stephani starts checking out the bodies, and finds two of them dead, but one with signs of life. Once the paladin heals the old man, he begins babbling incoherently.

Wand CLW: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (2, 7, 1) + 3 = 13

Cody uses 3 charges from his wand to heal his the remaining wounds. "Well the fire is out and we have the book. Still time left to visit a tavern on the way back!" The hunter is hopeful, but the nagging doubt that there is still more to do before the mission is over.

"Shhhh, Maggie I'm trying to find out what this old guy is babbling about maybe he knows what happened to Yago. What do you mean Maggie? You are saying the fight against the devil would of ended faster if it wasn't for my off key cater whaling? Back in the sac you rude mandolin.

As Sel'erick turns his attention to the gibberish talk from the old man

Stephani watches Sel'erick and starts to wonder if he is babbling too. Then she lifts the skull at her side and says, "No, Father, I am sure this one is fine too. He just talks to his instrument."

Then she turns back to the old man. "Are you ok? What is your name?"

Cody heals his remaining wounds as the others tend to the babbling old man.

"Blooty fairness and star cleansing!" he blurts, but as Stephani tends to him, he begins to calm down a bit. The gibberish stops, and he puts his head in his hands and weeps.

"What have I done?! he cries. [b]"You have saved me, but are too late for my assistants! They are dead!" he mourns tearfully. "I am Yargos...Yargos Gill."

He begins to recount the events that have transpired, informing the Pathfinders that he dispatched one of his aides to Amara Li and the Socity, while another went to deliver the Celestial Song to Ollysta Zadrian with hopes that eh paladin could find a way to reverse the ritual he had started.

Per his information on Ollysta, Yargos knows she has spent much of her time as of late in Gilltown, purchasing necromatic items in order to remove them from the open market.

Following his recount of events, Yargos laments his actions and promises never to involve himself in such works again, claiming that only misery and woe have come from his research. Despite this lamentation, Yargos insists that the party help him in rectifying his mistake.

"You must reinforce the bindings within the book! It must be reunited with its sister, the Celestial Song, or more hell could pour from its pages! Here! Take this infernal book! Keep it on your person, and keep it shut! We must find Ollysta and reunite this tome with its sister!"

"Very well, master Gill. We are here to help, of course."

Stephani takes the book, binds it again with rope and sticks it in a sack.

"We should make haste to Gilltown. Are the towns founders related to you, Mr. Gill?"

Yargos shakes his head. "No, this is the gillmen area of town," he says.

Cody shrugs, "Let's be off to find Ollysta, let's hope she is easy to find."

The Half-elf stares at Yargo’s neck as if he’s searching for gills. Paying no attention to personal space or boundaries he stares intentently at Yargo’s neck the turns his attention to Stephani’s neck then back Yargo.

Acknowledging Cody he nods in agreement as he exclaims. ”What are Gillman? I hope they are not fish I am scared of fish they are mean, their eyes are spooky they don’t blink. I maybe should stop by the tackle shop and get a fishing pole and bait maybe I can defend myself from the Gillman with that. Yargos do you think that’s a wise decision?” As he shuffles off behind Cody with a puzzled look on his face.

I'm having a major WiFi headache. It should be sorted in a couple of days. Posting will probably be scarse, so bot me if needed please.

"Before we leave, however, what exactly have you done Yargos? And what exactly was that creature? I've never seen or heard about anything like that." Starling asks the old man in a slightly sympathetic voice.

Yargos seems confused by Sel'erick's questions about gillmen, but responds to Stephani instead.

"I have been researching these twin tomes, and as the weeks went on, I made a startling discovery about them, finding a ritual that would remove the seal that held the secrets of the Infernal Incantation in check. Foolishly, I decided to enact the ritual, and my aids and I," he says with a sad look at the two corpses on the floor, "were astonished when the ceremony worked and the seal was removed from the book. Too late did I realize that the book did not contain the secrets of trapping the denizens of hell, for the book itself was the prison containing a full legion of fiendish soldiers!"

The old man takes a deep breath, then says "Knowing full well the host contained within the book would soon escape, I sent two aides in search of help. Entrusting the Celestial Song to Nicola, I wished for the ivory book to make its way to Ollysta Zadrian of the Silver Crusade--the paladin we need to find. I believe she coudl discover the secrets of undoing my mistakes. The other aid, Lauralei, I sent to the Grand Lodge to summon help from the Pathfinders. But there is no time to discuss what I could have done differently! We must go at once!"

Back from the holidays!

Lyrio turns Radagosa back into a lion, once the fight finishes, and tries to heal her.

Not sure what the caster level to stop the bleeding would be - GM please feel free to roll more if needed. I will use the wand until the lion is full on HP
Caster Level: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

The druid simply shakes his head as he hears the man's story. He can barely hide his dissatisfaction with what was described, but didn't voice it. Instead, he kept trying to take care to bring Radagosa back to her feet. He looked at Cody and showed his agreement on hasting to find Ollysta.

That works...healed as normal.

Cody glances around and comments with a grin "Well we can't wait around here all day for the grand lodge to send help! Its up to us to find this paladin Ollysta Zadrian!"

Sel'erick exclaims "let's go be Pathfinders Maggie, and save Abaslom. OH I SEE Maggie you are giving me the silent treatment."

"I agree. We must get moving."

Yargos hands the group two oil of align weapon before they head out, just in case. The group then sets out to enlist the help of Silver Crusade visionary Ollysta Zadrian. Yargos is certain that Zadrian's holy knowledge will be paramount in discoverying the secret to reversing the damage done to the bindings of the Infernal Incantation.

"My aide delivered the Celestial Song to Zadrian, I am sure of it! So the solution lies somewhere within the pages of the sister tome. I have haerd Zadrian spends many mornings wandering among the merchant stalls of Gilltown in search of powerful necromatic items to take them off the black market."

As the Pathfinders move toward Gilltown, the hustle and bustle of Absalom's Eastgate district is nearly deafening as hundreds of locals make their way from their homes in the residential quarter to places of business and pleasure elsewhere in the city. In the distance the sounds of chattering voices, stamping feet, and even the occasional cry of traveling elephants break the calm. The noises recede into the background as Yargos Gill pushes ahead into a side street alley. The old man eventually stops halfway in the alley by an open refuse bin to catch his breath.

At this point, a loud voice calls out to the group.

"We'll be taking that book. If you'd be so kind as to hand it over, we'll avoid any unpleasantries."

A number of thugs walk imposingly from both directions.

Starling raises her voice, "Unfortunately, we can't. For your own safety. Whoever's hired you probably didn't tell you that this book was a prison for the armies of hell. We've already killed one demon, and I'm sure more will come out of it very soon. Why fight both us and the demons when you can avoid both and keep your lives?"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Serak grins.
What makes you think you can take it? You don't look like much to me.
Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

"Why are you talking to common thugs? Let's just mete out some justice and continue with our quest."

Intimidate Aid: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 meh

Lyrio doesn't mutter any words. He just looks as the bard tries to avoid the combat, while the others seem to invite it. He, himself, wasn't someone of much diplomacy - especially having a lion by his side. Yet, he felt they had something more urgent to deal with than the thugs.

Cody frowns, "What do you mean avoid any unpleasantries. what if you like them?"

aid intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Max stays near Cody looking for a signal to attack.

Sniffing the air around the thugs, "Maggie thinks from your stench you are not educated enough to read. So let me tell you story about Garl the Gorgeous and the painting he found of Zarta, while my friends clear us a path so we can do very important things"

intimidate aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

The thugs growl in response and advance, but not before Lyrio has a chance to act. Yargos jumps into the refuse bin to hide.

Round 1 (bold may act)

Lyrio
Bad guys
Stephani
Serak
Cody
Sel'erick
Starling

LYRIO IS UP!

NOTE: I am having the darndest time getting the icons copied onto the battle board. For some reason, my copy/paste retains a random previous icon to paste, so if I copy Cody, paste him, then try to copy someone else, it just keeps pasting Cody. Anyway, I'm going to have to ask some of you to place your icons on the battle board. Please place them in the middle of the map. Sorry about that.

(added Max's Icon)

I'll put Lyrio on delay to keep things moving. Also, I still can't copy/paste Serak or Starling, and it just keeps giving me more Lyrios. Not sure what the problem is, but please place your icons next to the group.

Two of the thugs grab something in their bags and throw it at the group. The objects strike the ground around the group, creating a deafening thunder-strike that threatens to deafen the group.

Everyone make a DC 15 Fort save or be deafened for an hour. A deafened Creature, in addition to the obvious effects, takes a –4 Penalty on Initiative and has a 20% chance to miscast and lose any spell with a verbal component that it tries to cast.

The other two rush in to attack Cody and Stephani. Both wield shortswords, but neither is able to hit.

Round 1 (bold may act)

Bad guys
Lyrio
Stephani
Serak
Cody
Sel'erick
Starling

Fort Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Stephani's helm protects her hearing enough that she is only annoyed by the large sounds.

Stephani draws her sword and swings at the ambusher in front of her.

2H Power Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

I added Radagosa, my companion, to the map near me

Fortitude (Lyrio): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Fortitude (Radagosa): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Lyrio turns his arm and touches the lioness, casting a spell (Barkskin), and signs for her to advance and attack the nearest thug. She growls, angry for her temporary deafness, but then moves and bites. She power attacks.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Radagosa's AC is now 23

The map is giving me issues as well. Everytime I try to paste my icon it pastes a text box with an attack routine from a previous post. Will someone please add me to the map? I'll go ahead and roll my attacks and all that now.

Serak sighs and draws his wand again.
Attack, Wand of Acid Arrow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Confirm Critical?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Extra Crit Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

You think that trick will work on ME?!?! I'm the descendant of the great red dragon Axercpretrex! You'll learn to pick your battles more carefully in the afterlife!

The gnome fires his wand, and strikes true, but the amount of acid it projects isn't exactly what the merchant promised it would be...

Starling begins to chant a dirge, exhorting her companions to deeds of bravery against the thugs who are trying to impede their mission.
Inspire Courage: +1 to hit, +1 damage for everyone.

Cody Fort vs DC15: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Cody Fort vs DC15: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Both Cody's and Max's ears are ringing from the explosions, but that doesn't stop them.

Cody draws his sword as he directs Max with a hand motion to attack the thug.
handle animal w/+4 companion: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 4 = 30

(Animal aspect 1 of 10r Bull +2Str. Outflank, Pack Flanking , power Attack -1/+2, precise Strike +1d6)

Max Attacks:
bite w/+4flank +1str, -1PA: 1d20 + 4 + 4 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 4 + 1 - 1 = 16 to hit, if hits w/+2pa,+1 str +1d6 PS: 1d4 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 + 1 + (1) = 10 damage

Then Cody attacks:
Cody +1 scimitar w/+4flank +1str, -1PA: 1d20 + 5 + 4 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 4 + 1 - 1 = 29 to hit, if hits w/+2pa, +1 str, +1d6 PS: 1d6 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 + 1 + (2) = 13 damage

Possible Critical:
Cody to confirm: 1d20 + 5 + 4 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 4 + 1 - 1 = 16 to hit, if confirmed plus: 1d6 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 8 damage

Sel'erick draws his long sword as he mutters something under his breath about the deafening explosion "Die you offspring of a toad licker" as he steps up and swings

fortitude save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Attack with long sword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

DMG if hit: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Stephani cuts a deep wound on the enemy in front of her, though he retains his feet.

Lyrio buffs his companion and sends it forth into battle, though its disorientation from the sonic blast keeps it from biting its target.

Serak shows mastery of elements other than fire, with his wand dealing additional damage and causing the thug to cry out in pain.

Starling begins some inspiring oratory.

Max drops the enemy Serak had wounded, while Cody, despite not hearing anything but ringing in his ears, advances to dispatch the last one on the left. Moved you up to the other target since Max finished off the first.

Sel'erick, also deafened, can't swing his longsword around the corner of the building and misses.

With two of their group down, the thugs look skeptical of continuing the fight. One of them jabs a short sword into Stephani, drawing a nice gash, then turns tail. AoO from Stephani and Sel'erick.

The other one, seeing the other flee, takes off into the crowd.

Round 2 (bold may act)

Bad guy3 (-8 hp)
Bad guy4
Lyrio
Stephani
Serak
Cody
Sel'erick
Starling

AoO from two of you, plus you are all up.

short sword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 211d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

AoO: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Stephani strikes at the coward who injured her then ran. Then she charges after him to keep him from escaping.

Chare, power attack: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 2 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

I'm not sure if there's any thug still up? It looks like Stephani got the last one?

Stephani takes down the last thug, and the other is quickly lost in the gathering crowd.

Each of the thugs wears studded leather armor, has a potion, a tanglefoot bag, and a curious short sword made from coral. Also, I neglected something useful previously, but there was a coral dagger by one of the dead assistants back at Yargos' house.

Yargos peeks out of the refuse bin, then slowly climbs out.

"Well done...we haven't much time. I am not sure who else would be looking for that tome, but I do not think it will remain sealed much longer."

appraise: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Turning the coral knife over and over Sel'erick ask "Maggie have you ever seen such a peculiar looking Knife? Oh Yargos Gill so nice of you to join us where ever did you scurry off to?"

Serak inspects the potions.
Spellcraft+Detect Magic: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Lyrio looks over the elf's shoulder towards the dagger made from coral, but doesn't see anything extraordinary besides the choice of material.

k(nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

looking at the coral swords, Cody comments "Odd, the coral is rare type not native to the Inner Sea region."