World's Most Interesting Out of Anarchy (001) [PFS Standard 6-22] (Inactive)

Game Master Great Green God

:)

Aiden stumbles back, away from the mage as he tries to pull out a healing potion.

Will save, Shadow Speaker: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Does anyone know spells that grant rerolls/post-hoc bonuses to saving throws...?

I'll declare my action after I get that, if I can.

Candledark The Will save vs glitterdust blindness happens at the end your particular turn, so any actions Candledark takes have to be taken while still blind (and I don't think anyone has anything beyond 'inspire rage' that can help with the save). So I'm going with spoiler actions. For the record, the ceiling of the whale is about 10' up from the floor.

"What's it to be lads?" says the arcanist, forcing her voice to slow down to a more normal speed.

Olandil draws a potion.

will save (pissed {raging} that he can't roll well enough to not be blind): 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9

"I got nothing...." Olandil says deflated that he can't roll above a 3 on his Will save.

Aiden stumbles back, away from the mage as he tries to pull out a healing potion.

"Drop the potion! Everyone drop everything! You over there shorty," the quintet of mages call to Poppo. "surface this tub now!" Readies to cast.

Looking beat, Poppo begins to steer the whale to the surface.

What do you wanna do?

Inspire Courage (Son) +1 competence to atk & dmg and +1 morale to saves vs. fear. Began rd 2.

Inspired Rage (Su) Affected allies gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saving throws, but also take a –1 penalty to AC. While under the effects of inspired rage, allies other than the skald cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. Began rd 3.

Elemental Blood, Lesser (Cold) While raging, as a swift action up to three times a day, the barbarian can imbue her melee attacks with elemental energy, dealing an additional 1d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type for 1 round.

Round 6! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Son -1 hp
__ Aquavius -18 hp
__ Aiden -42 hp (out of 42 - raging song), staggered
__ 575 -9 hp
__ Reggie -18 hp
__ Rowdy -21 hp (out of 22 - raging song)
__ Candledark -9 hp, blind!
__ Olandil - 29 hp, blind!
__ Poppo concentrating, prone
__ Arcanist readied

Map (slide 8) updated

"You think... I'm gonna..." Aquavius hesitates. She could sing all day. But Aiden's will probably pass out if she stops singing. Rowdy's not doing so hot, either.

Whoever this lady is, she has orders to stop anyone escaping the blockade.

"Oi. What's gonna happen to us, here? Stuck in some gulag for the rest of our lives? Conscripted into service? Or hung every day for the rest of time? You better have a good offer. Because killing us here means you go down with the ship, too."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Aquavius hates surrender, but pointless surrenders are even worse.

"Not my call what happens to you. That's for the Chelish naval commander to decide."

It's difficult to say what would happen to the party. Individual interrogation is a certainly. Olandil and Poppo are most-probably heading to the gulag. The group's primary mission--to retrieve Olandil (though your Society superiors never actually explained why)--would end in failure.

A strange seriousness takes over Son of Cayden, "Poppo! keep diving this whale deeper!! AS DEEP AS YOU CAN! if she kills us, YOU MAKE THIS WHALE HER COFFIN! SIR CAILEAN COMMANDS YOU SO! IN THE NAME OF PRINCESS EUTROPIA, WE FIGHT!"

Son of Cayden, throws his cloak open wide, for all to witness the Crown of Taldor stamped upon his brooch- the designation of a Knight of Taldor.

Free: Inspire Courage; Swift: Arcane Strike; Full-round action: charges the Arcanist-for-Hire

MW Cold Iron Rapier, Inspire Courage, Inspired Rage, Charge: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 12 for 1d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 1 = 8 cold iron piercing dmg and 1d6 ⇒ 3 cold dmg.

@GM:
1) Knight of Taldor boon from "Honor's Echo" scenario;
2) Let me know if I can roll intimidate or diplomacy vs. Poppo - or if you feel it more appropriate, vs. the Arcanist-for-Hire - with the above speech- I have the 2+ Goals Liberty's Edge faction card boon 'Orator' that can boost the skill check, and enhance it further if it's to oppose tyranny!

Reggie moves closer, readying himself to rush the woman if she doesn't manage to kill them all in the next few moments.

But, to lessen the chance that they will all get killed in the next few moments, he calls out a warning.

"Watch out! She might have another fireball or something ready!" he shouts.

Using Danger Ward as a Standard Action - All allies within 30' who fail a Reflex Saving throw may immediately re-roll with a +4, but have to take the second result, even if it's worse.

Rowdy blinks out for a moment, falling to the floor of the whale. He wakes up almost immediately and when he does he is angry.

The ominous growling of a 100# wolf fills and echoes throughout the cavernous interior of the whale. He spots his pal Reggie and rushes toward him.

Aiden scowls at the woman, staring at her as he drinks the potion. Then he retreats farther pulling out a tanglefoot bag as he goes.

CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (1, 8) + 3 = 12

"Haha!" Aquavius roars as her allies begin to help themselves. "I guess we're doing it live. This whale will be your coffin. Maybe mine as well. It's quite a tale!"

Aquavius will draw her wand and then get away from her allies if she can- she doesn't want to be caught in another fiery blast.

Drawing my wand of CLW and then moving 30 feet SW.

Time slows to a crawl as practically everyone in the party makes a "false move" (i.e. not doing what she told you to) or rather starts to make one triggering the woman's readied spell.

This interrupts pretty much every action everyone takes including moving away from the blast radius.

She hits everyone with the exception of Rowdy and Poppo.

fireball!: 6d6 + 3 ⇒ (5, 2, 6, 5, 1, 4) + 3 = 26

Reflex DC 17 for half. But you don't have to because....

spellcraft: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25

Prof. Poppo casts feather fall on the mercenary mage's pellet of bat guano as it leaves her hand, immediately cancelling his concentration on the ritual, just at the point her spell is about to go off.

The ritual ends with snap.

Time reasserts itself.

The speeding whale's mouth dips open.

Like a deafening stampede, the ocean floods in.

It engulfs the old gnome.

And then everything goes black....

Swim or Strength checks (DC 15) please.

wait... what? Ah... chaos!

575 certainly did not see Poppo's desperate gambit coming, but the instant the waters start to flood in, he reaches out and tries to grab a hold of Olandil beside him.

Then, it is all about keeping one's head above the water!

Will use my faction card boon to gain a +2 on the swim check!

Swim: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 9 + 2 = 27

Aquavius has a Swim speed, and she has a +13 Swim check (+14 with the Raging Song). So she'll take 10, if that's allowed.

Aquavius sees the telltale ball of flame appear in the woman's palm. This is it, ol' Pirate Queen. I'm coming to you burnt to a crisp! Only for the fire to poof.

"Huh? Who did that? Candledark, you gotta teach me that-" A familiar sound overtakes Aquavius's voice and thoughts. The ocean comes to swallow everyone. "One hell of a grave, eh?" She winks at the fireballer before diving in.

"Did somebody say my name...?" Replies a bewildered Candledark as he tries to feel his way to somewhere of a more earth-and-air persuasion than the present milieu of fire-and-water.

Will save, Shadow Speaker: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

So...any reason I can't levitate my way to the surface? I double-move surfaceward as best I can, if so.

Swim: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Aiden feels the lurch of the whale as the ritual ends and he takes a gulping breath before the incoming water crashes down on him. The Chelaxian kicks strongly, trying to escape the sinking whale.

"Ha!" Reggie exclaims triumphantly as the spellcaster is foiled.

He doesn't have time to voice his "oh" of disappointment as the whale is flooded before the water engulfs him.

Fire or water. I wonder which way is worse to die, he thinks.

He sees the terrified Rowdy, but can do no more for the wolf than silently beg his forgiveness for leading him to this end.

Strength (Reggie): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Strength (Rowdy): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

If armor check penalties apply they are -6 for Reggie and -1 for Rowdy.

*GULP!*

With 575's help Olandil makes for the whale's gaping mouth.

Aquavius has a Swim speed, and she has a +13 Swim check (+14 with the Raging Song). So she'll take 10, if that's allowed.

Sure thing.

So...any reason I can't levitate my way to the surface? I double-move surfaceward as best I can, if so.

First you have to get out of the whale, which involves moving toward one of the openings.

If armor check penalties apply they are -6 for Reggie and -1 for Rowdy.

To the Strength check, currently no. Once you get outside the whale though they become Swim checks.

Somehow, through the churning onslaught, 575 manages to keep a hold on Olandil, at least long enough for the man to finally get the glitter cleared from his eyes.

He points towards the front of the whale then, one hand still clutching man's shirt, starts to swim in a strange reptilian undulating motion towards the way out. His motion in the water making him look even more like his ancestors.

He tries to keep an eye out for anyone else floundering, grabbing them with his free hand, and hauling everyone along... his swimming motion not as reliant on his hands.

If he sees Poppo or Reggie floundering, he will stop to try to help them too... but am hoping our girl with a swim speed can do some of that too!

Swim: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Swim aid another: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Dunno if I can just 'carry' someone underwater... might be the best option for Reggie =)

If we need more of them:
Swim: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Swim aid another: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Strength, Inspired Rage: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 = 8
GM 3-star Reroll; a.k.a. Strength!!!!! Destiny is ALL!!!!: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 1 + 3 = 26

Seeing his intended charge interrupted by the Maelstrom itself, Son of Cayden scans the whale for handholds and heaves towards the whale's mouth for all his worth. Seeing that the massive nagaji has Olandil and Reggie safe over his mighty shoulders, and seeing Aquavius begin her beautiful undulating underwater flight to rescue Poppo, like a mermaid descended from the Heavens, Son of Cayden grabs a hold of Candledark on his way out and throws him over his right shoulder. "Ah, there you are old chum. How was your week in Pezzack? the Society may still need you yet..."

Casting one last look to the arcanist behind at the back of the whale, her multiple copies thrashing against the waters accentuating the futility of her predicament, Son of Cayden issues a quick prayer, overtaken by pity even though she was his enemy. May she repent in her last moments Father; may she, by her own free will, liberate herself from any shackle this Empire of Devils may have thrown upon her soul throughout her harsh life...

Somehow, through the churning onslaught, 575 manages to keep a hold on Olandil, at least long enough for the man to finally get the glitter cleared from his eyes....

With all the underwater grace of his locathah fore-bearers....

Sorry. Yes you (and anyone else who isn't CN and just doesn't 'feel the urge to help') can help, though aiding someone with a -6 penalty to swim because he is wearing his own body weight in steel probably won't help much. Better if he just grabs a hold of 575 and 575 takes a big hit to his swim check because of a heavier load. Looks like he has himself calculated out (for his mount's sake) to 68.5 lbs of weight soaking wet as it were. Everyone who beat their initial Str or Swim check by 5 or more can snag an additional person and drag them out of the whale.

Now that everyone is outside, I need another (except 575 who has one, and Candledark who can float to the surface under magical power) Swim [and only swim] check (DC 15).

I believe Son would hitch a ride with Candledark if he doesn't mind returning the favor? :) i.e. taking advantage of that nice 100 lbs./level levitation capacity, if he would be so kind?

Taking 10, my Swim check is 24 total. I'll grab Poppo.

The Pirate Queen smiles upon me today! Haha!
Aquavius ejects from the sinking whale. Normally she wouldn't mind the swim, but if she returns alone the Venture Captain will accuse her of killing her teammates. Or something, they never understand pirate honor.

"Oi, Poppo. Good move out there, you saved me hide." She swims up and grabs him. "We're going to surface. Hopefully the armada thinks we're at the bottom of the ocean."

Taking 10 again, my Swim check is 24. 19 since I'm holding Poppo.

She grabs the guy and peers towards the surface. Maybe there's an island nearby she can drop him off on.

Reggie finds himself saved by 575. In a fact that is going to fill him with guilt every time he thinks about it for the rest of his life, he loses track of where Rowdy is. He only hopes the wolf got out.

Swim (Reggie) minus ACP: 1d20 + 2 - 6 ⇒ (14) + 2 - 6 = 10
Swim (Rowdy) minus ACP: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14

Better if he just grabs a hold of 575 and 575 takes a big hit to his swim check because of a heavier load. Looks like he has himself calculated out (for his mount's sake) to 68.5 lbs of weight soaking wet as it were. Everyone who beat their initial Str or Swim check by 5 or more can snag an additional person and drag them out of the whale.

Aye, just get him to grab hold of his shoulders, and hang on.

For the record, even with Reggie fully loaded, 575 is still at light weight capacity.... if it matters =)
My gear is running me only 62 lbs. With Reggie at 68.5, that puts me at 130.5 ... still under the 153 light weight limit for a 21 str

But, more disturbingly, while checking those numbers... I realized I would not have gotten to recover the javelin I had to drop to climb the rope to close the hatch! It is going to a watery grave!
The sacrifices we make!

I lost my trident, longbow and scimitar. RIP.

Now everyone swim to the surface already.

Son and Candledark break the surface and continue upward to the astonished eyes of about 100 Chelish sailors and marines on the three circling sloops.

Someone yells "FIRE!"

Unfortunately firing squads done in-the-round hardly ever work out that well for anyone involved.

And when his turn rolls back around and Candledark can finally reverse course and the pair can descend back into the sea, everyone and everything in the area is slightly more perforated than it was the round before.

"Look! We got them!"

A cry goes up among the navy as some crates and flotsam from the whale bubble to the surface.

Parties of men lead by the inquisitor go out in longboats to inspect the wreckage, while the party hides just beneath some of the scraps freezing.

Hours later the Chelish navy withdraws from the scene, the ships returning to their earlier picket positions.

Poppo is unconscious most of the time. Olandil is grim and silent.

Hours more pass.

Aquavuis notes that the party is being dragged out to sea by the tides.

Then it's night.

Then dawn breaks again....

Something barks. It's Rowdy, dog-paddling toward the party's makeshift rafts.

Behind him in the distance is a small speck that slowly resolves into the Grinning Pixie!

Someone pushed Jack off the wooden door in the middle of the night. :(

Son applies cure light wounds on Poppo, Olandil and Reggie, praying to Cayden that everyone makes it through the night. He hugs everyone close to share and build body heat, and feeds them the occasional sip from the tap of his tiny keg of ale.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Upon seeing the Grinning Pixie, Son of Cayden smiles and waves to the ship, and urges the men to hold on to their body heat and not move.

Just alternate who sits on the door, Jack!

She doesn't have much time, so once she drops Poppo on some planks, she plops back down and looks frantically for her trident. Ah, there it is.

She eventually surfaces and keeps her head above the surface. The cold doesn't bother her much. Cold Resist 5.

"Keep Poppo and Olandil warm. These nights grow cold if you're not careful." She peers at Poppo's body. "Poppo saved us out there."

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Agreed Aquavius! Poppo once again proved that it is in the smallest vials that one can find the most potent elixirs!"

A longboat crewed by Jack Daw and Agirran paddles out to collect the group. After a change of clothes and very long sleep in a mixed purpose room in the forecastle, the party is asked to join the Captain for breakfast. Breakfast! What happened to lunch and dinner!

Olandil is already gone when your summons arrives. As the party dresses an awake Poppo explains how at the last moment he he reached out a hand touched rowdy with a spell that allowed the wolf to breath water for about 16 hours.

"Quite the desperate move if I do say so myself. I wish I had the magic to ask him some questions about the experience."

Aquavius enjoys the swim, but she's tired. And she's not drunk enough. The next morning, she eats whatever they are cooking. And she makes sure to hail Professor Poppo. "Sit down, o noble hero! Eat up!" She laughs.

"Where did Olandil go, anyway? I wanted to hear him personally thank us. He kept saying it wouldn't work, but here we are!" She kicks her feet up on the table and burps.

Reggie almost gives the group away after about an hour of bobbing in the water. It is then that the stunned Halfling's gaze slowly focuses and he starts asking about Rowdy. Some of the bigger members of the group (bigger relative to the rest of the group...not just him) have to hold him down to keep him from shouting out and jumping into the water.

They have to hold him back when the wolf appears, too.

Poppo earns himself a massive hug, the halfling lifting the gnome's feet off the ground in the embrace. He tries to thank their contact, but gets choked up and has to stop in the middle.

For actually saving his life, 575 gets a nod and an actual verbal thanks.

Rowdy got to swim for a long time without having to come to the surface! But fish are really fast so he wasn't able to catch any even though he chased a bunch of them after the big fish they were in sank with the mean woman who could make fire.

His best pal Reggie was real happy to see him when he found him and their latest temporary pack.

Rowdy wasn't sure why, but he was happy to see Reggie, too.

Some of the things that happened lately weren't fun, but it was pretty good being Reggie's best pal most times.

The captain's chamber is full of suspiciously nice silver tureens full of breakfast fare, ham, eggs, toast, beacon, muffins, pancakes, butter and syrup.

"SENSEI POPPO!" Captain Calisro Benarry greets the little gnome with a roar and dangerous exuberance, lifting the little man off the floor and crushing him to her plentiful bosom, where he nearly drowns a second time. After the hug, while Poppo gets his breath back, breakfast is served.

Over the meal, Poppo and Captain Benarry commiserate over the loss of Poppo's Magically Propelled Undersea Whale Carcass Vessel. Professor Poppo in turn berates his student over her lack of progress in her homework assignments. Poppo takes his leave soon after to go find Olandil.

Alone with the party Benarry then tells them that while she doubts that Olandil will ever return to the Pathfinder fold that he has consented (in no small part due to the party's actions) to turn over the information he learned while in Cheliax, which after all was the primary reason for the mission in the first place.

"You know you could have just gotten the information from him and left him there with the Loyalists at the end. You do know that right?"

"Bah! No one tells me anything!" Aquavius throws her hands up.

575 seems to take the entire event in stride, his reptilian face hard to read at the best of time. Even Reggie clinging to him seems to not put him out at all, the halfling's weight barely noticed.

He glances at Poppo.

A mouth that opens?
A serious design flaw.
Secure the next one?

When the Grinning Pixie appears, and picks them up, his mood seems little different, barely breathing hard... though you do note his scaled skin seems to have paled somewhat, so clearly the cold was not completely unnoticed.

Aiden laughs and rubs Poppo on the head in a gesture that seems both good natured, but also a bit demeaning. "Nice job, Poppo! Good thinking in a bad situation. Seems Olandil has some sore feelings, but what can you say? When things happen, those of us who know how to act aren't ashamed of a little dirty work, eh?"

"Oh, come on, Captain. If we had left him there, we wouldn't get to have seen what a crybaby he is about this all. Besides, I might be cruel, but even I wouldn't want to subject him to a life of poetry." The Chelaxian grins.

Son of Cayden rise from his warm nest in the forecastle and joins the other in the Captain's cabin. Amazed by the breakfast feast, Son seems to nonetheless look for something that appears to be missing. He leaves the cabin for about 2 minutes, only to return with a large bucket of crisp, cold seawater. He produces six tin tankards from his pack, and dunks each tankard into the seawater bucket, and adds three more pint glasses from the Captain's own cupboards. Waving his hands over the tankards and pint glasses and uttering an arcane syllable that strangely sounds like a prayer to the Lucky Drunk, the seawater begins to foam and turns to a mildly cloudy pale amber color.

"Drink friends! and Captain Benarry: I am so very happy to see you!"

Knowledge (Arcana), DC 19, Shadow Speaker: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

Upon returning to his room, Professor Poppo finds a most intriguing tome on his bedside: The Nine Crucibles of the Soul: True Ethicks of Magick. Next to it is a solitary candle burning with an indigo flame, nearly burnt down - but scrawled in the melted wax, in a hand both delicate and jagged, is the sign of the Dark Archive of the Pathfinder Society.