
Velrek Savage PF |

Well damn, I replied early this AM. Paizo ate it... here's try #2.
Velrek lets a little sound of satisfaction go as Evesk heals him.
"Ah, thank you, sir. Your faith is strong! Now, what were those things? Tiny Gnolls?"
He will then follow Crastor down the middle passage.
Yep, down to 1 Bennie here. And used loincloths? Ew, no thanks. :)

Crastor Deems |

Last time I checked the map the room was not uncovered. So I am good with any path. It sounds like the middle one?
I should have 13 PP. I have the extra PP Advantage. I am showing it in my title bar.

Evesk |

OCC: Yes correct on the PP count and I adjusted my header as well.
Again folks (1) path straight ahead (2) path to the right
There is no middle path so that means you walk into a wall? ;-)
Straight Passage
|...|
|...|
|...|_______
|...... Right Passage
|...._______
|...|
|...|_____
|...... The Room
|...._____
|...|
|...|
|...|
Hope that helps

GM_ZenFox42 |

Thanks Evesk for that visual.
ALL - I'm confused, when I go to the map (click on the "Map" link in Jzero's character summary header bar), I see basically what Evesk shows in his post (but a little more curvy). There's a room labeled B1 (which you just fought the sinspawn in), and then two hallways as Evesk shows. What do you all see?

Velrek Savage PF |

You are correct. I guess I hadn't looked at the map since before the fight and thought we had 3 caves. :)
Faced with two choices, Velrek looks for tracks, refuse, loose stones and any other signs in either cave that these tiny ugly Gnolls came down it.
survival: 1d4 ⇒ 1
wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6
wild xplode: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Johhann Coppice |

Johhann smiles and nods to Velrek, but also with all the interest in the trail, he decides to take a look at the path to see what, if anything he can deduce.
Tracking: 1d8 ⇒ 81d6 ⇒ 3
Aced: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Total: 10+2= 12 (3 successes)

GM_ZenFox42 |

Johhann - just so you know the lingo, you got "2 Raises". Please read this post for a way to count the number of Successes and Raises in a roll.
Johhann can't tell any more than what Velrek got out of the dirt on the stone floor.
But, we're going right!
The tunnel to the right is short, ending in a small room with rubble on the floor. Checking the rubble reveals most of it consists of broken urns and other pottery containers that probably once held food and wine.
There's only one way out, a door to the north. Following it leads you to a long northward hallway where you have multiple options - a corridor to the right, a corridor to the left, the hallway itself opens a bit to the right, and continues straight ahead at the far end (map updated, please check).
Votes?

Velrek Savage PF |

Once they hit obvious worked stone,"Hmm. Anyone local know what this might be?"[/]
After going through the door and looking at their choices he speaks quietly, [b]"Is that a large chamber ahead? Maybe peek into that first hallway and check out the open area first?"

Crastor Deems |

"We started going right, I think we should just stick with that in case this turns out to be one giant maze. I say we take the first tunnel to the right and then continue with the right options." Crastor says.

Jzero Katzu |

Jzero holds the torch and once a passage is chosen, moves forward to see what is ahead. Since I have access to the map and source book, I'll not make a vote as to which path to take when there is a choice. Although I'm not looking at the map or the book, I'd rather not choose pathways.

GM_ZenFox42 |

After walking about 65 feet, the corridor opens up into a large room. In the northeast corner, stone steps lead up to a platform of gray stone. Sitting atop the platform is an ancient altar, little more than a jagged block of black marble with a shallow concavity on top of it. The basin is filled with filthy water. There is a door to the southwest. Map updated.
I won't put you thru the door automatically like I did before, in case anyone wants to do anything in here.

Johhann Coppice |

"Some horrible demon or some such...let's keep looking and see if we can find this shrine's keeper!"
The halfling moves cautiously towards the double doors. Once there, he places his ear upon the crack between the doors to see if he can hear anything. He also tries to peer between the closed portals through the same space in hopes that it might reveal what lies beyond.
Notice? 1d6 ⇒ 4
wild: 1d6 ⇒ 1

GM_ZenFox42 |

Evesk, want to make an Occult roll?
Johhann - we discussed procedures for making Notice rolls at doors and checking for traps HERE. When appropriate, I'll make a Notice roll using the highest Notice in the group in my Preview, then describe the in-game result in my actual post....
Listening at the door, you (all) hear what sounds like bubbling water and the faint flapping of wings - about the size of a bird of prey's.
What do you do?

Jzero Katzu |

Jzero shrugs at the apparent alter. He doesn't recognize any of the trappings as anything in his own monk tradition. The foul water does not suggest anything good, however.
Jzero positions himself near the door, ready to respond should anything in the room attacks when the door is opened.

Velrek Savage PF |

Velrek turns towards the group and speaks in a low voice, barely above a whisper, "Birds? Underground?"
He'll wait to see if anyone has an opinion on the alter and when everyone is ready, he'll open the door...

Crastor Deems |

"I don't know what this represents, but it doesn't look like they would be friends. Whatever is making that noise is probably not a sparrow." Crastor says as he hefts his weapon and moves to prepare for the door to open.

Evesk |

Occult Roll: 1d4 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
Wild Die: 1d6 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
OCC: Did not expect to make that but at least I did not critically fail neither.
Evesk eyes the seeming alter and focusses upon it {Detect Evil} to ascertain its nature.

GM_ZenFox42 |

The altar is definitely being used for evil purposes.
Velrek opens the door...
The room you see looks like nothing more than an immense underground cathedral. Stone doors stand to either side of the main entrance, but beyond this, the walls are carved with strange, spiky runes. In the center of the room is a large pool with a ring of polished human skulls balanced on stone spikes arranged in a circle around the deeper midsection. At the far end of the room, a pair of stone stairways leads up to a pulpit on which sits a second pool, this one triangular and filled with churning, glowing, bubbling water that looks almost like translucent lava. Yet while wisps of what look like heat and steam rise from the strange orange liquid, the room is deathly cold. Map updated.
You see a female vaguely humanoid creature, only about a foot and a half tall, flying in the air with its bat-like wings, with curved ram-horns on her head.
When she sees you, she shrieks "how dare you intrude upon the Mother’s sanctum!”.

GM_ZenFox42 |

Round 1!
Anyone with the Faith skill may roll to identify this creature and its weaknesses.
Initiative
Erylium – AD
Crastor - JOKER! +2 to rolls and damage, act when you want, everyone gets an extra Benny (alredy noted in the above info)
Johhann - KD
Evesk - JS
Jzero - JC
Velrek - 10D
Ceri - 7D
Erylium flies over to the bubbling pool, draws a dagger, slits her wrist and lets her blood fall into the pool. Four sinspawn immediately emerge. The brightness of the pool dims noticeably.
Everyone else is up, in any order!

Crastor Deems |

How many can I hit with either a Medium or Large blast template?

Jzero Katzu |

Jzero strides forward to deal with the nearest sinspawn with two unarmed attacks.
Unarmed: 1d10 ⇒ 8
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Modifier: +1
MAP: -2
Result: 8 + 1 - 2 = 7
Unarmed Damage: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + (6) = 11
Damage d6 Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Base Damage: 5 + 6 + 3 = 14
unarmed Raise Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 2
AP 2
If the attack achieves a raise, the target the foe is made distracted or vulnerable (attacker's choice), even if no damage was done or if damage was soaked. [choose Vulnerable]
Unarmed: 1d10 ⇒ 9
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Modifier: +1
MAP: -2
Result: 9 + 1 - 2 = 8
Unarmed Damage: 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (5) = 8
unarmed Raise Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 6
AP 2

GM_ZenFox42 |

ALL - I forgot to mention, she is flying near the ceiling, and very small, so she's at -4 to hit as well...
Crastor - my rule-of thumb is that in TotM, a MBT can hit up to 2d6 people (max 9), and an LBT can hit up to 4d6 people (max 16). You roll, but no Bennies. But Jzero has rushed in, so you'd need the Selective Modifier to avoid him.
This is the first time this rule has been tried, so let's see how it goes. I reserve the right to change it in the future.
Jzero's first attack kills that sinspawn, his second one merely knocks the breath out of it (Shaken).

Velrek Savage PF |

Seeing that Jzero has decided to take the rush into the room action that he normally takes, Velrek hustles in to assist, taking a swipe at an active (un shaken) ugly little Gnoll like thing.
2H sword: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
wild: 1d6 ⇒ 4
damage: 1d10 + 1d10 ⇒ (10) + (5) = 15
sword xplode: 1d8 ⇒ 8
why can't this happen on a big bad monster sword xplode: 1d8 ⇒ 3
damage xplode: 1d10 ⇒ 7
raise damage?: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Wow. 20 total to hit and 25 damage. Yeah, that should do it...

Johhann Coppice |

Standing still, Johhann aims at the creature, holding his fire until he has the monster in his sights.
Will take the Aim action and will hold his attack until next turn where he will get a reduction on the negative effects or a +2 to hit the little beast.

Crastor Deems |

Crastor grumbles about strange monsters as he strides forward and and strikes at the last of the strange monsters that came from the pool.
I attack the unattacked Sinspawn.
Warhammer Fighting Attack: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Wild Dice Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Warhammer Damage+1AP: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10
Raise Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Weapon Explosion Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Weapon Explosion Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
If that hits, it's a doozy.

Jzero Katzu |

If anyone wants to specify an SOP for first breech of a room with opponents, such as waiting for the casters to do their thing, just let me know. I posted assuming such things can usually be worked out after the post. If a caster is ahead of Jzero in the initiative list, I'd assume they could send a blast in even though Jzero posted first.

Evesk |

As Evesk steps up and sees what is transpiring the extends his hand in the direction of Ceri and ask that Iomedae bless her with an improved ability to effect the flying creature. Whereupon Ceri begins to glow with celestial light.
OCC: Cast Boost Trait (1 PP) and raise whatever Trait (attribute or skill) that would help Ceri the most with her spell use.
Faith: 1d8 ⇒ 7
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Ace 2: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Ace 3: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Total: 22
OCC: I do not suppose those extra Aces would allow me to do more than just get a Raise? I mean if you would allow me I would expend 2 more spell points and make it a Greater Boost. I would even spend a Benny to get that extra boost. So in case you do allow it I have included it within the Spoiler
Range: Smarts
Duration: 5
Trappings: A Glowing Aura
This allows the caster to increase an ally's Trait (Attribute or Skill) by one Die Type, or by two with a Raise. Additional castings do not stack on a single Trait (take the highest), but may affect different Traits.
Greater Boost (+2): With success, the selected Trait gains a Free Reroll once per round, or once per Action with a Raise.

Crastor Deems |

Jzero, its not that big a deal. We have more fights, but I can try and make a group of enemies vulnerable.
For whatever it's worth, I did not add the +2 from the Joker in. Would a 7 have hit or did you add that for me? Also, do we get a Benny from the joker?

GM_ZenFox42 |

Crastor - no, I didn't add in the +2 (I usually leave that up to the players, I have a really bad memory), and that *would* hit. And I said in the Initiative post that everyone got an extra Benny, and it was noted in your Spoiler information. So...
Crastor's hammer smashes into the sinspawn's abdomen, crushing it. It falls to the floor, dead.
Evesk - I'm going to give you a chance to take a different action. Ceri isn't on Hold because she's preparing for something, I just don't think it would be fair to the players if my "NPC" took out the BBEG. But if Erylium starts to get the upper hand, Ceri's there to help out. So you can change the target of your spell (like maybe to Johhann, who's about to shoot at her), or do a different spell, or do something completely different...
Regarding all those Raises, you've already boosted whoever's the target's Trait by 2 dice instead of one. Unfortunately, SW doesn't allow for further effects past the first Raise *anywhere* (except for Damage), and I just can't see a second (or fourth) Raise providing extra PP out of thin air, even with a Benny. That's a dangerous precedent to set.

Evesk |

OCC: Okay GM_ZenFox42 well it was the best tactical call in the situation and perhaps the most effective but okay I will retarget that spell upon Johann
So the question still stands can I spend 2 extra spell points to get the Greater boost or spend a Benny to allow me to get that extra expenditure of spell points to get the Greater boost?

GM_ZenFox42 |

Round 2!
Engagements
Jzero is engaged with sinspawn#2.
Johhann is about to be engaged with Erylium.
I just thought of this - would this be helpful in more complicated combats to help everyone understand what is going on?
Initiative
Erylium - AS
Evesk - JH
Johhann - 8C
Jzero - 7S
Ceri - 5H
Velrek - 4D
Sinspawn – 4C
Crastor - 3S
Erylium pauses for a moment :
Vigor: 1d8 ⇒ 3 Spending a Benny...
Vigor: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Everyone but Crastor is up, in any order!
Johhann - please note that your Shooting die has been raised to a d12+1 by Evesk's spell for the next 4 rounds.

Velrek Savage PF |

Velrek sees the flying summoner of tiny, nasty Gnolls flying just out of reach and helps Jzero finish off that last minion.
2H sword: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6
wild xplode: 1d6 ⇒ 6
WTH wild xplode: 1d6 ⇒ 5
damage: 1d10 + 1d10 ⇒ (4) + (8) = 12
raise damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Johhann Coppice |

Having taken his time to aim, Johhan releases his arrow at the flying creature.
Short Bow: 1d12 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 2 = 10
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6
WIld explode: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Damage: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (5) = 9
raise Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
I hope I did this correctly

Evesk |

Evesk moves up to provide cover for Johhann incase the flying creature uses some kind of ranged attack upon Johhann.
OCC: Uh basically ready an Action to use my shield to potentially block a ranged attack from the flying creature.
Oh and you are off on the Power Points I have 4 not 2 as the Boost Trait spell only cost 1 Power Point as you declined allowing me to apply Greater Boost to the spell retroactively which I am perfectly okay with. It just never hurts to ask.

GM_ZenFox42 |

Johhann - nearly perfect! But the Raise Damage Aced, so you should have re-rolled it just in case your Shooting roll got a Raise (which it did). To expedite matters, I'll re-roll it for you this one time :
Damage ACE!: 1d6 ⇒ 6 Oh good grief...
Damage ACE! ACE!: 1d6 ⇒ 3 = 24!
Johhann's arrow pierces the flying creature's heart, and it falls to the ground, dead. It's dying scream sounds more like one of disappointment than pain.
Evesk - I have you as starting the combat with 5 PP, and in SWPF, B/L Trait costs 3 PP, not 1, so you're at 2.
Combat is over!
There's two doors in this room. You open them and discover that they're empty, probably used for storage at some point.
Everyone please re-read the description of this room above to see if there's anything else you'd like to do while you're here.
Evesk, please make an Occult roll. If anyone else has Occult at d4 or higher, you can roll too.

Evesk |

OCC: First on Page 178 of the Core Guidelines it says the Power Point cost for Boost/Lower Trait is 2. Second I do not have Boost/Lower Trait for I took the Limited version which is just Boost Trait reducing the cost from 2 to only 1 point.
Occult: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Total: 10
Evesk will scrutinize the room {Detect Evil} focussing upon every seemingly major object within the room individually starting with the pool that the demons were summoned from.

Crastor Deems |

Crastor heads up the stairs to search around the pulpit and look into the second pool.

Jzero Katzu |

Jzero walks around the perimeter of the room, looking about for any indications of what rituals might have been performed here. He removes the skulls from the spikes and sets them on the ground, muttering in Minkai. If anyone understands him, he is repeating a blessing for restful repose after death.