Because the siege castle isn’t big enough for huge formations of the First Guards to enter, the Pathfinders and other local heroes are among the first to storm the fortification.
Gulgamodh’s body, the broken door, rubble, and stairs make it a challenge to traverse the difficult terrain. Inside the siege castle, beyond the gatehouse, the ballistae, columns, and statue block movement and provide cover. The castle’s hasty construction leaves the interior walls rough (requiring only a successful DC15 Climb check to scale).
The gatehouse is teeming with horrid fiends, and a seasoned Venture-Captain orders the Pathfinders to engage the enemy, "Greenhorns, kill those snipers in the towers! Experienced Pathfinders, kill me some babaus and nabasus! Tough-as-nails veterans, kill that bucket-headed abomination on the stairs!"
The Venture-Captain singles out your team. "You lot! Take out those two babau demons!" She points at a pair of emaciated figures that look like horned human skeletons smothered within bone-tight hides of slimy leather. Each wields a longspear.
Knowledge (planes) DC16 re Babau Demons:
They're medium-sized outsiders with the chaotic, demon, evil, and extraplanar subtypes. For every 5 you exceed the DC, you may ask one question from this list.
Male Human (Shoanti) Battle Oracle 6 hp 51 Fort +5 (+2 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +5, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. fear CG Init +4 (roll twice); Senses Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16, Speed 35 (25 in armor).
Knowledge (Planes):1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
"May the Lords of the Four Winds protect us as we fight these unearthly foes!"
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
"She's right, those sure are babau demons," Nella agrees, squinting at the two foes they've been tasked to slay. Deciding to start with her usual opener, she produces a wand from one of her wrist sheaths and gives it a wave before moving up slightly.
"Don't worry though, we can take them," she adds, quite confident.
______________
Nella uses her Wand of Bless and then moves to her current position. Charges remaining (26).
"Yes, but let them come to us! Lure them out in the open!" Brayne growls as he shuffles through the rubble and moves alongside Caller, ready to pounce should the demons come into range.
Move and ready action to attack them if they are within range!
In his usual know-it-all voice, Fuzzfoot recites some information he recalls from his studies.
How about we discuss: Immunities, Resistances, and Senses.
After shouting out what he knows, Fuzzy moves to the south and starts climbing the wall. Maybe I can get behind this one.
Caller of the Eastern Storm casts a spell to protect himself from evil and moves to the edge of the rubble, closer to the two demons.
Nella centers herself among her party and blesses her companions.
Brayne moves up next to Caller, ready to take a bite out of any foe that dares get within reach.
As Fuzzfoot moves south to the wall and starts climbing, he warns his companions, "Babau demons have darkvision out to 60 feet and can see invisibility. They're immune to electricity and poison and resistant to acid, cold, and fire, as well as to spells in general."
Conditions:
Kulga's Instructions - Everyone +5 Stealth bonus
Protection from Evil - Caller
Bless - Everyone
Difficult Terrain - Gulgamodh’s body, the broken door, rubble, and stairs
Round 1/2
Bold may act. Lancyn(Delay) Nella
Brayne
Caller
Fuzzfoot
---
Yellow Babau
Red Babau
---
Kulga
Kulga, then everyone else, you're up! (Placed Lancyn in Delay, so we can advance the action.) Don't forget your benefits from Preparations and Faction Missions.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
Although she doesn't catch the entire meaning of the spells, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the purpose is as the lights suddenly grow dim. "Really? This again?" she sighs. "You're just wasting your time, you know," Nella continues as she casts the counter to try and shed some light on the subject.
Spells & Powers:
3rd - Daylight, Dispel Magic, Magic Circle against Evil
2nd - Communal Protection from Evil, Silence (DC 16), Spiritual Weapon x2
1st — Burning Disarm (DC 15), Command (DC 15), Sun Metal, Weapons Against Evil
0 (at will) — Create Water, Detect Magic, Guidance, Stabilize
Kulga picks her way through the rubble's difficult terrain, moving through the darkness, closer to the yellow babau. As she gets within ten feet of the demon its thrusts its longspear at her.
Longspear; Damage:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 261d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 (Kulga, please double-check the AC in your tagline. Looking at your character sheet, it's 22. If you've got buffs active, please include them in your post. Appreciate the reminder.)
Fuzzfoot climbs the 20ft wall and creeps across the roof of the gatehouse. He doesn't see any steps or a ladder and realizes he'll have to climb down from the tower. (Fuzzfoot, I'll trust you to account for your movement up, across, and down from the gatehouse.)
Nella casts daylight on her quarterstaff, shedding bright light in a 60-foot radius and overpowering the darkness cast by the babau demons.
Conditions:
Kulga's Instructions - Everyone +5 Stealth bonus
Protection from Evil - Caller
Bless - Everyone
Difficult Terrain - Gulgamodh’s body, the broken door, rubble, and stairs
Dim Light - 20ft radius around each demon; 20% miss chance
Round 2
Bold may act. Lancyn(Delay)
Nella
Brayne
Caller
Fuzzfoot
---
Yellow Babau
Red Babau
---
Kulga (-10?)
Brayne and Caller, you're up! (Placed Lancyn in Delay, so we can advance the action.) Don't forget your benefits from Preparations and Faction Missions.
Free| Human (Varisian) Male LG Paladin of Iomedae 6 | HP 58/58 | AC 24, T 13, FF 22 | CMD 22 | F +11 R +8 W +9 | Init +2 | Per +0, SM +8, Ling +7 | Speed 30 ft | Smite Evil 2/2 Light 1/1 Lay on Hands 6/6 | Spells - 1st: 2/2 | Active Conditions: none. | Aura of Good, Aura of Courage | Re-Roll (+2) 1/1
Round 1
Lancyn still confused from al that has transpired and feeling lost within his own mind snaps out of his gaze as he hears the sound of battle 'chime' in. "For Absalom, For Glory, For brothers and sisters!" Lancyn begins making his way over the rubble bits and pieces sword in hand and shield at the ready he moves up to the Babau with the red tinted skin.
Double move to red
Round 2
Thinking to himself Lancyn wonders if these creatures are born of evil. Use Detect evil red and he will then attempt to take a swipe at the evil demon before him.
Male Human (Shoanti) Battle Oracle 6 hp 51 Fort +5 (+2 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +5, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. fear CG Init +4 (roll twice); Senses Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16, Speed 35 (25 in armor).
Caller shouts an ancient war-cry and smashes his earth-breaker into the foes torso.
Having negotiated the obstacle course of stone, wood, and broken Gulgamodh construct, Lancyn approaches the red babau. The demon lashes out with its longspear, wounding the paladin. Lancyn swings his longsword at the babau, but the creature ducks beneath his slashing blade.
Longspear; Damage:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 261d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Brayne picks his way through the rubble, and the yellow babau thrusts its spear into the barbarian. Brayne's bite doesn't penetrate the demon's tough hide, but his mouth burns from the layer of acidic slime coating the babau’s skin.
Longspear; Damage:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 241d8 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 DC18 Reflex save or Acid Damage:1d8 ⇒ 3(Disregard; a 1 won't penetrate its hardness.)
Caller of the Eastern Storm smashes the yellow babau with his earthbreaker. The demon seems to possess some protection from the oracle's weapon. His earthbreaker drips with acid from the creature's hide.
DC18 Reflex save or Acid Damage to Weapon:1d8 ⇒ 1
The demons drop their spears and attack with tooth and claw. The red babau stabs the paladin through a gap in his armor, and the yellow babau sinks its claws into the dwarf.
Red Claw; Damage vs Lancyn:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 141d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 Red Claw; Damage vs Lancyn:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 231d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Red Bite; Damage vs Lancyn:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 151d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Female Dwarf LN Slayer 7| HP 67/67 | AC 25(26), T 13, FF 24 CMD 25 | F +9(12), R +8(11), W +5(8) | Init +3 | Perc +12 | SM +12 |
Sorry - that hadn't been updated since a full defense against the big nasty minotaur. AC is a little higher than normal because I'm wearing an RoP we found this adventure, but the spear hit - parenthetical AC is whil only one enemy is adjacent to me.
With an aggrieved snarl on her lips, Kulga circles behind the Babau and begins to batter it to pieces!
Brayne spits the fiendish acid from his lips, and the half-orc tries to bite the red babau. The demon weaves away from the attack.
Kulga bashes the yellow babau with her shield and hits the demon once with her waraxe. Neither weapon proves as effective as either should be against a foe. The babau's fiendish nature reduces the power of the dwarf's blows.
Conditions:
Kulga's Instructions - Everyone +5 Stealth bonus
Protection from Evil - Caller
Bless - Everyone
Difficult Terrain - Gulgamodh’s body, the broken door, rubble, and stairs
Dim Light - 20ft radius around each demon; 20% miss chance
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
"Hey! I heard your friend say he could take us all on without any help from you," Nella calls out to Red. "Why don't you just sit back and see if he can put his money where his mouth is?"
______________
Nella casts domain spell Suggestion at Red; DC 17 Will save to resist.
Teams of Pathfinders wielding battering rams crash against the inner gates again and again until, with a decisive crack, the doors shatter inward. The Pathfinders can now enter the castle’s inner reaches as waves of reinforcements arrive to help finish off the defenders outside.
Table GMs, the Open Gates condition on page 29 is in effect.
Male Human (Shoanti) Battle Oracle 6 hp 51 Fort +5 (+2 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +5, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. fear CG Init +4 (roll twice); Senses Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16, Speed 35 (25 in armor).
Acid!?!
Reflex Save for weapon:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Not worrying about his weapon for the moment, Caller presses his attack against the Babau.
Free| Human (Varisian) Male LG Paladin of Iomedae 6 | HP 58/58 | AC 24, T 13, FF 22 | CMD 22 | F +11 R +8 W +9 | Init +2 | Per +0, SM +8, Ling +7 | Speed 30 ft | Smite Evil 2/2 Light 1/1 Lay on Hands 6/6 | Spells - 1st: 2/2 | Active Conditions: none. | Aura of Good, Aura of Courage | Re-Roll (+2) 1/1
Seeing the red babau yield, although its twin still battles it out, Lancyn pulls back his attempted assault and moves to assist with dispatching the yellow Babau. Before he takes a swing however he asks for a reprieve from his goddess.
Swift Action: Lay on Hands:2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6
Now filed with a renewed vigor Lancyn lashes out with his Longsword.
When Absalom’s defenders break down the siege castle’s inner gates, a hail of cold iron arrows strikes the red babau demon. A paladin archer looses a good-aligned arrow and the remarkable shot nicks the yellow babau.
Caller of the Eastern Storm lands another crushing blow against the yellow demon.
After Nella convinces the red babau to take a time out, Lancyn breaks contact and joins his companions attacking the yellow demon. He stumbles a bit on the rubble at his feet and his longsword misses the mark.
Surrounded and desperate, the yellow babau tries to defend itself while using one of its spell-like abilities. By some abyssal miracle, it succeeds, and the demon vanishes, teleporting away to cause mischief and mayhem elsewhere.
Concentration Check, Casting Defensively DC29:1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 3 = 30
Cold iron arrows still buried in its chest and back, the red babau stands up and looks around, trying to identify the source of its pain. It begins chanting, attempting to summon some help from the abyss.
Conditions:
Kulga's Instructions - Everyone +5 Stealth bonus
Protection from Evil - Caller
Bless - Everyone
Difficult Terrain - Gulgamodh’s body, the broken door, rubble, and stairs
Dim Light - 20ft radius around each demon; 20% miss chance
Free| Human (Varisian) Male LG Paladin of Iomedae 6 | HP 58/58 | AC 24, T 13, FF 22 | CMD 22 | F +11 R +8 W +9 | Init +2 | Per +0, SM +8, Ling +7 | Speed 30 ft | Smite Evil 2/2 Light 1/1 Lay on Hands 6/6 | Spells - 1st: 2/2 | Active Conditions: none. | Aura of Good, Aura of Courage | Re-Roll (+2) 1/1
Larry I LoH and healed back 6HP
Lancyn now bereft of a target turns back and crosses the rubble going specifically for the Red Babau attempting a military maneuver to pin the demon between he a Kulga to provide some combat advantage.
Male Human (Shoanti) Battle Oracle 6 hp 51 Fort +5 (+2 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +5, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. fear CG Init +4 (roll twice); Senses Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16, Speed 35 (25 in armor).
One down... one to go!
Caller moves up to support his comrades. Drawing upon his incredible rage, Caller attempts to smash the remaining demon.
Power Attack vs Red:1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14
If at first you don't succeed... try again! (Next Round)
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
With little else to do but try and finish off the remaining babau, Nella pulls out her crossbow and then begins to load the special bolt she'd been given earlier...
______________
As Kulga drops her axe and draws her cold iron morningstar, she tries to slip around the red babau and get to higher ground. The demon lashes out with a clawed hand and . Gritting her teeth to bury the pain, the dwarf clubs the babau, cracking bone.
Red Claw; Damage vs Kulga:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 321d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 Crit!?; Crit Damage:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 261d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Flanking the demon with Kulga, Lancyn slashes into the creature with his enchanted longsword, tearing a gash in its side.
The babau dodges the earthbreaker swing of Caller of the Eastern Storm, but exposes a forearm to Brayne's bite.
Nella draws and loads her crossbow.
The beleaguered babau struggles to concentrate. It howls in frustration, when its spell is disrupted, and it fails to summon another babau. The demon steps away from the Pathfinders surrounding it and puts its back to the wall.
Concentration Check, Injured while Casting, DC33:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Conditions:
Kulga's Instructions - Everyone +5 Stealth bonus
Protection from Evil - Caller
Bless - Everyone
Difficult Terrain - Gulgamodh’s body, the broken door, rubble, and stairs
Free| Human (Varisian) Male LG Paladin of Iomedae 6 | HP 58/58 | AC 24, T 13, FF 22 | CMD 22 | F +11 R +8 W +9 | Init +2 | Per +0, SM +8, Ling +7 | Speed 30 ft | Smite Evil 2/2 Light 1/1 Lay on Hands 6/6 | Spells - 1st: 2/2 | Active Conditions: none. | Aura of Good, Aura of Courage | Re-Roll (+2) 1/1
Taking a decided step Lancyn faces the demon straight on yelling out "Let us be done with this beast!" and then sends his sword in low aiming for the Babau's gut.
The party received an Aid Token. Please use it immediately, so we can pass it to another party in need.
Kulga can step into a flanking position with Lancyn.
Male Human (Shoanti) Battle Oracle 6 hp 51 Fort +5 (+2 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +5, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. fear CG Init +4 (roll twice); Senses Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16, Speed 35 (25 in armor).
Female Dwarf LN Slayer 7| HP 67/67 | AC 25(26), T 13, FF 24 CMD 25 | F +9(12), R +8(11), W +5(8) | Init +3 | Perc +12 | SM +12 |
Shrug, If a flank was possible she did Sneak Attack:2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 5) + 2 = 8 more damage with her shield bash, and had a +2 to hit on her second swing, but either way, it's probably pretty dead going by when the other one dropped.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
(If you've struck either of the babau demons, and haven't yet rolled a DC18 Reflex save, please do so, or the weapon takes 1d8 ⇒ 5 acid damage from the protective slime coating the creatures. The slime only effects the weapon if the acid penetrates the weapon's hardness.)
Moving in to flank the babau with Lancyn, Kulga smashes the demon with her shield and knocks it down. Then she finishes it off with her cold iron morningstar.
Victory!
The Pathfinders take a few moments to catch their breath and lick their wounds.
(Please roll the necessary dice to heal yourselves, and I'll prep the next post.)
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
"Well, that was effective," Nella remarks as Kulga finishes beating the other demon to death, opting to save her bolt for now. Realizing that she's actually still a little injured from one of their earlier battles, the priestess produces a wand and gives herself a tap.
Female Dwarf LN Slayer 7| HP 67/67 | AC 25(26), T 13, FF 24 CMD 25 | F +9(12), R +8(11), W +5(8) | Init +3 | Perc +12 | SM +12 |
CLWs:5d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 1, 7, 5, 7) + 5 = 335 acid won't beat the hardness on any of my weapons
Kulga spits derisively at the babau's collapsing corpse. She fishes out a wand to be healed, then busies herself carefully cleaning the blood from her bludgeon before it etches the iron.
She also tries to get a view of what sort of creatures await them through the shattered doors.
Pathfinders pour through the broken gate into a sanctum teeming with fiends. This room is the command center of Thurl’s demonic army. The 20-foot-tall round platform in the room has the inverted pentagram of Baphomet on it, and the smaller, 5-foot-tall square platform resting on this central platform bears the symbol of Baphomet: a minotaur’s head. Both symbols are painted in blood. The side platforms are also 20 feet tall, and the ceiling rises to a height of 40 feet.
In the two towers that flank the large room, lesser demons furiously work levers and cranks to load ballistae of Abyssal steel and demon sinew to fire wicked bolts upon the charging Pathfinders. Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng shouts commands to the least experienced Pathfinders, "Eliminate the threat from the tieflings, campions, and horned aspirants manning the deadly war machines."
Atop the tall platform in the center of the room stands a demon much larger than any other, chanting and weaving dark energies to open what looks like an extradimensional portal.
Venture-Captain Ollystra Zadrian issues a clarion call to the most experienced Pathfinders, "Pathfinder veterans, eliminate the glabrezu!" The massive demon bears a glowing symbol on her chest.
Language: Abyssal or DC20 Knowledge (arcana or planes) or Linguistics re the runes on the glabrezu's chest:
You realize that the runes signify the demon’s obedience to an entity called Koth’Vaul.
DC16 Knowledge (planes) re the portal:
You identify that the portal—if allowed to open fully—would not merely allow more demons to enter; it would also flood a large swath of the Cairnlands with unholy energy that could kill large numbers of Absalom’s defenders.
The demons and cultists here are using prayer, blood-drawn runes, and animal sacrifice to augment the glabrezu’s portal.
Master Farabellus turns to you. "It's up to you, ladies and gentlemen, to establish a breach through the demons defending the central platform. Only if you succeed, can the elite Pathfinders under Zadrian's command hope to take out the glabrezu."
He points to your target, a lanky fiend, its mouth filled with sharp fangs. Great bat-like wings stretch from its scaly hide.
Knowledge (planes) DC18 re the demon you're supposed to take out:
It's a nabasu demon, a Medium-sized outsider with the chaotic, demon, evil, and native subtypes. For every 5 you exceed the DC, you may ask one question from this list.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
"No no no! If they get that portal open it's going to flood the Cairnlands with unholy energy and probably level a good chunk of our forces!" Nella warns. "And then whoever's left would be easy pickings for the demons that'll start pouring out!"
Once they get their orders from Master Farabellus, Nella squints at the great ugly demon. "That's a nabasu demon! It's resistant to ____ !"
Resistances, please!
And then Nella does what she does best - support her team. One last time, she draws out a wand from a wrist sheath and gives it a wave before drawing her crossbow once more.
"It's now or never, guys!"
______________
Nella uses her Wand of Bless, yeah! Charges remaining (25).
Nella recognizes the demon, It's a nabasu demon. They're immune to death effects, electricity, paralysis, poison and resistant to acid, cold, and fire. They're resistant to spells, too."
With a sharp *snick*, Nella releases her wand of bless from a spring-loaded wrist sheath and activates it.
Fuzzfoot quaffs an extract and shrinks, grabbing his wand of grease on the way down.
Conditions:
Kulga's Instructions - Everyone +5 Stealth
Grand Lodge Faction Mission benefit - Everyone 18 Temporary HP
Bless - Everyone
Male Human (Shoanti) Battle Oracle 6 hp 51 Fort +5 (+2 circumstance bonus vs. cold weather), Ref +5, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. fear CG Init +4 (roll twice); Senses Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16, Speed 35 (25 in armor).
Caller begins by casting ENLARGE PERSON on himself.
