GM Hawthwile - Forged in Flame Series (Inactive)

Game Master Hawthwile

I trust everyone that a creature with the grappled condition cannot make AoOs, but could someone find the source for me so I can reference it in other games? All I can find in the definitions is that "a creature can't do something that takes two hands" - which the spear is, and I'm certain the tail is also involved in this grapple so it's a non-issue for us at this time.

The azers watch fearfully as the Pathfinders move around and past them, but none of them try to attack. As Cirri moves into position, Masayoshi deftly removes Crowe from the salamander's clutches so Fahd can move into position. Unfortunately, this leaves the salamander free to slap Fahd with his tail as he moves into position...

Tail slap vs AC 20: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Bludgeoning damage, Fire damage: 2d6 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (3, 5) + 7 + (4) = 19

...and then wrap the brawler up in his tail...

Grapple vs CMD 25: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25
Constrict: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (6, 4) + 7 = 17

...and now it is Fahd's turn for a warm hug! But as the brawler strikes back, the salamander falls unconscious and the coils restraining Fahd fall limp.

Out of combat! Damage:
- Cirri (-9)
- Fahd (-36)
- Crowe (-29)

As the room becomes quiet, the azers slowly look at each other. Finally, one of them speaks. "Who are you people?" he asks hesitantly (in Common).

What do you do?

Crowe takes out his wand and hands it over to someone in the group able to use it on him.

CLW wand, 14/20 charges remaing : 6d8 + 6 ⇒ (7, 7, 3, 2, 4, 1) + 6 = 30

He then looks at the azers.

"It is a pleasure meeting you. Too long have my people been robbed, dominated and enslaved by the Chelish for me to endure slavery on any plane or location! I am Crowe ... a Shoanti ... " and slight shame is visible on his face but he continues.

"I believe it is time that we use this power struggle in the city to our advantage! I want the azers to have chance to build something for themselves. Tell me about your situation here ... tell me about the owners of this mansion! Together we can bring them down and guide you on your steps to true freedom! Crowe says with determination.

Under the grappled condition, the first paragraph ends in "Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity."

"And stay down!" Cirri holds her staff triumphantly.

"My name is Cirri. This is Riddywhipple. And we oppose slavery in all of its forms! Crowe is right, let's talk about this mansion and its owners."

Fahd pulls out his CLW wand and asks if any of the group could do the favor for him.

CLW 6d8 + 6 ⇒ (3, 8, 6, 4, 7, 8) + 6 = 42

Under the grappled condition, the first paragraph ends in "Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity."

And here's the source from the PRD. Not trying to invalidate you, Cirri, but I find it better to link to the PRD for sources rather than d20pfsrd, because the latter is mostly a third-party regurgitating the info, while the former is actually supported by Paizo; if there were a difference between the two sites on an issue than I'd be inclined to believe the PRD over d20pfsrd. Same with rulings in Hero Lab--I actually almost had a player rage-quit at a table I was GMing because I was trying to interpret the rules based on the wording of a monster's ability as it was written in Hero Lab, which was ever-so-slightly incorrect that it almost made me give a completely incorrect ruling.

Masayoshi will take Fahd's wand and use it on the brawler.

"Masayoshi, nice to meet ya. Now, can someone please explain to me what the heck just happened?"

Du'oh! Thanks Cirri!

"The mansion?" another azer says slowly. "You mean Emberhearth? Well, it's built for efreeti, so everything is quite tall. There are two stories connected by a grand staircase in the entrance hall, and that's about all I've seen."

"Yeah, same here."

"Never had reason to go further than the entrance."

"Uh, if that's all, we'll, uh, just be going now..."

The azers are indifferent to you at the moment, but perhaps they could be persuaded to help if they felt more friendly towards the party.

What do you do?

Retroactive Diplomacy from Masayoshi: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23

I meant to give an "if applicable" Diplomacy check in my last post, but I forgot XD

Ninlil looks concerned. Or at least her eyes do, under that mask. "Do you all have a place to go? What happens if you leave? Will you simply be... reclaimed by someone?"

Diplomacy to aid Masayoshi?: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

"She has a point! This house will be going down, soon. If this is the way they treat you, then we'll do everything we can to help!"

Diplomacy(Aid): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

"She means well. She really does!"

Diplomacy(Aid): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Toctep shrinks again and adds his voice to the others in common

Diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"It is your decision, I would rather die fighting than live as a slave. "

The azers glance at each other. One of them finally speaks. "Well, uh, thank you for your concern, but we'll be fine. We, um, have been exchanging messages with another group of azers, and they, uh, think they have a way to get us out of the city."

"Yeah, Hsalkar found the correspondence and was getting ready to punish us for it," another adds as he points at the brass plates scattered on the floor near the door.

"Well, I suppose we could help a little before we go - these people got hurt on our behalf," someone else contributes.

"No!" the fourth rebuts swiftly before relenting. "Hmm, perhaps, but nothing too risky. No fighting!" He finishes with a decisive nod and crosses his arms.

"That's fair. We don't have the resources or time to do much, but maybe we could find the other azers at the estate and help them escape with us!"

"These people look like treasure-seekers - we could make a quick sweep and arrange to deliver anything we find to them later."

"Or we could strike a blow at the efreet and raid the library!"

"Those are all excellent ideas, but we only will have the chance to do one. Which can we do in return for your help?" The azers all turn to the Pathfinders expectantly.

First choice with three votes takes the cake - discuss amongst yourselves here or on the Discussion thread, but remember that we're trying to move swiftly through this adventure.

What do you do?

Toctep turns to the other pathfinders "They should find the other azers and help them to escape with them."

"I agree with Toctep, go, find you friends and free as many as you can! We will manage ... that is our job!" Crowe says with satisfaction and nods at Toctep.

”Lets find the other azers then!”

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea to me. You guys can help the other azers and we'll worry about the rest!"

"Oh my gosh! Go find the other azers. You're free now- all of you." She smiles.

Then it is decided.

The azers agree to rescue their comrades from the estate. As they prepare to depart, on of them turns to the Pathfinders. "You know, the Cinderfurys' greatest treasure is Flamebinder's Jaw - the jawbone of the first enslaved azer to ever defy the family."

"Oh yeah! Didn't he learn some damning secret about the efreet, so they killed him to make an example and preserve their secret?"

"Yeah, and they made a trophy out of his jaw! Do you think it would let us commune with our ancestor?"

"If it did, we could learn the secret and use it against other efreet!"

The Pathfinders follow the azers out of the security complex, but quickly lose them in the crowded streets of the Common Quarter. Qalkami's directions are sufficient to direct the outlanders to Emberhearth, a grand, elegant, opulent building rising sixty feet in the air and made entirely of living brass. The Pathfinders gather outside the front doors to decide what to do.

Perception or Survival

What do you do?

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

"Hey team! There looks to be a faint foot trail leading from the railings out front to a nearby window, then to the northern side of the estate. It looks like a single, human-sized creature made these tracks, and fairly recently. Let us check this out! Does anybody want to sneak ahead?" Crowe asks.

Cirri shrugs. "I can turn invisible and fly ahead. But Riddywhipple says I'm bad at the whole scouting thing."

Unless someone objects, Cirri will cast Invisibility and use her flight hex to follow the trail.

”Go ahead, cirri. Yell if there’s trouble.”

"We are right behind you Cirri!"

Toctep waits a bit and then attempts to follow the trail, assuming Cirri is ahead of him.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

As Cirri floats around the manor, she finds a small patio looking out onto a modest backyard and rest of the City of Brass. She also finds a doorway that the tracks enter before disappearing.

Also, I forgot to give you loot! The security complex had a lens of detection and a bottle containing balm of impish grace.

What do you do?

Ninlil also follows Ciri at a distance, right behind Toctep.

Survival to help follow tracks: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

"Come on, Snaggletooth. Ciri, we'll be right behind you."

"Oh, I look good in glasses!" says Snaggletooth, as his beady little pterosaur eyes gleam in the direction of the lenses of detection. He tries to keep an undistracted eye on other things, though, as he follows Ciri while flying.

Perception to keep an eye out: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 20 = 31

Ninlil quietly points out, "Your projection can't support another persistent source of magic, Snaggletooth. That's why you're not wearing your monocle, remember?"

"Okay. I'm over here, guys. Just follow Riddywhipple, he know where I am." Once inside, Cirri lands. "Uhhh, I don't see anything."

Survival(Aid): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Oh no, I can't even see my hand! Wait, I'm still invisible."

Cirri, calm down. Let's see if Ninlil has found any tracks.

Survival (Aid): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

Cirri finds the door unlocked and enters. In stark contrast to the rest of the estate, this room has few decorations and only simple furnishings, such as stone cots, a makeshift table, and a chest of drawers to the east. A small cache of supplies is tucked under the table with a note.

The Pathfinders find an elixir of hiding, two potions of cure serious wounds, a potion of invisibility, and a scroll of heroism (CL 8) in the cache.

Check out the map and decide on a door to open next. Two votes in agreement move the party.

What do you do?

"I suggest we check that smaller door first. Also, would you mind if I attempt to use that scroll on myself?"

Dibs on the scroll of heroism ;-).

Cirri reads the note in silence. You can't tell, but she's elated.

"Let's move east, then. Someone who is good at sneaking around should drink the elixir of hiding. And then we can move..." She ponders. "East!"

Ninlil reads the note to the group. "If these little amulets weren't giving us some sort of fire resistance, this note would be making me feel warm inside. Oh, and they left us some helpful things! Who needs what? I've already got a heroism effect up, but I could cast this on someone else. Oh, sure, Toctep, that's great."

As a reminder, Ninlil's player GMed this a couple of years ago, and feels like it would be inappropriate to jump in and steer. Ninlil will... play tiebreaker?

Ugh, this "Can't see posts until a minute has passed" thing is driving me nuts. (Arrr?) East is great!

Fahd agreed with heading east.

Then it is decided.

Crowe opens the single door to the east to find a much-more lavishly decorated room with a glass table and high-backed glass chairs. Closer inspection reveals serpentine designs etched on the table's surface.

As the Pathfinders enter, they again get the distinct sensation that someone is observing them.

Doors to the east, south, and west. Also, don't forget what you came here for.

What do you do?

Masayoshi, for perhaps the first time ever, remains quiet. He doesn’t dare move in further than he has to and will follow the party if needed.

"Who has the incriminating evidence? Let us just place something here!" Crowe suggests.

Snaggletooth pulls open a brass case and looks at the incriminating "evidence" inside.

Ninlil looks over Snaggletooth's shoulder. "How did you manage to--"

"You know we familiars have our secrets, Ninlil." Snaggletooth says. "Don't ask too many questions about how I ended up with it. Just pretend it makes sense. Now, what sorts of evidence do we even have here? Would it make sense to leave it in... is this a galley? Or a strategy room?"

Ninlil, who actually reads Ignan unlike Snaggletooth, attempts to understand the evidence. And will make a roll of some type if needed! Hey, nothing like realizing at the last minute I don't know what we're carrying.

Two of the brass plates describe tentative contracts between the Cinderfury's and noble shaitans of the Peerless Empire. Another two contain secret communications discussing the ruling sultana - including multiple plots to have her assassinated. The last two are slanderous documents about other noble families in the Noble District.

This room looks far too elegant to be a galley.

What do you do?

Crowe just laughs when he hears what the evidence is about.

"Some of them surely are real. Let us place on those somewhere here and move on." and he picks any one of them randomly and then starts to search the room to first of all make sure the feeling they had earlier that they are watched is gone but also to find a good spot to hide the evidence.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Cirri rolls her eyes. "Well, that's one way to kill the mood after freeing those people. Are we ready now?"

Cirri maintains her invisibility and heads to the double doors to the east. "Does anyone want that elixir of hiding? Or should I drink it?"

"You can certainly drink it if you'd like. I'm not very sneaky, so I might not make very good use of it."

"Oh, smart! Yes, we should take a careful inventory... aren't you supposed to be looking for some things, anyway?"

Perception to search!: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 34

Besides the table and chairs, there is not much to find in this room. Neither Crowe nor Snaggletooth locate the source of the feeling, but it passes after a moment. The table looks like an excellent place to leave something.

Looks like we have one vote for door to the east so far. Two votes moves the party.

What do you do?

"Put something incriminating here- maybe slander some of the other noble houses."

"Good idea! Crowe, pick something to leave here!" Snaggletooth fans out a selection of incriminating correspondence.

After the evidence was planted, Fahd agreed with the decision to head down the east doorway.

"Thanks Ninlil! I agree, let's continue east"

Then it is decided.

As Cirri opens the double-doors to the east, (enough of) the Pathfinders (can't help but) notice a pale blue pane in the doorway. The air around it feels cooler than the ambient temperature. Beyond the doorframe, bookshelves fill the adjoining room from floor to ceiling.

What do you do?

Ninlil casts detect magic and looks around the room, using Spellcraft if applicable (+heroism): 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 16 + 2 = 20.