GM Hawthwile - Forged in Flame Series (Inactive)

Game Master Hawthwile

Snaggletooth flaps over to Ninlil and looks around carefully!

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 32

What do you do?

Oh cool. A library?

Cirri scans the pane with Detect Magic.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

“There are a few details and addenda, of course. First, the estate in question is Emberhearth, which keeps most of its security on-call and off-site. Unless you relish drowning in armed guards the moment you make a mistake, you’ll need to neutralize them first. Second, the Cinderfurys maintain a pristine set of local records, and I would like you to secure any local security contracts you find in their library. Third, they keep an heirloom known as the Cinderfury gorget, which you should bring to me. Finally, I have plans for the estate; do keep the destruction to a minimum."

Cirri whispers. "We're supposed to look for security contracts or something. They might be here."

Riddywhipple takes this as a queue to look around for important documents.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Linguistics for legalese: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

"Yes! Of course." says Ninlil, almost forgetting to mention that the blue thing gives off an aura of evocation. "I'm not sure what this blue thing is, but it's radiating evocation. Snaggletooth, can you check it?"

She goes to help Cirri look through books!

Linguistics, maybe? (+heroism): 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 16 + 2 = 29

Snaggletooth, on the other hand, carefully inspects this blue sheet, looking for traps or other sources of suspicion.

Perception!: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25

Unfortunately the pale blue pane makes it impossible to examine even the shelf facing the doorway, let alone all the others lining the walls of the neighboring room.

What do you do?

Oh! I see now. It's a wall of some sort of evocation thing covering the door into the library. We'll need to bypass it to get into the room, right?

Ninlil tries to examine the wall, with Detect Magic plus Snaggletooth's help. Or maybe it's the other way around. Does this look like a trap we could disable? Or must we simply go through (or around) it?

Perception, to aid another Snaggletooth, I guess? (+heroism): 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 2 = 4
Or alternately, Knowledge (arcana) to better understand this obstacle! Can we identify the effect in any way, better than Evocation (and it's sort of chilly)? (obviously +heroism): 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 16 + 2 = 32

If neither of those are options or get us any information beyond what we already have, Ninlil may have an alternative approach.

Snaggletooth gives the door one more once-over. Izzit a trap? Perception!: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (19) + 20 = 39

Ninlil frets. "We may need to go around this. Perhaps the astral plane might be an option... unless one of you can deal with this in some way? I hear tell of particularly skilled mechanics who can even break magic."

"Oh, it's a magical thing. I did prepare Dispel Magic this morning."

"Okay then, one Dispel Magic spell coming right up!"

Cirri casts and aims at the pale blue pane, attempting a targeted dispel.

Caster Level Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 Oof. Gonna burn my GM Reroll on that.
Caster Level Check: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 2 = 30 Much better.

Cirri waves her arms for a bit, squawks like a chicken and...

Ninlil makes a break for it after she hears the spell being cast! She grabs Snaggletooth and runs through the doorway as soon as she sees the blue "screen" flicker away. If it flickers away...

As Cirri casts her spell, the sheet of cold air sputters and dissipates. Seconds later, as Ninlil sprints into the next room, the Pathfinders hear the sound of a key turning in a lock and the double doors to the southwest open.

A large efreeti woman stands in the now-open doorway. As she spies the Pathfinders, she bellows, "Boðflenna! Þjófar! Neisti, fáðu þá!"

And we're in initiative!

With a snarl, the efreeti floats into the room and draws her sword as she hovers over the glass table. She raises her blade above her head and swings it in a vicious arc...

Target, 1 = Crowe, 2 = Toctep: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Falchion, High ground vs AC 18: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 18 + 1 = 26
Slashing damage, Fire damage: 2d6 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 3) + 12 + (1) = 17

For those who can see her, she's an efreet like Basira. She doesn't look as noble as he did, but she does look tougher than the other efreet wandering the streets of the City of Brass.

Since nobody has said otherwise, I'm assuming nobody has their weapons out. Remember that you'll need to draw them before attacking with them.

Also, please make sure your stat bar is up-to-date with the latest and greatest numbers and effects so I don't have to spend hours looking through previous posts for active effects. Kiitos!

Round 1! Bold may act!
Ewari
Toctep
Neisti
Ninlil
Crowe (-16)
Fahd
Masayoshi
Cirri

What do you do?

Botting Toctep.

Toctep steps to the side and swells up as he becomes angry, then strikes at the efreeti with wicked claws...

Claw: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
Slashing damage, Arcane strike: 1d8 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 15 + 2 = 22

Claw: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33
Slashing damage, Arcane strike: 1d8 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 15 + 2 = 18

...and she roars in anger and pain as Toctep leaves two gashes.

An answering roar announces the arrival of a creature that looks like a dragon made of volcanic stone. It swoops in and hovers over the table behind the efreeti, then with the sound of an eruption spews forth a ball of molten rock that explodes as it strikes Toctep and showers the surrounding area with magma!

Fire damage to Toctep: 6d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 6, 4, 2, 2) = 25
Toctep Reflex to halve: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 Fail

Fire damage to surroundings: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 6) = 15
Riddywhipple Reflex to halve: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 Fail, but Improved Evasion for half
Crowe Reflex to halve: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 Success
Cirri Reflex to halve: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 Success
Fahd Reflex to halve, Cover: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 2 = 17 Fail
Masayoshi Reflex to halve, Cover: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 2 = 23 Success

The molten rock sticks and continues to burn those affected.

If you have innate fire resistance, please include it in your next post so I can update damage amounts to be accurate.

Round 1! Bold may act!
Ewari (-40)
Toctep (-25, Magma)
Neisti
Ninlil
Crowe (-23, Magma)
Fahd (-15, Magma)
Masayoshi (-7, Magma)
Cirri (-7, Magma)
Riddywhipple (-7, Magma)

Active Area Effects:
- Magma (1/??)

What do you do?

"Ow! Lava Drake!" Cirri sweeps some of the magma off of her. "If you have an enchantment spell or a way to conquer its will, now's the time!"

Hoping she's still invisible, Cirri spends a swift action to enchant her staff. Then she walks around the table, behind the Fire Drake and casts Frigid Touch She tries to bash the drake with her quarterstaff and channel the charge through it.

Spending an Arcane Pool point to make my quarterstaff +2 frost. As a Staff Magus this gives me an extra +2 Shield Bonus to my AC.
Using the Magus spellstrike ability to channel the Frigid Touch spell through a weapon strike.
Using Combat Expertise. My threatening defender trait reduces the attack penalty by 1, so I lose 1 attack for +2 Dodge AC/CMD.

+3 Frost Quarterstaff, Combat Expertise, Invisible: 1d20 + 12 + 2 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 2 - 1 + 2 = 25
2H Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 12
Frost Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Spell Resistance check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Frigid Touch Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 1) = 8
The Fire Drake is staggered for one round.

"Hot! Hot!" Riddywhipple is no fan of the magma. "Madam, time out while I cool off!" He casts grease on her falchion and flies around the melee and up to the ceiling.

Grease is a DC 14 Reflex Save.

”Sweet sauvignon blanc, that’s hot!”

Masayoshi peeks his head into the next room.

”Oh gods, please don’t let them kill me! I don’t wanna die!”

Casting Prayer.

Crowe feels the pain and the heat but starts raging to confront this foe.

He draws his earth breaker and attacks.

To hit: +7 BAB, + 3 Furious Earthbreaker, +1 Weapon focus, +7 Strength 24, -0 power attack & furious focus, prayer +1: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39
Damage: + 3 Furious Earthbreaker (two handed), +10 Strength 24, +6 power attack prayer +1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 6) + 20 = 27

Crit confirm : 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32
Crit damage : 4d6 + 40 ⇒ (4, 5, 3, 5) + 40 = 57

Ninlil looks through the doorway and says "Uh oh! Here, let me speed you up!"

Casting haste. This will target Fahd, Masayoshi, Toctep, and Crowe. Ninlil and Snaggletooth are too far away (and have no real ambitions to get closer!) while Cirri and Riddy are both far away and invisible!

"If you have cold effects, use them! But watch out because the plane itself makes this difficult!"

Oddly enough, the Plane of Fire only impedes spells with the [water] descriptor and not ones with the [cold] descriptor as well. Interesting, but them's the rules.

The drake bellows in displeasure as Cirri appears behind it and slams down her staff on its tail.

Riddywhipple, you are within the efreeti's threatened zone. Would you like to try to cast that spell defensively, or would you like her to take an AoO?

Masayoshi calls out a prayer for help as Ninlil (figuratively) lights a fire under her companions' tails. With a mighty roar, Crowe unsheathes and swings his hammer in one fluid, practiced motion, knocking the legs out from under the efreeti before bashing in her skull with the follow-through. She crumples to the floor, her blood hissing and spitting on the glass table.

Round 1! Bold may act!
Ewari (-124)
Toctep (-25, Magma)
Neisti (-28)
Ninlil
Crowe (-23, Magma)
Fahd (-15, Magma)
Masayoshi (-7, Magma)
Cirri (-7, Magma)
Riddywhipple (-7, Magma)

Active Area Effects:
- Magma (1/??)
- Prayer
- Haste (Masayoshi, Fahd, Toctep, Crowe)

What do you do?

Riddywhipple will try to move acrobatically before casting grease to avoid an attack of opportunity.

Acrobatics vs CMD: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

"Hot stuff, coming through! Literally!"

Unfortunately, Riddywhipple's movement is not fast enough and he attracts the efreeti's attention before Crowe attacks...

Falchion vs AC 23: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35
Slashing damage, Fire damage: 2d6 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (5, 1) + 12 + (5) = 23

...and she opens a wicked cut on the poor little dragon's belly as he flies by. As he reaches safety and casts his spell, she tries to keep her falchion from becoming slippery...

Reflex vs DC 14: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

...and manages to move her sword too fast for Riddywhipple's tricks - before Crowe knocks her unconscious.

Round 1! Bold may act!
Ewari (-124)
Toctep (-25, Magma)
Neisti (-28)
Ninlil
Crowe (-23, Magma)
Fahd (-15, Magma)
Masayoshi (-7, Magma)
Cirri (-7, Magma)
Riddywhipple (-30, Magma)

Active Area Effects:
- Magma (1/??)
- Prayer
- Haste (Masayoshi, Fahd, Toctep, Crowe)

What do you do?

Fahd moves into the room, flanking the lone remaining enemy.

Could someone move me, please?

Attack with Prayer, Haste and flank 1d20 + 15 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 15 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 24
Damage 1d10 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 1 = 13

As Fahd moves up to punch the drake, it snaps at him...

Bite, Bad Prayer vs AC 21: 1d20 + 17 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 17 - 1 = 30
Bite damage, Bad Prayer: 1d8 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 1 = 10

...and connects, leaving the brawler's shoulder bloodied as he strikes the beast on the nose!

Delaying Toctep.

The drake considers its options.

Target, 1 = Fahd, 2 = Cirri: 1d2 ⇒ 1

It rears up and attempts to knock Fahd back with its rocky head - apparently it figures it might as well attack what's right in front of it...

Awesome Blow, Bad Prayer vs CMD 25: 1d20 + 19 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 19 - 1 = 35
Bludgeoning damage, Bad Prayer: 1d8 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 1 = 14

...and Fahd goes flying back and slams into Toctep before falling prone.

Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Meanwhile, the magma continues to burn - but not as strongly as before.

Fire damage to Toctep: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 3) = 13
Fire damage to splash: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Round 2! Bold may act!
Ewari (-124)
Neisti (-41, Bad Prayer)
Toctep (-41, Magma)
Ninlil
Crowe (-24, Magma)
Fahd (-44, Prone, Magma)
Masayoshi (-8, Magma)
Cirri (-8, Magma)
Riddywhipple (-31, Magma)

Active Area Effects:
- Magma (2/??)
- Prayer
- Haste (Masayoshi, Fahd, Toctep, Crowe)

What do you do?

”Seems like you guys got this covered, so imma....hold the fort!”

Masayoshi pats Toctep on the back Cure serious: 3d8 + 8 ⇒ (6, 4, 8) + 8 = 26 and then runs like the coward he is.

"Riddy! Go hide somewhere!" Cirri cries out and continues her assault again against the drake.

Spending an Swift Action to do Arcane Strike, adding +2 magic damage to my attacks.
I'm also using Combat Expertise to boost my AC and CMD.

+3 Quarterstaff, Combat Expertise, Prayer: 1d20 + 12 + 2 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 12 + 2 - 1 + 1 = 23
2H Damage, Arcane Strike +2, Prayer: 1d6 + 7 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 18
Frost: 1d6 ⇒ 6

+3 Quarterstaff, Combat Expertise, Prayer: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 - 1 + 1 = 22
2H Damage, Arcane Strike +2, Prayer: 1d6 + 7 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 18
Frost: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Riddywhipple uses his Greater Invisibility and flies out of the room, towards Masayoshi. "Heal me when it's over!"

Crowe moves forward with his earth breaker and attacks.

”Aaarggggg ... “

To hit: +7 BAB, + 3 Furious Earthbreaker, +1 Weapon focus, +7 Strength 24, -0 power attack & furious focus, prayer +1: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39
Damage: + 3 Furious Earthbreaker (two handed), +10 Strength 24, +6 power attack prayer +1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 2) + 20 = 24

Crit confirm : 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39
Crit damage : 4d6 + 40 ⇒ (1, 3, 3, 6) + 40 = 53

As Cirri whacks at the drake's hindquarters, it snaps at Crowe as he approaches...

Bite, Bad Prayer vs AC 16: 1d20 + 17 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 17 - 1 = 19
Bite damage, Bad Prayer: 1d8 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 - 1 = 11

...but it does not stop the bloodrager's advance, nor his mighty hammer as he shatters the creature's rocky skull.

The burning magma lasts for a few more seconds before crumbling into dust.

Fire damage, Toctep: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 4) = 15
Fire damage, Splash: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Out of Initiative! Damage:
- Toctep (-21) Looked up that he has Fire Resistance 3, took 3 different fire damages
- Ninlil
- Crowe (-36)
- Fahd (-46)
- Masayoshi (-10)
- Cirri (-10)
- Riddywhipple (-33)

Examination of the drake's corpse reveals little, but the efreeti carries a masterwork falchion taller than most of the Pathfinders and a large brass key decorated with the same motifs as the doors that open to what appears to be a library or archives to the east and an entrance hall to the southwest.

What do you do?

2 rounds of rage used. I assume someone helps to use his clw wand on Crowe.

CLW wand 6 charges, 10/20 charges remaining : 6d8 + 6 ⇒ (3, 2, 8, 6, 6, 4) + 6 = 35

”These opponents were formidable and my mighty earth breaker was in a good mood to strike down slavers! Ha ha ha ... “ he says laughing out.

"RIddywhipple, are you OK? Poor guy!" Cirri pulls out her wand. "Can someone help his injuries? And then mine, I guess?"

Riddywhipple's CLW: 5d8 + 5 ⇒ (2, 7, 4, 8, 6) + 5 = 32
Cirri's CLW: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (8, 2) + 2 = 12

"Okay, we're doing much better now. Thank you!" She looks around. "Wow, that's a big falchion. Uh... what do we do with the bodies? Maybe we can hide them in that room with the blue pane?"

Ninlil says, "I hope everyone's all right! Yes, come, let's put them in here... or what's left of them, anyway. Oooh, books."

Ninlil has 7 strength and way more intelligence, so she's probably going to get an early start on examining the library!

Fahd again gets the group to patch him up, using his CLW wand.

Clw 6d8 + 6 ⇒ (8, 8, 7, 7, 5, 6) + 6 = 47

As her compatriots patch themselves up, Ninlil studies the room. Felt-lined shelves from floor to ceiling cover every inch of wall space in this exquisite and relatively cool library. Each shelf contains a menagerie of books, ancient scrolls, maps, metal plates, and charts of all size, color, and design. A large table sits in the middle of the room, holding stacks of books and stray sheets of parchment. Exotic trinkets and baubles are interspersed in the multitude of items, with each shelf labeled in angular text.

Upon closer inspection, the main library seems to be divided into three main sections: Contracts, Lineages, and Magic. Looking through even one section looks to take some time (between 10-20 minutes), but many hands make light work, as they say.

If you wish to search this room, each person (including familiars) needs to pick one of the three sections and roll either Linguistics, Perception, or Profession (librarian). You may aid each other during this time, but may pick your section independently of other characters. The majority of the writings here are in Ignan - please indicate whether you can understand the language with your roll.

What do you do?

Masayoshi finishes poking people to heal them of their wounds.

"You people really need to learn to use your own wands."

He pulls out his own and uses two charges on himself.

CLW: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (2, 8) + 2 = 12

Masayoshi makes his way over to the library.

"'Lineages'? Sounds interesting..."

I don't read Ignan...

Perception Aid (or main roll if there's no one to aid): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Crowe also supports to look through the contracts.

Perception : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Ninlil focuses on magic! She reads Ignan fluently, although she doesn't speak it quite as well. "Magic! Let me look at magic. They must have some fascinating flame arcana here... maybe I can learn something that could apply to electricity spells."

Linguistics plus Heroism: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 16 + 2 = 37

Snaggletooth says "Bother... I can't quite read these through this projection. Maybe I can find the good bits, anyway. Masayoshi, my man, perhaps we can dig through lineages together and two blind flying squirrels will find a nut of value."

Snaggletooth doesn't speak Ignan.

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

"Alright. I learned Ignan recently, so... Qalkami was interested in local security contracts." She walks up to the "Contracts" section. "Now, let's get reading!"

Linguistics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"I can't use telepathy to read Ignan books." RIddywhipple sits down at the "Magic" section. "Let's see what's here..."

Linguistics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

”As least magic sounds exciting! Maybe there will be some neat pictures at least,” Fahd exclaims, reminding the others he didn’t speak any additional languages.

Perception 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Spoilers for each section are only for those characters investigating there.

As Toctep guards the door, the rest of the Pathfinders begin digging through the densely-packed library.

Lineages

Masayoshi and Snaggletooth find several documents that, when put together, provide considerable insight into the convoluted lineages of the efreet and how those have shaped the contemporary poltical landscape. While most of the works are about the Cinderfurys themselves, many other efreet families are mentioned often enough that, given enough time, a fairly accurate map of efreet familial relationships could be made.

Contracts

Crowe and Cirri assemble a wealth of ledgers, trade maps, and signed business agreements covering a wide range of services - one in particular stands out.

Further perusal uncovers a frayed, ancient contract titled "The Azerite Pact". The contract's fine print is written in a painfully ornate Ignan script.

Roll once for the two checks below - higher opens both.

Magic

Ninlil, Riddywhipple, and Fahd locate a greater book of extended summoning (lawful), a page of spell knowledge (resist energy), and a spell lattice (2nd level).

So, it looks like the spell lattice should have a predetermined spell stored inside, but it's not listed in the scenario. Guess you get a blank one for now?

What do you do?

Ninlil asks, "Oooh, we found some very interesting things over here! How are things going over in lineages and contracts?"

Snaggletooth holds up a book. "The height of decadence is following your bloodlines back a million years. There's so much--" bzzt "--here that it could take us years to read it all."

"Wait, what is this?" Cirri inspects one of the notes. "Sairazul's Tears? Oh, they're dirty, dirty thieves!" Cirri is furious. "At first, I thought we would grab the Cinderfury gorget... but now it's time to locate some treasure! Sairazul's Tears"

K Planes: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18
"What are the... hmm."
K Planes: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31

"The Sairazul's Tears were stolen from the shaitans' Peerless Empire centuries ago! They're a set of really pretty diamonds."
Appraise: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
"Huh, what is the Azerite Pact?" She thinks hard but doesn't remember.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Cirri reads another contract and begins crying. "This contract binds many azers to the Cinderfury family. They used to be allied with a different family, but now they are in servitude forever. No way out." She holds the contract. "The Cinderfurys will not keep this. This contract is not going back to Qalkami, either. We're giving this back to the Azers or I'm destroying it back at the Pathfinder Lodge."

Cirri smells booze as a loud burp happens in her ear from Masayoshi.

"In Common, woman!"

"We may have found the location of the Sairazul's Tears- they've been missing for centuries." Riddywhipple covers for her, as she's too upset to respond.

"All of the azers who are working here are bound to the Cinderfury family. Well, until they fail to find the contract Cirri is holding."

Having discussed their finds with each other, the Pathfinders must decide on their next course of action. The double doors to the southwest remain open, and a single door to the south is closed.

Two votes moves the party.

What do you do?

Fahd votes to head for the closed door to the south.

Cirri collects herself. "Okay. Okay." She uses her Flight Hex to float to the Southern door.

"Does anyone else want to lead? Or I can turn invisible again."