GM XaveTheNerd's Scions of Sky Key Series (Inactive)

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Gardol moves to join the remainder of his group.

Fiveknives, then, seeing a wonderful opportunity, approaches the bridge while drawing two more daggers and cuts the ropes of the bridge.

rope 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
rope 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

He slices the first one clean through, but has trouble getting to the second one. The rickety bridge is now MORE rickety, but it still stands. LUCKY!

Initiative Order - The BOLD may act
----------------
Herald (10 damage)
Malthus
Gardol
Ferdrin
Orzworth
Jerrid (16 damage)
Fiveknives (10 damage)

Don’t forget about that boon I told you about, GM

Malthus sees Fiveknives try and cut the bridge and he begins to panic.

Only one option, I suppose...

Malthus rushes Fiveknives as if about to attack him, but moves to slide between his legs at the last moment.

Acrobatics vs Fiveknives’s CMD+5: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 I DID NOT EXPECT THAT TO WORK!!!

The noble then stabs at the Aspis!

Rapier w/CE and Flank: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Herald points at FiveKnives and mutters "Here's a tiny glimpse of They/He/It's true form".

Casting Ray of Sickening. Fort DC14 negates.

My bad, must've missed the new notification on the post informing me to re-move...

Gardol will climb up...

Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

...and then fire at Fiveknives...

Longbow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 28

Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

Jerrid moves into a better position to confront Fiveknives and decides to grab him so he is not able to cut the other rope. Reaching out he attempts to put him in a bear hug.

Improved Grapple vs CMD: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Move: 10'
Standard: Improved Grapple

Is a climb check needed for a ladder?

Ferdrin quickly follows his teammates up the ladder and exhausts what little arcane energy he has left onto five knives...

climb up, move action (?)
cast ray of frost, standard action, enhanced with the Volatile Conduit trait

Ray of frost attack vs. 5knives touch AC, engaged in melee: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (9) - 4 = 5
Cold damage, volatile conduit: 1d3 + 1d4 ⇒ (3) + (3) = 6

Is a climb check needed for a ladder?

Likely not; the problem is the fact that the bridge is 20' off the ground and you climb at one-quarter of your speed.

Oops, forgot my attack for the ray.

RoS, vs. Touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Oh, never mind then.

Ferdrin Ternyth wrote:

Is a climb check needed for a ladder?

Likely not; the problem is the fact that the bridge is 20' off the ground and you climb at one-quarter of your speed.

ah, in which case I'm not even to the top with a double move. How did everyone else get up there so fast?

Does Threeknives have to make damage rolls against the ropes? Or is it written into the scenario?

Orzworth tries to put an end to combat before more people fall from the bridge and puts a bit more force behind his fist.

Stunning Fist, Flanking: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22
Nonlethal Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
If the blow hits, Fortitude 14 to negate being stunned.

Unarmed Strike, Flanking: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22
Nonlethal Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

I've always seen ladders ruled as no climb check needed. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

His minimum damage is enough to cut the rope. TECHNICALLY he has to roll it, but he gets it no matter what.

Malthus quickly jumps over fiveknives, but the clever Aspis Agent is able to predict the stab afterwards and quickly dodges it. Herald shoots a ray at fiveknives, but he, again, is able to identify and doge. Gardol launches an arrow at the agent, dealing 7 damage to the man as it plunges deep into his lower abdomen. Blood begins to pour out as the man puts on a crazed smile. Orzworth then approaches with a punch square between the eyes.

fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

He takes some more damage (now at 25 total, with 8 of that NL) from the blow, but he isn't quite stunned by the monk's blow. Orzworth then throws a left hook as Fiveknives is recovering and connects directly with his temple. The once proud fiveknives gives one final smile, raises his dagger, and falls to his knees. "I cannot......be bested......by some stupid.....Pathfi..." The man falls unconscious before he finishes his sentence.

OUT OF INITIATIVE.

Slowly, one by one, you begin to hear the trees overhead erupt in a shower of claps and ribbits. From overhead, the first to drop out of the trees is Mother Bogwynne, who graciously accepts any tyrannosaurus eggs. The remainder of the elders soon drop to the treehouses and agree that the talisman the dwarves gave them so many years ago is best employed by the Pathfinder Society. The talisman is an egg-shaped mass of dry clay the size of a melon, its surface smoothed and intricately decorated with linear patterns, plant imprints, and the symbol of a mountain standing under dozens of stars. The talisman radiates faint transmutation magic, though this is simply a long-lasting spell meant to preserve the clay.

Mother Bogwynne raises a hand and lifts her head as if performing a blessing, and dozens of gripplis gather to listen. "More than a thousand cycles ago, the dwarven refugees came to us from the distant north, fleeing a home lost ages ago. We aided the dwarves and welcomed them as neighbors in the nearby hills--a land even harsher than our own. When they fled their home for a second time, we offered them aid once more, though they requested only that we honor their memory and accept a gift: this talisman that bears the power to defeat the golden beast that now haunts Ashkurhall. The descendants of Sigrin spoke of this as their greatest treasure, which they had left behind. It is a legacy that continues to this day, for none have ever braved the Golden Guardian to claim the riches as their own."

A chorus of croaking vocalizations follows the elder's story, and she adds, "The talisman's power is hidden within, and it must be unsealed in the beast's presence. To do so too soon would expend its energy needlessly or even invoke a terrible disaster. we have entrusted you with this relic of our people; use it wisely."

Primary success condition: Recover the clay talisman. Success!

Secondary success condition: Fulfill two of the following three tasks: Retrieve at least three intact tyrannosaurus eggs, successfully overcome four or more obstacles in area A4 (the chase), or prevent Fiveknives Kalim from escaping in area B. You succeeded at all three. Success! You now also receive the Grippli's Favor boon.

Expect the boons shortly in the discussion page.

Jerrid pats his companions on the back. "We defeated the Aspis and got the relic we were after."

Ferdrin accepts the talisman from the grippli.

Thank you Mother Bogwynne. We accept this with great honor and will use it only when the time is right!

Ferdrin spends his downtime carving wooden replicas of the talisman for the local grippli children. He makes a modest amount of coin from this and the tribe seems to appreciate his participation in the local trade.

Herald, your chronicle sheet waits in the discussion section. Please let me know if something looks off and when you're ready to go.

So far, everybody but Malthus and Herald are good. Please let me know when you two are ready to proceed.

I was about to update, but then I had to run because SOMEBODY didn’t think to tell me it started at noon! (Everyone else: I’m talking IRL stuff, don’t worry about it)

EDIT: Okay, I've updated Malthus.

I didn't level up yet, and there's nothing I'm burning to purchase at the moment (I'm sure I'll think of something as soon as it's too late), so Herald is good to go.

Thanks, GM! I think you're doing great!

Welcome to PFS #6-16: Scions of Sky Key Part 3: The Golden Guardian.

The adventure starts with the ability to collect information about the Aspis Consortium's latest movements, the Golden Guardian, and Mount Nakyuk. The following are three groups of Diplomacy or Knowledge checks.

Aspis Consortium's latest movements
--------
Diplomacy or Knowledge (nobility)

The Golden Guardian
----------
Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (religion)

Mount Nakyuk
---------
Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), or Knowledge (local)

Save for torrential rain alternating with scorching heat, the journey from Fort Bandu to Mount Nakyuk progresses smoothly. Ancient, crumbling stone buildings choked with vines and adorned with bone fetishes emerge from a patch of thick jungle underbrush. A scattering of bones and discarded tools hints that this location was recently inhabited. A gaping stairwell yawns behind a blood-spattered altar, descending to the mysterious depths where the Golden Guardian makes its home.

You all remember this location as the place you rescued the miners from, back in the first part of this series. It appears that it WILL be dark.

Anything you wish to do before descending?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Herald knows little of the Aspis Consortium's movements. Such petty things are beneath him.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

The Golden Guardian? Yes, I have heard of it. Some people believe it is a gold dragon, while others say it is probably a living statue, a golden machine, or a god-like entity. The only thing the locals are unanimous about is that only a special weapon lost to antiquity can defeat the Golden Guardian.

Knowledge History: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Until recently, the kobolds of Mount Nakyuk have largely kept to themselves. Most local people didn't even know about the kobolds before the incident with Sharrowsmith, but I have seen them in my tortured dreams.

Decades ago, a local boy went missing but returned weeks later with amazing stories about a hidden city protected by cruel traps that he only narrowly escaped. Learning this fact about the kobolds' defenses grants a +1 bonus on all skill checks and saving throws to find, disable, bypass, and evade traps this adventure. This bonus applies to everybody in the party.

Nobility: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Jerrid and Orzworth drag Malthus behind them in a makeshift sled made from branches and vines.

"Mommy, I don't wanna get up for school today..."

Seems that the noble is suffering from a case of heatstroke...

Ferdrin nods as Herald relays his information about the Golden Guardian and Mount Nakyuk. He then decides to head out and see what he can gather about the Aspis latest movements.

Diplomacy, gather info: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

He returns, explaining...

A contingent of Aspis mercenaries was seen approaching the Bandu Hills from the northwest--the direction of Bloodcove.

The leader of the group is an Ustalavic aristocrat named Zaril Namoth, who is known to be an expert tracker and hunter.

There's one more spoiler in this category he couldn't get.

Gardol just nods as he has no knowledge to add...he's chomping at the bit to get at the Aspis again ..

Diplomacy to gather info?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Well that didn’t work...

”No, Papa, I wanted a white pony, not a black one...”

Listening to the others on the knowledge they know about their next mission, the one thing that sticks out to him is the Golden Guardian.

"If the Golden Guardian is a gold dragon, why would they want a weapon to defeat it. I thought most gold dragons are good. At least goodish."

”The stories of the Guardian go far into the past,” replies Orzeorth. ”It is most likely artificial in nature - hence the tool to neutralize it.”

Good to delve in?

A few other things of note after reading through the scenario a bit better. ONE: Who is carrying the Talisman. This is important. TWO: Does anybody have chronicle sheets (on any of their characters) for "PFS #6-09 By Way of Bloodcove." It DOES NOT have to be on this specific character. Just any of yours.

Ferdrin is the one who accepted it and carved copies of it for the Grippli children. Absent any reason otherwise, I would assume he's carrying it.

That being said, are there any skill checks that would allow us to determine its potential usefulness? Perhaps it can only be used by the reluctant prophet of an unthinkable abomination from Beyond The Stars.

Hey, a Herald can dream, can't he?

None of my characters have done #6-09, but I do have one that did #2-01 "The Bloodcove Disguise".

Yup, Ferdin has it. The carvings seemed like a nice low-grade RP to explain his day-job. No, I do not have a chronicle for #6-09 on any character. Yes, ready to delve in!

If, for some strange reason, I start calling the talisman "my precious", would one of you rap me on head pretty good?

I have not played that scenario.

I have not played that either...

None of my characters have that scenario.

I haven’t either.

Woah. Then, okay. Figured SOMEBODY would have.

Last thing before we get down to business. APL is 2.5. Do we want to play high tier 4-player adjustment, or would we prefer to keep it low tier.

I'll leave the decision up to you guys. Please feel free to discuss.

*cough cough* High tier *cough cough*

Sorry, seems there was a tickle in my throat.

As a frontliner who would be out of tier, I personally would be worried about not being effective in high tier. But, if Ferdrin is willing to use my wand to keep mage armor active, I can at least be a flanking buddy (if nothing else).

Also, we don't have any characters even in the high tier (4-5). I forget if that's a requirement for rounding APL up or not, but it's worth pointing out.

I'll go with the consensus...

I don't have a strong opinion either way.

Also, we don't have any characters even in the high tier (4-5). I forget if that's a requirement for rounding APL up or not, but it's worth pointing out.

Kinda. It’s actually the “fringe case.”

In the fringe case where there are no PCs that are high enough level to have reached the subtier level (such as a party of six 3rd-level characters), the group can decide to play the lower subtier.

Having no one that’s level 4 or 5 means that if, say, our APL was instead 2.6+ (when the GM would HAVE to round up to 3) then we, as players, would have the OPTION to say “None of us are level 4 or 5, we don’t HAVE to play high tier.” That’s all it does—prevents a group from being forced to play an adventure written for a higher level solely because of a strange mathematical case. But because of the weird 0.5 rounding rule, that doesn’t necessarily apply to us in this case.

I don't really have a preference. Often the only bonuses for higher tier is gold though.

I don't really have a preference. Often the only bonuses for higher tier is gold though.

True - and it would only benefit the lvl 2’s since everyone else is getting out-of-tier gold anyways.

So, 1 vote for yes, 1 (mostly) vote for no. Anybody else want to chime in?

I can't really say from experience. How "reckless" is it to play up like that? Is "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" or "Darwinistic self-selection"?

(1) High Tier / (2) Low Tier: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Low tier it is.

I've got to set up the map today, so expect a post either later tonight or at my usual time tomorrow.

Several of the walls here have deep cracks resulting from tectonic activity or purposeful destruction. A crack in the wall provides cover against creatures on the other side, though creatures in either of the two squares adjacent to a crack can make attacks through it without impediment. Small creatures treat the crack as difficult terrain, whereas a Medium creature must take a move action and succeed at a DC 15 Escape Artist check to pass through. You may also enlarge a crack with a strength check or with damage.

All of the doors in the area are stuck and won't open without sufficient force (breaking via strength or damage).

Two granite statues of dwarves in full armor stand guard in this entrance hall, flanking the entrance to a corridor to the south. (NORTH IS TO THE RIGHT) Antelope skull patterns painted in red ochre cover each statue's face. In the wall to the south are two rust-stained iron doors.

Map updated. Sorry about the delay.

Ferdin checks the statues for traps or magic auras.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 18

cast detect magic, any auras?

Orzworth also looks around for anything dangerous. "Kobolds once lived here, and many times they'll defend their dwellings with traps," he cautions the group.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

GM, does the note about cracks mean there are some here, or just information we should be aware of should we find such a crack in our exploration of the ruins?

"T-traps?!"

Frightened, Malthus also looks around, too scared of setting off a trap to move.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

...fear is a powerful motivator, apparently...

Herald closes his eyes for a moment in deep thought, then awakes with a gasp of shock and a haunted look to his face. He does not explain this.

Casting Guidance.

Knowledge History, Guidance: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 1 = 13

I have seen visions of Dwarven architecture throughout history. This is their work, but done in haste and poor quality.

Herald is also wary of traps, knowing the reputation of kobolds.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Not wanting to be pelted by kobolds hidden behind walls Jerrid moves to the crack and tries to enlarge it to make it easier to get through.

Strength check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22