The red jackal-headed, brightly painted clay statue with the wicked-looking scimitar casts a spell.
Spellcraft DC15:
Spell-like ability: Haste
Theo shakes off the terrifying feeling of suffocating, but he's still shaken. He steps away from the massive orb and advances on the large pink construct, just barely managing to duck under its fist. The ranger's tetsubo connects, cracking bone with such force it shatters the creature.
Pink Slam AoO vs Theo; Damage:1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 14 + 2 = 222d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 6) + 4 + 2 = 16
With a trumpeting challenge, Fairbeaks charges the jackal-headed construct. The axebeak almost hits the animated statue, but it moves faster than expected, narrowly dodging the blow.
Clad in his heavy armor, Alden heaves himself away from the gemstone magical wards to attack the jackal-headed creature. His adamantine flail whirls through the air but misses, knocking a clattering shower of shovel-sized flakes of quartz crystals from the stone wall.
Conditions:
Dim Light: In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
Intermittent Bursts of Wind: impose a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls in the shattered sanctum.
Note: The demolished metal walls that appear on the map are only several inches high.
Haste Everyone except Urien and Fairbeaks.
Inspire Courage +2
Round 2
Bold may act. Hector(-14; Haste, Grappled; May attempt a DC28 Escape Artist check as an immediate action, with a +16 competence bonus, to break the grapple) Haliban(Haste) Urien
Ninlil(Haste, Shaken) Snaggletooth(Haste)
---
Red ??
---
Alden (Haste)
Theo (Haste, Shaken)
Fairbeaks
Hector, Haliban, Urien, Ninlil & Snaggletooth, you're up! (Hector may attempt a DC28 Escape Artist check as an immediate action, with a +16 competence bonus, to break the grapple.)
[Please note the elapsed time (1 hour, 45 min) since departing the beachhead for any spell/buff durations.]
(Theo had crushed the bone golem, Hector, so please retcon your actions. Haste is in effect, noted in the parentheses in the Initiative order. Looks like your rolls didn't account for Urien's Inspire Courage.)
Hector:
Jeeves whispers *That's a graven guardian, Hector. It's Faith Bound (Su), so it can't attack any creature that openly wears or displays the holy or unholy symbol of the deity to which the graven guardian is dedicated, unless that creature first attacks the graven guardian. (Not really a factor for you or your companions, though.) This graven guardian's attacks bestow Rest Eternal (Su)—Damage dealt by the graven guardian resists any magical healing. Attempting to use magical healing to cure this damage requires a successful caster level check against the guardian’s SR. This ability does not affect natural healing or healing provided by extraordinary abilities.*
Male NG Ifrit Swashbuckler 5/Oracle (Psychic Searcher) 5 | HP 63/79 | AC 30 (31 hasted) T 19(20) FF 23 | CMB +9, CMD28/21 | F: +6, R: +13 (+14), W: +7 | Init: +12 | Perc: +11, SM: +3(+1d6) | Speed 30ft | Inspiration: 7/7; Panache: 5/6; Charmed Life 3/3 | Spells: 1st 8/8 ; 2nd 6/6 | Active conditions:.
alternate action:
Ok, move over the Graven Guardian and attack once - feel like i should just use that first roll, but with +2 b/c I missed the Inspire Courage. That ok? Apologies, in my rush I missed that he was dead
"Careful, Alden, Jeeves tells me this things blows are hard to heal."
Hector moves away from the magic wards and toward the red jackal-headed construct, attacking the creature of hardened clay with his enchanted rapier.
Haliban paints the construct with his bow. Three arrows are enough to put it down, the shards of fired pottery clinking on the sanctum's stone floor.
Having studied the wards and the orb when you entered the shattered sanctum, Urien answers Haliban, "We likely have a few seconds before the fortress attempts to expel us a second time."
Theo and Ninlil are still shaken.
Mechanics:
Progress here is measured in 'phases'. During this phase, you each have one opportunity to attempt to break one or more of the wards in the magic circles or to attempt to solve the puzzle of the orb. You also have two 'rounds' to heal yourself, cast spells, use abilities or anything else.
To speed things up, please post all three of your actions in a single post. I'll update as often as I can to let folks know the results of actions as they're posted.
Corrections: By the time this phase begins, Ninlil and Theo no longer feel as shaken as they had felt. Regarding successes at solving the orb puzzle, the party only earned two, not three. The scenario text is confusing, and the Overseer GM just clarified. There's a formula for determining how many individual success set the mark for the party. Obviously, the more individual successes any of you get each phase, the more successes the party achieves.
After offering his wand of cure light wounds to anyone who needs it, Haliban returns to working on the puzzling orb's countless facets.
He passes through the gemstone rings of magic wards. Crossing the first, he again experiences a disorienting distortion around the orb, but nothing as he passes through the second ward. As he crosses the third, the slayer is overcome with fear, shaken, and his mind is filled with the fear of being buried alive. The man begins suffocating.
Suffocation:
A character who has no air to breathe can hold her breath for 2 rounds per point of Constitution. If a character takes a standard or full-round action, the remaining duration that the character can hold her breath is reduced by 1 round. After this period of time, the character must make a DC10 Constitution check in order to continue holding her breath. The check must be repeated each round, with the DC increasing by +1 for each previous success.
When the character fails one of these Constitution checks, she begins to suffocate. In the first round, she falls unconscious (0 hit points). In the following round, she drops to –1 hit points and is dying. In the third round, she suffocates.
(In each subsequent round, Haliban can attempt another DC17 Fortitude save to end the effect. This is an evil compulsion and fear effect.)
He notices no additional effects when he crosses over the fourth and fifth magic circles.
Somehow coping with the lack of oxygen in his lungs, and using his skill at disabling devices again, he immediately realizes it's a lot tougher a second time, but not yet beyond his skill, even while shaken and suffocating.
(Since Haliban hasn't used the two 'rounds' available for other actions, he can attempt two DC17 Fortitude saves to end the suffocating--but not the shaken--effect.)
(This phase: Individual Successes: 1; Party Successes: 1)
Male Human Bard (Flame Dancer) 8.0 | HP 62/62 | Move 30 | AC 20 T 14 FF 17 , CMD 22 | F+6 R+11 W+7 : +1 vs. poisons, +1 vs. transform | Init +4 Low Light Vision Per +8 | Spells: 1st L 6/6, 2nd L 3/5, 3rd L 3/3 |Loremaster 1/1 | Performance 7/23
Urien will pull out his traveler's anytool and shift it to a pair of metal snips to try to take out one of the warding circles (or if I'm not visualizing it correctly, some other sort of tool like a saw or pick).
Disable Device? with heroism & masterwork tool:1d20 + 7 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 + 2 = 12
He will also cast a flaming sphere and have it waiting in case additional guardian creatures show up.
Getting a closer look at the gemstone circles warding the orb, Urien realizes that now that the team is out of combat, any of you can try to damage the circles.
Additional Mechanic: In between combat encounters, you may perform 1 'round' of actions to damage one of the circles. As a full-round action, a PC can also attempt a Disable Device check to deal damage to a circle. (The GM will note the damage from a successful Disable Device check.)
The flame dancer tries to disable one of the magic circles, but fobbles his attempt. (Which circle were you targeting?)
So, Urien can still take two more actions.
Still shaken, Haliban coughs up a lungful of lead and limestone pellets, relieved to no longer be suffocating.
The five major magic circles around the orb provide numerous external defenses that ward off intruders. These circles’ respective effects cease when you destroy them. In order from outside in toward the orb:
1 Distortion: This circle increases the difficulty of all your checks to solve the puzzle orb.
2 Earth: This circle empowers the guardian creatures here, enhancing their attacks and damage and ability to withstand damage.
3 Fear: This circle instills the fear of being buried alive in those who attempt to solve the puzzle orb. This is an evil compulsion and fear effect, and although protection from evil does not protect against it completely, the spell does allow an additional save against the suffocation effect.
4 & 5 Warding (2): Each of these two circles increases the other three circles’ hardness and heals themt; the warding circles do not protect or heal each other. These effects are cumulative, increasing hardness and healing twice as many hit points if both warding circles are intact. This healing cannot repair a destroyed circle, however.
CG Male Human Slayer 10| AC 21 | T 16 | FF 16 | HP: 88/88 | CMD 29 | Fort +14 | Ref +19 | Will +9 | Init +14 | Perception +19 Trap-Sense +5, Trapspotter|
After being reminded that damaging the rings is an option Haliban does what he does best.
"Got any more songs in you Urien?"
Even as he tries to control his breathing he drops his wand, studies the 5th ring for a moment, then opens fire using his durable adamantium arrows. The 4th ring is next on his list.
Haliban studies the 4th ring going after the 1st ring next if possible. Though he doesn't have the time to study it.
After being reminded that damaging the rings is an option Haliban does what he does best. Even as he tries to control his breathing he drops his wand, studies the 5th ring for a moment, then opens fire using his durable adamantium arrows. The 4th ring is next on his list.
Gazing at the remains of the guardians, Alden nods towards Hector.
"I'll heed your warning but I'll do best holding off any other guardians since It seems that my training does not include this deviltry. Instead as a Hellknight off the order of the Chain, I shall smite all others that attempts to harm all of you."
With that said. Alden heads back and attempts to break the warding circle with brute force!
Objects take half damage from ranged weapons (unless the weapon is a siege engine or something similar). Divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the object’s hardness.
The two adamantine arrows from Haliban's first shot damage the innermost warding circle; his second shot shatters it. His third shot and fourth shots strike the next warding circle, chipping away at the gemstones.
Then he draws another handful of arrows from his quiver. His first two arrows disintegrate what's left of the second warding circle.
With the warding circles destroyed, the rest of the wards are weakened. Then the slayer targets the first magic circle, the distortion ward, and his final three shots shatter it.
Nice!
Remaining Wards 2 Earth: This circle empowers the guardian creatures here, enhancing their attacks and damage and ability to withstand damage.
3 Fear: This circle instills the fear of being buried alive in those who attempt to solve the puzzle orb. This is an evil compulsion and fear effect, and although protection from evil does not protect against it completely, the spell does allow an additional save against the suffocation effect.
Bold as ever, Alden steps up and swings his adamantine flail at one of the magic circles, causing considerable damage, but not yet destroying it. [Which circle(s) are you attacking? You moved to get there, but you have 2 'rounds' worth of attacks, and don't forget your hasted attack, if you choose to attack again in a 2nd 'round'.]
Haliban has completed his actions solving another piece of the puzzle and taking out three of the magic circles.
Urien needs to let me know which circle he was attempting to disable, and what he'd like to do with his other two 'rounds'.
Alden used one round to move and damage a circle, but he needs to let me know which circle he was attempting to destroy, and what he'd like to do with his other two 'rounds'.
Everyone else needs to post three 'rounds' of actions, please. At least one of them must be against the circles or a single attempt to work on the orb puzzle.
Theo does not seem eager to go back through the circles, given what happened the previous time, and the fact he failed to help anyway. Instead he goes over to be near them, in case he's needed, but stays outside for now.
He again, tells Fairbeaks to stay back, not sure how he would even tell the bird to attack a spot on the ground, and just takes his giant club to the stones.
The will attack ward 3 (the fear ward), until such time as it is destroyed or he realizes he can't do any damage to it... at which point, he will step over them, and try to figure out how to disable the orbs. He ignores the earth ward entirely.
First round of pummeling:
Single move ringside, single attack on ward 3 (fear) +1 silver tetsubo, PA, haste:1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 15 + 1 = 28, for 1d10 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22 damage.
Male Human Bard (Flame Dancer) 8.0 | HP 62/62 | Move 30 | AC 20 T 14 FF 17 , CMD 22 | F+6 R+11 W+7 : +1 vs. poisons, +1 vs. transform | Init +4 Low Light Vision Per +8 | Spells: 1st L 6/6, 2nd L 3/5, 3rd L 3/3 |Loremaster 1/1 | Performance 7/23
I was attempting to disable one of the 'warding' circles that buff the other circles as I knew that ranged weapons would do much less damage to them. If these were full-rounds, Urien would have moved closer to the other circles to be able to see the progress after failing the disable on the outer circle, while still trying to remain outside of their baneful effects.
Urien looks briefly confused about the reference to songs as the only time he's sung was in accompaniment of his percussion performance, then nods in understanding and begins to quote a rather dated play which focused on a Taldan general and his habit of encouraging his soldiers to wage war through resource denial and attrition of the enemy that they could not bring to decisive conflict.
2nd round:
Move: Begin Inspire Courage again (audible, Perform-Act).
Swift: Arcane Strike
Standard: Attack with adamantine ammo to avoid hardness, with attack priority being the circle that befuddles & confuses, followed by the circle that buffs the creatures, and then whatever is left.
3rd round:
Maintain bardic performance.
Swift: Arcane Strike
Full-attack the circles, with attack priority being the circle that befuddles & confuses, followed by the circle that buffs the creatures, and then whatever is left.
Remaining Wards 2 Earth: This circle empowers the guardian creatures here, enhancing their attacks and damage and ability to withstand damage.
3 Fear: This circle instills the fear of being buried alive in those who attempt to solve the puzzle orb. This is an evil compulsion and fear effect, and although protection from evil does not protect against it completely, the spell does allow an additional save against the suffocation effect.
Seeing his attacks finally doing something to the circle, the proud hellknight watches as his skilled companion shatters the warding circles with several well placed shots!
Moving in, Alden attempts to break the other warding circles.
Will save as needed x2
Will Save 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 4 = 14
Will Save (2) 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 4 = 2
Target earth warding circle. Inspire +2, Cursed -4
Attack 1d20 + 10 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 2 - 4 = 161d10 + 10 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 2 - 4 = 15
Attack 1d20 + 10 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 2 - 4 = 271d10 + 10 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 2 - 4 = 11
He feels the oppressive aura but still he presses on!
"I'll not be held back by something as trivial as this!!!" Was that a shudder in his voice? Alden dismisses the nagging voice.
HP 50/50 (15 temp) ... Arcane Reservoir 6/11 ... AC 16 touch 12 flat 14 ... CMD 13 ... SAVES(F/R/W) +5/+5/+8 (+2 vs. air/electricity) (+2 heroism)... NG female outsider (native) arcanist 8 ... Initiative +6 ... Perception +1 (+2 heroism) ... Sense Motive +1 (+2 heroism) ... Active Effects heroism 93 minutes ... false life 479 minutes ... mage armor 59 minutes ... endure elements 1327 minutes
Ninlil breathes a sigh of relief. "Glad those horrible earth things are gone! Let's see... can we open this cage?"
She tries to solve the puzzle rock!
Knowledge (planes) because it's all the same to her at this point. + heroism, no longer shaken:1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 18 + 2 = 36 Assuming we're allowed to try to solve the puzzle more than once... Knowledge (planes) + heroism:1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 18 + 2 = 30 Knowledge (planes) + heroism:1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 18 + 2 = 36
If the fear circle is still there, she'll try not to suffocate? Will save + heroism:1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19
"Urk! This is important! I need to do what I can to help, even though I'm not really here!"
Snaggletooth lands on top of the spinning rock and uses his vast knowledge and experience to start puzzling out riddles, koans, and mathematical equations!
Urien performs a thespian's soliloquy and with dramatic swagger, moonwalks Sherman's March to the Sea, closer to the Circle of Fear. This time, he succeeds it damaging the ward with his bow, chipping away at the gemstones.
Hector casts protection from evil on himself and Alden. Then the uses his skill to disable the Circle of Earth, damaging it.
With a mighty blow from his flail, Alden smashes the earth ward, then stepping closer to the orb, the hellknight completes the destruction of the fear ward. Although he's shaken by the experience when he approaches the ward, everyone sighs with relief when the effects cease as soon as the warding circles are destroyed.
Theo applies his ranger's powers of perception to the massive orb. At first, he can't see any distinguishable pattern, and he realizes that even after the destruction of the distortion ward, it's now harder to perceive the puzzle.
Once again, Ninlil applies her knowledge of the arcane arts to the orb. The arcanist realizes it's not as easy this time, but she succeeds with exceptional results. (2 successes!)
Snaggletooth tries too, but he's not able to crack the mineral Rubik's cube.
(Not disallowed, just too low a skill check result.)
Well done!
(This phase: Individual Successes: 3; Party Successes: 2)
(See the Discussion thread re a PC's multiple attempts to solve the puzzle.)
The fortress responds once more to your intrusion, disgorging construct guardians from the walls to fend off the Pathfinders. Two mineral monstrosities emerge from the walls to defend the shattered sanctum. Each of the creatures has the head of a carnivorous dinosaur, an homage to Ayrzul’s sacred animal.
The pink bone golem appears out of the north wall, a horrific humanoid figure, a mass of calcified bones and skulls tied together with slick ropes of sinewy crystal.
The red graven guardian appears out of the southwest wall, a jackal-headed, brightly painted clay statue, animated and lurching forward, hefting a wickedly hooked sword.
Conditions:
Dim Light: In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
Intermittent Bursts of Wind: impose a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls in the shattered sanctum.
Note: The demolished metal walls that appear on the map are only several inches high.
Round 1
Bold may act. Snaggletooth
Fairbeaks
Haliban
Alden(misfortune curse) Hector
---
Pink Bone Golem
---
Ninlil
---
Red Graven Guardian
---
Urien
Theo
Haliban, Alden, Hector (and Snaggletooth & Fairbeaks), you're up!
[Please note the elapsed time (1 hour, 45 min) since departing the beachhead for any spell/buff durations.]
With a grunt, Alden doesn't give anyone least of all himself a respite as he wades right into melee with the Pink Bone Golem.
"You think that you can stand before our might! We are something beyond what you can stop!"
Cursed. No further buffs as of now....
Attack 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 - 4 = 151d10 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 - 4 = 15
With a mighty swing, he sends his flail crashing towards the construct....
CG Male Human Slayer 10| AC 21 | T 16 | FF 16 | HP: 88/88 | CMD 29 | Fort +14 | Ref +19 | Will +9 | Init +14 | Perception +19 Trap-Sense +5, Trapspotter|
Haliban will step towards the large bone golem as he studies it and since no one has said anything about the best weapon to use against it he will try his default arrows this time.
The hellknight glutton for punishment marches steadfast up to the bone golem, clubbing at the creature with his flail. The construct doesn't even flinch at the dull thud against the wall at its back.
The first three arrows from Haliban's bow strike the bone golem. He notes they have difficulty piercing the creature's tough exterior.
Conditions:
Dim Light: In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
Intermittent Bursts of Wind: impose a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls in the shattered sanctum.
Note: The demolished metal walls that appear on the map are only several inches high.
Hector chooses to join Alden, confronting the pink bone golem at the north wall of the shattered sanctum. He hits the construct precisely where he meant to, but it's shell absorbs some of the thrust.
The creature tries to bite Alden, its teeth grinding against one another. It reaches out and slams its fists at Hector. The swashbuckler parries the first blow, and delivers a riposte with his rapier. The golem's second fist nearly finds its mark.
Bite; Damage:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 201d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Slam; Damage:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 312d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2) + 4 = 7 Slam; Damage:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 282d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 3) + 4 = 13
Conditions:
Dim Light: In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
Intermittent Bursts of Wind: impose a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls in the shattered sanctum.
Note: The demolished metal walls that appear on the map are only several inches high.
HP 50/50 (15 temp) ... Arcane Reservoir 6/11 ... AC 16 touch 12 flat 14 ... CMD 13 ... SAVES(F/R/W) +5/+5/+8 (+2 vs. air/electricity) (+2 heroism)... NG female outsider (native) arcanist 8 ... Initiative +6 ... Perception +1 (+2 heroism) ... Sense Motive +1 (+2 heroism) ... Active Effects heroism 93 minutes ... false life 479 minutes ... mage armor 59 minutes ... endure elements 1327 minutes
"We will succeed, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Ninlil is uncharacteristically angry as she yells at the latest interlopers. She points at the red graven guardian and says a few arcane syllables. Bolts streak from her finger, this time, instead of the staff she carries!
Let's burn some first-level spell slots, since everything else is running on empty. Magic Missile at CL 8, so four missiles.
"Ninlil, keep calm and focus. Is there anything you can do to aid your companions instead of lashing out like an angry 50-year-old?"
He skitters out of sight on the top of the multifaceted jail, and a moment later you hear, "By Ranginori why do these $%#@*! symbols have to keep moving around?! I can't focus on these bedamned riddles if I keep getting distracted!" he yells, and slaps the top of the mineral cage.
HP 50/50 (15 temp) ... Arcane Reservoir 6/11 ... AC 16 touch 12 flat 14 ... CMD 13 ... SAVES(F/R/W) +5/+5/+8 (+2 vs. air/electricity) (+2 heroism)... NG female outsider (native) arcanist 8 ... Initiative +6 ... Perception +1 (+2 heroism) ... Sense Motive +1 (+2 heroism) ... Active Effects heroism 93 minutes ... false life 479 minutes ... mage armor 59 minutes ... endure elements 1327 minutes
Ninlil takes a deep breath. And rolls her eyes. "You were right the first time!" she calls out to Snaggletooth.
"That big dinosaur thing is a bone golem. It's a construct, so don't try to mind control it, and it's easier to damage with blunt weapons, or those made of adamantine. That beast over there is a graven guardian, another construct, and you also want adamantine weapons if you have them. I'm sorry if I forgot to tell you before! Do you think you have this handled or do we need more firepower? My mind is tired, but I'm not done quite yet."
Ninlil flings four arcane bolts of force energy from her fingertips, pummeling the red graven guardian.
The jackal-headed construct shimmers and then, with unnatural speed, races toward Urien.
Spellcraft DC18:
Haste
Conditions:
Dim Light: In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
Intermittent Bursts of Wind: impose a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls in the shattered sanctum.
Note: The demolished metal walls that appear on the map are only several inches high.
Round 1/2
Bold may act. Haliban
Alden(misfortune curse) Hector
---
Pink Bone Golem (-54)
---
Ninlil & Snaggletooth
---
Red Graven Guardian (-16)
---
Urien
Theo & Fairbeaks
Urien, Theo & Snaggletooth, then Haliban, Alden, and Hector, you're up!
[Please note the elapsed time (1 hour, 45 min) since departing the beachhead for any spell/buff durations.]
Male Human Bard (Flame Dancer) 8.0 | HP 62/62 | Move 30 | AC 20 T 14 FF 17 , CMD 22 | F+6 R+11 W+7 : +1 vs. poisons, +1 vs. transform | Init +4 Low Light Vision Per +8 | Spells: 1st L 6/6, 2nd L 3/5, 3rd L 3/3 |Loremaster 1/1 | Performance 7/23
Urien begins his inspire courage, with a mocking oratory about the dangers of relying upon mindless servants taken from a play about the Geb.
He then steps back, summons a bit of offensive arcane magic, and shoots an adamantine arrow at the creature attempting to assault him.
Move: begin bardic performance (audible)
Swift: arcane strike
5-foot step
Standard: attack with short bow
"By ancient flail techniques passed down through my family, Fall!!!!! Feel the whiplash of the chains upon your helpless body!!!" He exalts himself as he begins to whip his flail even faster!!!!
Sorrina Westyr’s image appears, her hair windblown and a look of wonder on her face. “The Society's discoveries have weakened the prison of the powerful being sealed within Aucturn's Tear,” she pauses, studying a flotilla of crystal balls that hover around her. “Our divinations indicate that it’s now offering a fraction of its power to our forces!”
Table GMs, the Thunderous Aid condition is now in effect.
Urien calls an inspiring audible, just before Theo and Fairbeaks bring the heat on the red construct. The ranger's tetsubo crashes against the graven guardian's hardened clay shell, and the axebeak clubs it with its beak, knocking it off its feet.
Stepping out of the graven guardian's reach, bow crackling with arcane energy, Urien looses an arrow that shatters the creature into a thousand fragments across the stones.
Next to the bone golem, Alden's flail whirls and twirls in an impressive display of whiffs and misses, the terrible curse taking its toll.
Hector stabs the bone golem twice with perfect precision, and the construct crumbles into a pile of calcified bones.
Conditions:
Thunderous Aid: Ranginori has sensed his saviors are near and attempts to grant you his power and wisdom.
During combat, a PC adjacent to the puzzle orb can attempt an Average Diplomacy check, Average Spellcraft check, or Easy Use Magic Device check to direct the Duke of Thunder’s wrath. If successful, a PC can cast one of the following spells as a spell-like ability, using her character level as her caster level and either her own Charisma or 20 to determine the spell’s save DC. She can use any of the spells listed in her own subtier or in a lower subtier. This ability can only be used once per combat, and any summoned elemental disappears at the end of the combat.
Subtier 1–2: cure light wounds, shocking grasp, summon nature’s ally II (air elemental only)
Subtier 3–4: cat’s grace, cure moderate wounds
Subtier 5–6: cure serious wounds, lightning bolt, summon nature’s ally IV (air elemental only)
Subtier 7–8: call lightning storm, cure critical wounds, summon nature’s ally V (air elemental only)
Between combats, Ranginori can impart his insights to one PC attempting a skill check to help free him. The group must decide which PC gains this bonus before she attempts a skill check, reducing the check’s DC by one step (e.g. from Average to Easy).
Dim Light: In an area of dim light, a character can see somewhat. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. A creature within an area of dim light can make a Stealth check to conceal itself. Areas of dim light include outside at night with a moon in the sky, bright starlight, and the area between 20 and 40 feet from a torch.
Intermittent Bursts of Wind: impose a –2 penalty on ranged attack rolls in the shattered sanctum.
Note: The demolished metal walls that appear on the map are only several inches high
The latest wave of guardians is defeated and the magic circle wards have been destroyed. The party can turn to the massive orb, attempting to solve more of its puzzling facets. (See the Thunderous Aid condition above.)
[Please note the elapsed time (1 hour, 45 min) since departing the beachhead for any spell/buff durations.]
During the interlude between combats, you can attempt to decipher one of the immense polyhedron’s many facets. Each facet represents some extraplanar truth, elemental koan, symbolic meaning within a facet’s mineral composition, or any number of other esoteric aspects.
Orb Puzzle Refresher Any of the following skill checks allow a PC to make a discovery: an Average Appraise, Disable Device, Intelligence check, Knowledge (religion), Wisdom check, or Use Magic Device; or a Hard Knowledge (any), Linguistics, or Perception check.
If a PC exceeds the check DC by 5 or more, count it as two successes.
You've realized that if a PC successfully uses one of the Average DC skills or abilities in this way, the DC of future checks with that skill or ability to solve the puzzle increases to Hard.
You've also come to realize that a PC gains a cumulative +1 bonus on his skill check for each of the following languages he or she can read and understand: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran.
During this 'phase', each PC can make one attempt to solve the puzzle, and may take two additional 'rounds' of actions.
Taking a cue from Ninlil, Urien tries to use the same skill, his knowledge of the planes, to solve the puzzle. After the destruction of the outermost magical ward and its properties of distortion, his attempt succeeds.
