Saga of the Sages

Game Master Nathanael Love

Zarisha flows through the wall and into the main antechamber. She drifts into place behind the skeletal guardians.

"Release your hold on this illusion of life," she moans to the skeletons.

Move: Move 20 ft

Form: Incorporeal

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
I assume I know enough to use blunt arrows for the skeletons.

Nadric watches Pirro anxiously when the man takes two blows, but seeing that he is able to at least move away, he shouts encouragement instead of concern: "Good work, drawing them out! Let's take the bone-walkers down!" He draws a blunted arrow and takes aim at the nearest skeleton he can see. (Through cover)

Attack, PBS: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 = 26
Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 = 5

Crit?: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 = 16
Extra crit damage: 2d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 2 + 2 = 12

Not sure if I can flank with Zarisha or not, but add +2 to the attck role, if so.

Dmitri steps back to the space vacated by Pirro, driving his blade at the ribcage of the middle undead but he bumps into the doorway and nearly drops his blade.

Dmitri blade: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Penthesilea looses an arrow alongside Nadric, though she's not quite as on point...

Longbow (PBS): 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19
Bludgeoning: 2d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4) + 2 + 1 = 8

Round 1
Pirro retreats.

Penthesilea and Nardic each drop a skeleton with their boxing glove arrows!

Dmitri misses.

Kenji mops up the last skeleton with a massive power attack.

Status:
Pirro- 7/17

[Perception DC 10[You hear the doors to the house closing! A woman's voice (the same as before) shouts out in Anciet Orsiriani "They're inside! Protect the family!" another voice shoulds, "It's too late! Save yourselves!"[/b][/spoiler]

Perception : 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Kenji enters further inside. He shouts in ancient Osiriani.

”Please do not be afraid! We are not here to hurt! We are here to learn of the lessons of the past!“

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

"Uh, what was that Kenji?" Penthesilea followed behind, He doesn't sound mad?

Sorry for my delay - Round 1 action:
Drea gets distracted by the action and moves where they can see the skeletons better, their greatsword in hand.

Knowledge Religion Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Moving further into the room, Drea cocks their head at the noise.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"I surmise that this is another haunt!" they call out.

The sylph looks around for some thing to do to silence the haunt.

Drea- you can tell that this haunt seems to be related to the guards; you think perhaps properly burying the household guard would end this effect, but you are not sure these three were all of the guards.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Drea wonders what spell effect is in effect.

Pirro draws out a bone wand and begins to heal his wounds once the skeletons have been dispatched. "That was unpleasant," he murmurs as the magics begin to close the ragged gashes on his arm.

He moves into the room, his head tipped to the side as he hears the fading echo of lives long past. The usher scans the room for magical and spiritual energies.

"It seems this haunt has merely locked the doors," he says. "But it will have long faded by the time we have finished exploring the manor."

Lots of options of directions to go from here- B16 has the un-examined hieroglyphs, you can see partially into B15 straight ahead, or back in the courtyard the last 3 outer buildings and the door from there inside.

Zarisha drifts into the next chamber, scrutinizing it for dangers.

B15
A tiled walkway surrounds a square patch of earth and sand in this high atrium. A balcony on the second floor overlooks the courtyard, and a square hole in the ceiling opens to the sky. Four columns in the corners of the atrium support the roof above, and the walls are decorated with symbols and hieroglyphs depicting animals, celestial creatures, and the sun and moon.

A creature in the form of a beautiful woman made of sand rises up out of the sand that covers the room and greats Zarisha.

"Greetings! I am the spirit of this house. What brings you to my domain?"

"I am here to disabuse the lost souls of the notion that they belong--" the phantom begins.

"Ah, Zarisha, perhaps you should let someone a little less direct do the introductions," Pirro says, exerting his will upon the phantom.

Haha, I love Zarisha.

Hearing more voices, Nadric hastens into the next room. He sighs in relief to see someone who wants to talk instead of wailing about tragic events. "Oh, hello! We're from the Pathfinder Society, and we're here to learn about this house, and the people who once lived here. Do you mind us having a look around? Do you know what happened here? We've already encountered several restless spirits."

Drea drifts into the next room cautiously and considers the sand woman carefully.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

"Yes, greetings, greetings- look around, explore, but come, sit and talk with me for a while first, no? It is very lonely here!"

Sense Motive : 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (8) - 3 = 5

Kenji smiles.

”Finally a kind soul in here! So good to see you! To learn from the past!!“ he says and approaches to sit down.

"There's no harm in sharing tales," Pirro says. "Are you a lost soul from this ruin's past?"

"If she is, I am prepared to free her from her suffering," Zarisha says, circling the sand woman.

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 11

"That makes sense. I would be lonely too if I were the spirit of a house that has stood empty for so long. Lingering memories of violence probably are not good company." Nadric moves into the room, hoping to hear more about what happened here.

Sense Motive Check: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8

Drea speaks aloud to all.

"This is a type of earth elemental known as a sandman," they say. "We should proceed with due caution."

Drea keeps their sword out, but moves into the room, prepped to use their breeze power as needed.

The semi pleasing visage fades away into a horrific "medusa mage of sand" looking creature Picture added and feeling you properly lured in, he attacks Zarisha--

Slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Not sure he can hurt Zarisha in her current form, but he doesn't know better than not to try

Round 1

Turn Order:
1. Drea 16
2. Kenji 14
3. Pirro 12
4. Dmitri 8
5. Penthesilea 8
6. Nardic 7
7. Sandman 6
8. Zarisha 6

Everyone but Zarisha is before the Sandman, so you can all take round 1 actions-- Drea and Pethesilea, you can have positioned closer in during the talking if you would have done so.

Correct, Zarisha is immune to that attack. Although, it may be able to 1-shot her with something else in its arsenal, I'll need to check.

Pirro looks taken aback. "Well, that is just rude!" he says as the elemental spirit springs her attack. Concentrates upon the spiritual realm and wards himself from danger.

Cast protection from evil upon himself.

Knowledge (planes) via Zarisha for later
Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Alignment, Resistances, Special Attacks in that order

Having stood back while the conversation was peaceful, Dmitri leaps into the fray, reacting to the brutal attack of the sand creature. He slashes at it with his dueliing weapon, wondering if he can harm sand with it.

Dmitri blade: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Dmg, if hit, slashing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Truly disappointed Kenji moves forward and strikes with his greatsword at the sand being!

MW Greatsword , power attack: 1d20 - 1 + 7 ⇒ (11) - 1 + 7 = 17
Greatsword 2H, power attack : 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 6) + 9 = 18

I've repositioned Drea where they would have moved in talking to the sand creature before it attacked. I marked Drea's initial position with a purple lightning bolt on the map.

Drea growls as the fiendish elemental attacks Zarisha. The greatsword appears in the sylph's hands, crackling with purple energy.

"Leave her alone!"

Move and attack.

Melee Attack vs Sandman, Cold Iron, Magic Weapon: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 202d6 + 5 ⇒ (3, 5) + 5 = 13

"Well now, here's a foe worth talking up back at the bar!

"Quick everyone, bring it down and share the glory!"

Inspire Courage

"That's not the type of chat I was hoping for!" Nadric cries, and moves over to one wall of the room while drawing his bow.

Knowledge Arcana?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Nadric isn't sure what the thing is apart from hearing Drea call it a sandman, so he pulls one of his regular arrows to shoot at it.

Attack, PBS+IC: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 22
Piercing damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4

Round 1

Drea misses.

Kenji hits the Sandman

Pirro casts Protection from evil; he knows that the sandman is Neutral Evil, has DR/10 Bludgeoning and is Amorphous (Immune to Sneak attack and crits), it has a Sleep Aura and it's melee attacks can cause sleep.

Dmitri hits, but his attack does no damage.

Penthesilea activates Inspire courage.

Nardic's arrow strikes, but seems to cause no harm.

The Sandman restores his sleep aura as a free action-- everyone will need to make a DC 14 Will save or be affected by sleep.

Then it lashes out at Kenji- Slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Kenji will need a second DC 14 Will save vs. sleep

Turn Order:
1. Drea 16
2. Kenji 14
3. Pirro 12
4. Dmitri 8
5. Penthesilea 8
6. Nardic 7
7. Sandman 6
8. Zarisha 6

Sandman- 8 damage done

Kenji- 31/35

That will bring up Zarisah in round 1, then the party in round 2.

Will : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Will : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

* *

Rerolling the first save:

Will,@2 GM star reroll : 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 2 = 15

-

Kenji feels the sand putting him to sleep ... but he can eventually resist.

Hearing that he needs a bludgeoning weapon, Kenji drops his greatsword, retrieves his shield and with two hands slams the shield into the sandman!

Shield bash, power attack : 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 1 = 9
Shield damage : 1d4 ⇒ 21d6 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Zarisha resists the aura of slumber and waits for the right moment.

Delay: Delay until Turn 2 Position 4.

Are you sure it is everyone? It looks like it excludes Pirro and Penthesilea no matter where it centers it and might miss Nadric.

Resisting the elemental being's enchantment, Pirro concentrates on pulling Zarisha further from the ethereal plane. "Take this thing down for us, Zarisha," he asks.

Full Round: Change Zarisha to ectoplasmic form.

Zarisha steps over and begins to pound on the sandman with her fists. "Your wish is your wish," she replies. "But in this case, I will oblige. Your blades and arrows will have little effect if you do not strike exceedingly hard."

Form: Ectoplasmic, DC 5/slashing

As the sandman activates its sleep aura, Dmitri can't help but succumb. He takes one groggy step forward, lunging out with his slashing blade, then falls face first to the floor, slumbering.

Dmitri DC 14 Will: 1d20 ⇒ 8

Pirro- You're right, I was reading it as 30 ft not 20 ft-- it misses Pentehsilea and Pirro but still catches Nardic

Round 2
Zarisha stays awake and delays

Round 3
Kenji stays awake, but misses.

Pirro manifests and Zarisha attacks, but she too finds the Sandman elusive to strike.

Dmitri falls asleep.

Turn Order:
1. Drea 16
2. Kenji 14
3. Pirro 12
4. Zarisha 6
5. Dmitri 8
6. Penthesilea 8
7. Nardic 7
8. Sandman 6

Dmitri- sleeping

Pending Drea, Penthesilea, and Nardic for round 3

GM, I sent you a private message. I’ll await your reply before posting my turn.

Correction from last round- Drea hit, damage reduced due to not bludgeoning

Sandman- 11 damage done

Kenji- 31/35

Dmitri- asleep

"It is somewhat resistant to slashing and piercing attacks!" Drea calls out as they swing a second time with their sword.

Melee Attack, Cold Iron, Magic: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 192d6 + 5 ⇒ (6, 5) + 5 = 16

It doesn't seem to be altering the sylph's course of action.

I think Kenji's damage didn't include IC

"Okay, okay, we can leave Dmitri's nap out of the story."

Longbow (IC, PBS, RS no cover): 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 14
Bludgeoning: 2d6 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 12
Longbow (IC, PBS, RS no cover): 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 13
Bludgeoning: 2d6 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3, 5) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 12

Round 3
Drea hits again, dealing less damage, but still some!

Penthesilea's arrows miss!

The sandman lashes out at Drea!
Slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Turn Order:
1. Drea 16
2. Kenji 14
3. Pirro 12
4. Zarisha 6
5. Dmitri 8
6. Penthesilea 8
7. Nardic 7
8. Sandman 6

Dmitri- sleeping

Sandman- 17 damage done

Drea- 8/16
Kenji- 31/35

Drea will need another DC 14 will save after getting hit with the slam; then everyone can act for round 4!

Again, Kenji takes his shield with two hands slams the shield into the sandman!

Shield bash, power attack, IC, flanking : 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 - 1 + 1 + 2 = 15
Shield damage, IC : 1d4 ⇒ 21d6 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 1 = 14

Will (14) Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Yup, I thought I was due.

The sylph collapses in slumber, the purple glow extinguished.

Will DC 14: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

"Resistant to piercing? Oh, that's the prob..." Nadric's voice trails off as he suddenly becomes incredibly tired. He yawns and can't keep his eyes open. Just a little nap...

Round 4

Drea & Nardic fall asleep.

Kenji bashes again with his shield, and this time hits, scattering the sandman into dust, well, er. . . sand!

The malevolent elemental gone, you are able to rouse your sleeping companions easily enough.

You can continue forward into the next unexplored room, or more closely examine the hieroglyphs in B16, or back track to the other unexplored doors.

Zarisha slowly fades back to a more ephemeral state once the malign elemental collapses. She drifts over to examine the hieroglyphs.

Form: incorporeal

With Zarisha examining the other room, Pavo goes to slap Dmitri and the others awake. "No time for napping," he says cheerily.

Kenji is almost out of breath.

"I have to say that I am truly disappointed. Such a nice invitation and then ... betrayal! Outrageous!" Kenji says and retrieves his greatsword.