[Retrocon] GM Blazej Cosmic Captive 1-2 CORE (Inactive)

Game Master Zynete

Khargrom grunts out a, "HAHA! Staying back is for the weak. 'Asides, I got er just where I want er!"

With a twist and a grab, he tries to reverse the grapple.

CMB: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Bemmer moves up in support of his allies. Double move

The plant blurbles and blorps as it goes from being decidely in control of the hold to being restrained by Khargrom. It struggles as the mouths on it open in different places to try to chew on the dwarven arms. As it is gripped it releases a spray of spores over the party to try to free itself.

Bemmer, Khargrom, Agon, and Ironshanks need to make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be paralyzed with fear for this turn (at least) and be unable to act. This is a mind-affecting fear and paralysis effect. You will get a +1 to the saving throw from Pavo's Inspire Courage.

- Round 2 -
Nahko
Kuti
Bemmer (Fort save)

- Round 3 -
Pavo
Khargrom (grappled, in control of grapple, Fort save)
Agon (Fort save)
Ironshanks (Fort save)
Plant (4 damage, grappled)

Enviroment: Low Gravity (1/5), Hot
Buffs: Inspire Courage

Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"Oh!"

Fort: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15

"You could at least take me to dinner first!" Agon balances himself and swings his sword again. This time with vigor!

Masterwork longsword, Inspire Courage, Power attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 1 - 1 = 21
Damage, Inspire Courage, Power Attack: 1d8 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 + 2 = 8

Fort DC 13 + IC: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7 +2 vs. poisons/spells/spell-like

And Khargrom doesn’t do much else...

Fort, Inspire, Class DC13: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 18

Ironshanks flips down his helmet visor as the spores flood the area "I ain't fallin fer yer stink cloud ya big ball of squish! We Dwarves eat way too much meat n ale, we know how ta deal with stink!"

Seeing it all tied up by the young Dwarf, Ironshanks moves around back then hacks down again with his axe.

2H Adamantine Waraxe, Power Attack, inspire, flank: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 1 + 1 + 2 = 171d10 + 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 3 + 1 = 15

Tearing through the plant it is thrown to the ground as various pieces of vine cascade throughout the tunnel with the powerful blows.

Khargrom sees the entire world reshape around him. He sees and feels vines begins to burrow from the ground winding around him and attempting to pull him into the rock below. After a few more moments the vision passes and the world returns to normal.

After a short time to breath a pair of people slowly approach both with no weapons drawn.

"I hate to be cutting into your ... gardening? But we can't help but notice you are well stocked, well-armed, and not on fire. We were wondering how you would be feeling about treating to a pair of strangers in need." A gnome from the pair with dyed hair running through all the colors of the rainbow approaches. The dyes have begun to wear off and have dulled to reveal the natural greens of his hair. The heat doesn't seem to affect him although his is lightly attired and adorned with a set of small scarves all linked in sequence to form a bandoleer around his body.

A woman walks beside him, much like the mercenaries of Akiton you met within the last hour she appears to be human aside her red skin. Her gear doesn't match that group though as she is only lightly armored and doesn't have much aside a dagger for a weapon. She is tolerating the heat well, ignoring it in favor of focusing on the party's motions and readying herself to act with a moment's notice. "Comminatio? Impossibile pugna. Non veni de mundo." She speaks in a foreign tongue that you don't understand but recognize as being similar from the more esoteric scholars in the Pathfinder Society when speaking about the ancient Azlanti.

Both seem exhausted and hungry, but are still cautious of you, ready for you to attack them as quickly as anything else here.

If you wish to try to convince them of your non-hostile intent, you would need to make Diplomacy checks.

"Well then." Agon sheathes his weapons. "That's why I sauté my salad before eating it."

The gnome and his otherworldly guest arrive.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

"Greetings, little one. Tell your friend we're all friends."

Nahko stays wary, but otherwise holds his arms gently away from his body, trying to show no threat. He mostly is hoping to not interfere with a better wordsmith’s attempt to gain favor.

Diplomacy, aid: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (16) - 2 = 14

Ironshanks holds his breath as he helps up the wrastlin' Dwarf, pulling him back out of the cloud of particles "Ya shoulda said ya liked ta wrestle kid, I got a couple single nieces that enjoy that sorta thing..." He snorts as he visualizes Begrilda turning the kid into a salted pretzel.

By the time the pair arrive he's got his gear restowed and his visor back up. "Ya, friends." He steps forth and holds out his hand to introduce himself "Ironshanks Magee, gobbie stompin' master." He spits on his palm before offering it to the others. Apparently not something that's done in their culture.

Diplomacy Assist: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1

Bemmer raises his hands, they are empty.

Diplomacy, aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Khargrom thanks the dwarf for his help up then sneezes out a buncha spores. Wiping the particles of snot out of his beard, ”I got enough kiddos for now and I den’t even know what plant monsters eat.”

He turns to Beamer, ”my wand got more magic innit?”

Hearing chatter behind him he turns and adds, ”can’t be that bad, aren’t trying to kill us.”

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (9) - 2 = 7

"Welcome and be at ease," Pavo says to the strangers as he coils his whip and ties it to his belt. "We mean you no harm, and I hope you mean none to us either. What sort of aid do you require? It looks as though at least one of you has been here for quite some time."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Well, I think she has picked up on your better nature since I'm not running yet. I'm Pagbean Halmap. Servant of the veils asking for your aid."

"We were kinda hoping for any bit of help. Food, rations, anyway that you know off this forsaken rock. See, I'm more a city dweller and I've been having trouble scrapping for my own food up here. There are bits of edibles we have run across, but much of it is in the hands of those elementals and I honestly can't tell you if the creatures like that are edible," directing at the dead burbling plant on that ground.

"Cartilago. Incon.", the woman adds to the conversation.

Directing attention back to the alien woman, "Lohad has been here for some time before me. I got pulled here a couple days ago and she's been here for at least a few more before I got here. She saw me in trouble and was able to help me out and get me to a bit of cover. Still we have been more than a little outnumbered here. There is only so far the goddess has been able to grant me to avoid their notice."

"Food? Ya I got some ta share. If ya can't share crusty bread, meat n cheese with someone then what's the point?" Ironshanks unslings his pack and digs out a ration and tosses it at the Gnome fella.

"We're workin on cleaning up this mess up here then getting off this flyin' rock. If ya go back the way we came ya should meet up with some other fellas. Or hang with us for now if ya'd rather." He holds his hand out once more for a handshake.

The gnome tears into it with a voracious bite before pausing and tearing a larger chunk for the Akitonian.

The woman takes the food and nods with appretiation to Ironshanks and, despite her dyhydration, gives an attempt to spit into her hand to match Ironshanks handshake. "Honesta bellator, et accipere munus tuum. Tibi gratias ex imo animam meam."

"I'm guessing a bit, but I'm thinking the same most likely. Where are you heading? Are you looking for some place safe right now or are you running into the not-safe places? We might not have much, but if it is the latter we do have a few healing items we liberated from a elemental stockpile. You might be able to make better use out of them then we can." Pagbean offers a satchel with a pair of healing potions inside.

The party gains two potions of cure light wounds from this bag.

"Ah, thank you! this will be quite useful in the future." Agon takes the potions and turns to the group. "Does anyone want these? No? Good."

Back to the gnome. "We're going to unsafe territory, I'm certain. Someone or something has called the Pathfinder Society into action. As some of its representatives, we tend to leap headfirst into danger."

Agon gladly recalls the adventure so far, carefully putting the Dwarves front and center.
Perform(Storytelling): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Khargrom offers a couple cups of water from his fancy item to the two and hands over another ration. "It's dwarven, so most non-dwarves complain that it is hard as a rock. But if ya chew it a bit you can bite off a chunk."

As Agon begins his recap of their adventures he shrugs while picking up his dart, "I mean, we were there and I don't even recall it being nearly that impressive. So where is the danger place?"

"Yes. I suspect that we're heading into the not-so-safe places," Pavo confirms. "Thank you for your offering. Keep heading that way, and you'll reach our staging ground and the portals back."

They both take the food and drink with relish putting a damper on their hunger.

The gnome blanches a bit at the idea of tossing into more danger right now. "Ah, yeah. Well you are likely to find a lot of that. I'll take you up on that offer though, I've had enough danger last few days to make it a bit boring. I think I could go for something different, like a bar or a play or a garden full of plants that aren't trying to kill me."

Both get set up and head back down the path, Lohad pauses to speak slowly and carefully while looking to Pagbean for guidance, "Thank you."

"One other thing I noticed though, the elementals don't seem to take this place as their home. Take it from a gnome, I know when someone isn't in their element. From the way they treat this place, they haven't been here too long. A few years at most, but they way they act, something high up their food chain must have told them to do whatever they are doing here."

Heading deeper into the core of the asteroid an unsteady rumbling shakes the tunnels, showering debris from the ceiling. The pained cry of an immense alien creature reverberates through the area.

Blocking the other exit of this room is a massive worm thrashing side to side and immense pain as a large shard of adamantine pierces straight through it's flesh. Fiery magma comes from the spittle and wounds of the creature as it struggles to break free.

If you intend to go further, the Pathfinders will need to either double back, free the beast so it can go somewhere else, or put and end to the massive creature.

If you wish to free the creature, you would need to make an wild empathy check, Handle Animal check, or Knowledge (dungeoneering or nature) check. Healing magic would dull the pain aiding in checks.

Bemmer will offer either a cure light woulds or a positive channel to aid the checks.

Earlier healing from cleric held wand once those two weren't a threat for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6.

Khargrom looks over the beastie as it wails in pain, "ah that poor thing and we prolly have it to thank for these nice tunnels! Lesse if we can get er loose and then hope it don't mistake us for food."

K: Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Ironshanks' eyes light up as he sees the unmistakable dull gray of adamantine, the same that makes up his war axe head "Ya.. get that beastie outta here so we can help our selfs to that metal... Torag wills it!"

He draws his bow in case they need to put it out of its misery.

"Whoa, there," Pavo says calmly. "Why don't we see if we can't get you free from that nasty spike, eh? All of us here know what we're doing. I'm sure we can all move calmly and carefully enough."

Inspire Competence: +2 to Knowledge (dungeoneering) to everyone (except myself)

Nahko looks on at the worm and studies the adamantium spike impaling it. He approaches cautiously... and a bit timidly. He seems unsure of himself as he steps forward, trying to keep it calm. "You poor thing. Don't bite, don't snap. I'm here to try to help! Ahhhh, I'm a friend, you beast!" He dodges aside as the gaping maw strikes at him.

"Easy!" He retrieves his wand of healing, and approaches the tail end, seemingly a bit less mobile--and thus less dangerous. "Who would do this to you, or is it just cruel fate?" He lets his eyes wander to the ceiling, to see if he can find the break point. Does it look like it just fell from the ceiling, or is this the result of some attack?

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Finally stepping close enough, Nahko taps the worm with his wand.

cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Though his words are all over the place, some training or instinct rises through, and his demeanor and voice somehow seem to start to sooth the creature. "Now stay calm." He waves at the other Pathfinders gathering around. "We can help you here, but you gotta stay calm. Calm!!!" he yells as the maw strikes again. That strike seemed a bit tentative, though, and Nahko presses on. "We're gonna help, now, so stay calm. Bah; what's it even matter what I say? You don't know a thing from Taldane, do you? Please just don't bite!!!"

Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

"Peace be with you, O gnomish friend. If you are ever in the realm of Golarion, seek the Pathfinders." Agon waves them goodbye and they move on.

Seeing the worm writhe, he approaches carefully. "Pavo, should I move this rock out of the way? It will be easier to wedge this adamantine shard. Speaking of which, I'll definitely keep that piece for safe keeping- I need a new blade!"

K Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 2 = 10

"Damn, I'm not used to all of these caves. Reminds me of a mining group I bodyguarded once. They couldn't stop singing about going 'off to work'. Drove me insane."

With the healing magic and soothing care the beast slowly settles. It remains stuck on the spike, but no longer thrashes wildly giving the Pathfinders an opportunity to free it.

The shard of adamantine appears to have been from a collapse that the worm got caught in. The impalement doesn't appear to be purposeful, however there are a great number of wounds from various blades dealt to the creature. From the scarring, some appear to be weeks old while others are days.

The spike itself has a great number of sigils on it written in a variety of planar elemental languages as well as Abyssal. Along with the text there are pictographs all along the length that abruptly end at the edge of the shard, as this were broken from a larger object. Studying it to a greater degree would need the worm removed from it.

To finish freeing the worm, it will require a Strength check, Knowledge (engineering), or Profession (miner) to widen the tunnel and allow it remove to move. Or a CMB check to sunder the spike at a vulnerable point. In any case the creature is radiating severe heat.
If you our attempting any of these checks you will take 1d4 fire damage for the attempt. Let me know if you have an alternate strategy.

I'll assist with a strength check to aid, or an aid on the sunder. I will also cast guidance on the individual making the check that I am assisting.

"What if we could smash the rock here and here," Pavo suggests. "That might give us some wiggle room. I can try to make the spike a little easier to remove, too."

He speaks a simple incantation and points at the spike, causing it to become slick with grease.

Cast grease on an object.

Fire: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Nahko lends his back to help remove the spike, warming up more than he likes, but not liking leaving this worm here to die.

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Damage, fire: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Khargrom attempts to sunder the metal spike, slamming his warhammer into a point he figures looks weak, "Ironshanks! Take your shot here, I think I weakened it."

CMB Sunder + MW Weapon: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5

Feel free to ignore his suggestion, he is obviously hacking at the thickest part of the metal. :D

Fire Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Nahko yells excitedly when Khargrom plants his hammer. "No! There are carvings on this that we want to investigate! Let's leave the breaking to a last resort, if we can."

Ironshanks pushes back the others as their attempts seem to make little headway. He pulls out his war axe and pats the adamantine head lovingly. "We Magee's know a thing er two 'bout breakin' things. Lemme do what I do best eh?"

He eyeballs the shard for an area without runes and still thin enough to make the strike effective. Then he swings with all he's got.

Sunder: Adamantine Waraxe, Power Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 1 = 141d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 = 15

Ironshanks has Imp Sunder. First time I've seen it actually written into a scenario.

"Ah, that shard is much bigger than I expected. Let's try to break it off..."
Knowledge(Engineering): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
"Here." He points and then withdraws his finger. "This thing is hot. Let's make it quick!"

Fire, burn: 1d4 ⇒ 3

"Dwarves," Pavo laments to the druid. "Everything looks like a nail to them."

Focusing the efforts you are able to free the spike while minimizing damage to the item itself. The creature breaks free and rolls around for a moment as it reorients itself and the greased spike slides out of the creature with ease without causing more damage and the wound sealing itself with a sudden burst of flame. With a dive it bores through the rock again as the giant continues it's life in the asteroid with the Pathfinder's aid.

Inspecting the spike it has lingering elements of magic on the piece. The item is difficult to decipher as most of the statements appear to be cut off the boundaries.

On the side opposite the writings the surface is clear, as though the adamantine itself has been weathered by a windstorm of massive weight and duration.

From down the hall a halfling bearing a wayfinder bounds down the passages, humming a diddy to herself. "Oh what have we here? This looks like something the scholars would love to research. Were you able to find anything about it? I can get a team down here to bring it to safety and start logging it with the more research focused teams."

She runs her hands over the spike and softly sings out bits of the writing before turning back to the Pathfinder team.

"I have been getting a lot of reports of your progress through the grapevine and I'm more than a little impressed. You all deserve a break, but I know that if you sit around for too long you will be aching for more adventure. While we have control over the other parts of the asteroid we are having trouble finding access to the source of the voice that called us here. There are still a few holdout spots here and there though we can use a team to check out throughout them. If you are open to it. I don't want to run you all ragged before we hit the climax of this run down. Let me know what you are interested in and I can give you some directions."

"In any case I see you have you have taken some nasty burns. I have some healing I can give right now to tend to that. Not enough to heal you all, but hopefully keep you all stocked." She casts cure light wounds (1d8+1 healing) twice on a couple of party members.

If you wish to continue adventuring you have a number of options available to you. You can go to:

1. Crater: The forefront of the earthen defenses, while we found ways to bypass their forts, those as slowing down our other teams from moving back and forth. Those here are either devoted or forced into service and will likely put up a big fight.
2. Frozen City: There are many water and cold aligned enemies here, but there is also something more ancient, possibly an artifact from before the elementals ever touched this place.
3. Vault Entrance: Ayrzul, the elemental tyrant of earth, has stationed a number of the less willing and able servants here. There are reports of undead and enslaved creatures here that will defend this place with their lives.
4. Icy Reservoir: While it is slightly warmer now, our reports from this cold and dark place is that it is being used as a prison as well as more powerful servants of Kelizandri, the elemental tyrant of water.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"These must be the puzzles Fahaz told us about." Agon checks the writing. "The Earth Elementals mused about this. We can solve them, actually. Something interesting should happen, but... we need the rest of this piece, wherever it was."

He patiently listens to the halfling. "Thank you for your assistance. Between you, 5 charges of this Cure Light Wounds wand and the two additional potions we found, we should be able to heal up, right?" Agon uses the party wand on himself.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"4 charges left on this thing."

Khargrom will soak up a charge from that wand for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 healing. Ugh... why is it always 1 short, oh well.

With their path clear he leads the way, "onwards and upwards! We can rest when everyone that opposes us is dead!"

Vault seems interesting, but anywhere would be fine.

Ironshanks steps forward and introduces himself to the Halfling, handshake presented "Ironshanks Magee at yer service. Who might you be?" He gives the Halfer a squinty eyeball.

His Fire Damage Taken: 1d4 ⇒ 1 "I'm good, just scorched a few whiskers is all. I dunno 'bout you boys, but I'd rather fight with my boots on solid ground than in water or on ice!" He stomps his feet firmly on the cooling stone.

She looks away from Ironshanks unable to bear his gaze. "Just Janai. I would be out there with you but I caught in the wrong end of a bar brawl before this." She shamefully taps her bandaged arms. "Nothing major, but I couldn't get it treated on short notice so I'm now a go-fer. Hopefully your making enough stories on your end to make up for me."

"Well, right now it is more water than ice due to the asteroid moving, but I can agree with that. I know a lot of Pathfinders who have an adverse reactions to boats or water. You should be able to get their pretty quick. While all these areas lead deeper, all the paths seem to lead to and through the vault entrance."

"Are there any messages you want me to pass along to the others?"

Even with the protective magic adapting you to this asteroid, it is a nice change of pace to leave the searing heat that has been pressing on you for the last hour.

The stone cools and you feel a power radiate from the walls and into you, something that might unpleasant feeling in the gut, but again the magical wards defend you against the ill effects.

Vaulted arcs of stone create a bizarre network of geometric recesses, like a petrified beehive but orders of magnitude larger. In one cell stands an altar smeared with blood and ochre.

An undead skeletal figure stumbles upward, it's body garbed in tattered remenants of a priest. It begs to some unseen force, "I'm no coward. I wasn't retreating, I was loyal. I called for his aid and none came. I didn't side with the traitors and came to you for your help! Ayrzul! I'm not a coward! I don't deserve this pain! I'm no coward!"

It begins rushing past the altar in order reach you and tear into you with the terrible claws of rotting flesh and bone.

- Round 1 -
Agon
Undead
Bemmer
Khargrom
Nahko
Kuti
Pavo
Ironshanks

OK, then I'll happily take one of those CLW spells.

"Thank you for your aid," Pavo says to the passing halfling.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

He nods to Ironshanks and says, "Fine by me."

"Coward or not, I'll send you to rest."

Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

"It is undead, right?" He advances and draws his warhammer. "I remember meeting a woman who was very interested in me. Sadly I'm more into flesh than bone, I could play her ribs like a xylophone."

I'm beginning Inspire Courage, +1.

"The water drawn from my flesh! The earth now claims me! The earth demands my service. The earth demands your death!"

The sudden burst of speed from the undead deals a nearly devastating blow as the claws scratches at Agon.

Undead Claw at Agon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Undead Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Undead Crit Confirmation: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Undead Crit Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

- Round 1 -
Bemmer
Khargrom
Nahko
Kuti
Pavo
Ironshanks

- Round 2 -
Agon (5 damage)
Undead

Environment: Radiation (prevented), Low-Gravity
Buffs: Inspire Courage +1 (from Agon)

Nahko also takes one of the clw wand charges. One left, I think.

cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"Quickly Kuti, with me!" Nahko darts off to the left, hugging the wall and seemingly trying to find a way to the side of the central cell.

Kuti follows without question, the unnatural nature of the threat keeping her sharp and attentive. She keeps one step ahead of Nahko, ready should the undead come at them.

Pavo moves to the entrance of the shrine and quickly draws his rapier. It crackles with silver energy as he slashes it at the skeletal priest.

"Use silver or magic if you have it," the bard warns the others. "This is no mere animated skeleton."

Pavo's blade cuts through the undead flesh and forces it back into the altar screaming. "Why do you not bow in service to masters of the elements! Do you not know your destruction had already been determined the moment you turned your blade toward them?"

The attack dealt serious damage, but it will still take a few more of that kind of blow to destroy the undead form.

- Round 1 -
Bemmer
Khargrom
Nahko
Kuti
Pavo
Ironshanks

- Round 2 -
Agon* (5 damage)
No Mere Animated Skeleton (5 damage)

Environment: Radiation (prevented), Low-Gravity
Buffs: Inspire Courage +1 (from Agon)