Jangafzaar - dmg; summoning; Fort save needed;
Defaah - 8 dmg;
Zenae - 60 dmg; unconscious; prone; weapon dropped; dying; stabilization check needed;
Yanda - dmg; ant haul (06:00); false life (06:00); mutagen (01:10); fox's cunning (1:04); protection from arrows (06:58); Fort save needed;
Klarkosh (Gold) - dmg;
Automaton (Green) - 4 dmg;
Uhvat - dmg; Shield (01:02); Fort save needed;
Yanda has another drink while Zenae runs smack into the whirling blades...
... nicking her slightly.
Klarkosh eyes the dinosaur and the half-orc in his face and then begins to waggle his fingers about while muttering various incantations...
... and manages to maintain his concentration despite the foes right before him.
A cloud appears at the far end of the room, breaking the line of sight of the pathfinders and smelling like the worst rotten eggs imaginable.
Although no one can see the Green automaton through the cloud, from the clattering sound it seems to be moving back towards its master through the spinning blades...
... when it emerges from the cloud next to Zenae she can see that it seems very slightly battered by the experience as it turns its polearm towards her...
... and that is the last thing that Zenae sees - perhaps forever - as it strikes her down with a single deadly blow. Even her comrades in the cloud can tell from the cry of pain, the sound of her slumping body, and the maniacal laughter from Klarkosh that something bad has happened.
Before Defaah can do anything to move away, the blades continue to whirl...
... but the dinosaur is unharmed for now.
Pathfinders are up! Good luck!
|
Jang can push the nausea away! He then 5 ft steps out of the cloud.
His summons ends and a celestial dire boar appears.
Jang speaks with the boar as they share a language and tells it to get out of the smoke and attack the machine things which are near the dinosaur.
Jang shouts to Defaah to grapple the caster!
Jang starts casting another summoning spell.
Defaah tries to grapple the caster.
Defaah tries to grapple the caster.
[Dice= Knows Grapple Trick but has no improved grapple so provokes, grapple ] 1d20+ +7 -
Uhvat is up!
Jangafzaar - dmg; summoning;
Celestial Dire Boar - dmg; (AC 15, DR5/evil, 52 hp);
Defaah - 23 dmg; grappled;
Zenae - 61 dmg; unconscious; prone; weapon dropped; dying; stabilization check needed;
Yanda - dmg; ant haul (06:00); false life (06:00); mutagen (01:10); fox's cunning (1:04); protection from arrows (06:58); shield (01:04);
Klarkosh (Gold) - dmg; grappled;
Automaton (Green) - 8 dmg;
Uhvat - dmg; Shield (01:02);
Zenae slips a bit closer to death though she is fortunately Hard to Kill.
Jang's heavenly pig appears and seems to take no notice of the poisonous fog as it hurries towards the battle...
... the blades of the trap have no effect on its tough celestial skin. However, the guisarme of the automaton...
... misses the lucky porker.
Then, after directing his dinosaur to grapple Klarkosh, Jang begins another summons.
The dinosaur tries to grapple Klarkosh, who quickly lashes out...
... but to no avail. The gold-encased "master of the emerald spire" finds himself hugging a velociraptor!
Yanda stumbles through the poisonous cloud and chugs down another extract.
Uhvat too avoids the nauseating effects of the cloud and advances into battle...
... easily avoiding any trouble from the spinning blades.
Despite being grappled, Klarkosh attempts to cast another spell.
Despite the grapple, Klarkosh manages to cast his spell, and to do so defensively with an eye to Uhvat's threatening tendrils.
However, whatever shenanigans the master of the spire was attempting are for naught as the wily velociraptor resists them easily!
The automaton steps 5' into the blades and pokes at the grappling dinosaur with its guisarme.
... the blades chip some more of the paint off of the construct.
... and the polearm further wounds the brave dinosaur.
Pathfinders are up! The bold may act!
|
|
~
GM: one further question. Last round I assumed the dire boar had only 30 ft movement although it had 40ft and would have been able to attack the construct last round. In case it is ok to still do that I’ll make the attack here.
~
Jang’s summons ends and another celestial dire boar appears. Jang tells it to wait a moment!
Jang casts Dispel Magic on the poison cloud.
Now that Jang can see the battle field he 5 ft steps into the room.
Jang speaks with the boar as they share a language and tells it to attack the construct.
Both celestial boars attack the construct.
~
Jang shouts to Defaah to further grapple the caster (or pin if possible)!
Defaah continues to grapple the caster.
Jangafzaar - dmg;
Yellow Celestial Dire Boar - 3 dmg; (AC 15, DR5/evil, 52 hp);
Blue Celestial Dire Boar - 12 dmg; (AC 15, DR5/evil, 52 hp);
Defaah - 23 dmg; grappled;
Zenae - 62 dmg; unconscious; prone; weapon dropped; dying; stabilization check needed;
Yanda - dmg; ant haul (06:00); false life (06:00); mutagen (01:10); fox's cunning (1:04); protection from arrows (06:58); shield (01:04); readied action if spell casting;
Klarkosh (Gold) - 43 dmg; pinned;
Automaton (Green) - 53 dmg;
Uhvat - dmg; Shield (01:02);
Re the grapple/pin issue, yes your reasoning makes sense so I'm ok with that.
The dire boar advances out of the fog and the spinning blades and manages to poke the automaton with a sharp blow. Not all of the damage goes through but it is still plenty!
Jang dispels the stinking cloud and then calls forth another celestial pig which he also sends into the battle...
... it nimbly dodges the trap.
... but takes a guisarme to the eye.
It responds by immediately running its tusk right through the brains of the robot, rendering it rather inoperable.
The Yellow boar stabs at Klarkosh with its tusk and...
The boar's tusk stabs Klarkosh right through a gap in his gold-plating, though everyone can tell that his flesh is particularly sturdy, almost stone-like.
Adding insult to injury, the dinosaur pins the wounded wizard.
Uhvat continues the beat-down, lashing him with a chilly touch.
Zenae continues dying.
Yanda prepares to throw a bomb if needed.
But it is not needed, as the "master of the emerald spire" can see he is beaten and surrenders.
|
|
Jang pets Danduun and the bores where the latter vanish after several seconds.
“I am glad that this is over now! The robot man was quite hostile! At the same time I feel a little ashamed because we invaded his home and he tried to defend himself and the only thing that we did was to attack! It’s probable that we will loot everything here and pretend that it was all for the taking anyway ... but he was evil, right?!?“ Jang asks and his question hangs in the air.
|
"Evil, good, indifferent, it does not matter. The authorities in the region sent us to do the job and we did it and the world will be a safer place because of it. But, for your peace of mind, yes, the felow was evil or, at the very least, a megalomaniac that was going to send out an army of constructs to conquer by killing everyone that stands in the way."
Yanda pauses for a while, then laughs at herself, realizing the irony of what she just said.
Klarkosh, who is very much still awake, scowls at the pathfinders' banter. "Aye, priest, indeed, you are the invaders here, and I have no doubt that when the scales are weighed in Pharasma's boneyard you shall all earn what you deserve!" Turning to Uhvat, he replies, "Of course such is always the justification of invaders and desperadoes everywhere and everywhen. But surely I cannot be faulted for defending my home and the important work I have undertaken from interlopers and spies such as yourselves!" To Yanda, he simply grunts and mutters, under his breath, "And I would have gotten away with it too! If not for these meddling kids!"
Despite these protestations, Klarkosh recognizes that he is beaten and grudgingly reveals the secrets of his domain, such as the means of operating the levers.
This enables the group to examine the final rooms of the level. In the southeasternmost corner of the level the pathfinders find a scrap yard. Piles of scrap metal and broken machinery lie around this room, organized into tidy rows. Most are disassembled limbs or torsos from human-shaped machines. There’s a panel with a red-handled lever on the room’s east wall. Two clockwork servants are salvaging parts from several destroyed emerald automatons. They attack any intruders, firing nets and then moving to engage any characters who are not entangled
In the final room of the level the pathfinders find a small pool of water in a basin of gold tile lies in the center of this chamber, and the walls are decorated with tiled patterns, 8 once colorful but now cracked and faded. Four staggered columns support the vaulted ceiling. Here the pathfinders might have had to fight Klarkosh's door warden: a minotaur that Klarkosh has been slowly “improving” by adding clockwork components, most notably metal plating over its body. But it answers to Klarkosh and since he is your prisoner it stands aside.
The pathfinders are free to investigate anything else on the level and when ready they return to Fort Inevitable for the inevitable rounds of paperwork and reporting. Klarkosh pleads to be released into the forest to fend for himself against the wolves there - "far more bearable than all that hellknight paperwork!"
The pathfinders have been cooling their heels in Fort Inevitable for what feels like months. When the paperwork clearing them to continue their investigations into the Spire finally comes through the Hellknight who delivers it is almost apologetic. "The Paralictor has had us all buried in writing reports - apparently the Order of the Pike is going to be assessing all our operations from here on out. Don't be surprised if you adventurers end up having to bring in "best practices" consultants! Thankfully, we're not quite there yet because let me tell you: that stuff is straight from Hell! Anyway, here's your passes. My advice: take 'em and get down there before someone decides you need to get cleared by the committee on committees!"
The group takes the advice and wastes no time heading out of town, joined by their newest comrade, Kala, daughter of Krokum, and her faithful companion Stinky.
Using their spire transport tokens it is fairly quick work to return down to the level where Klarkosh had so recently attempted to build his construct army. From there, the group finds the stairs downwards and descends into the darkness.
Signs of battle — most commonly dried blood, scorch marks, and smashed bones — appear along the stairway down.
The stairs end in the northeast corner of a small, brightly lit room with a door on the west wall.
Large, oil-fed brass torches in wall sconces illuminate the room, shedding light as lanterns.
In the center of the room are two large iron racks holding numerous burning candles. There are 66 candles in six rows of 11. The iron candleholders are crafted so that each candle appears to be held in the jaws of a serpent. A phrase is written on each rack in a strange script.
“Offer prayer to Kro’akoth the Awakener, scaled brethren, and be welcome here.”
The door on the west wall is open, and leads to a short passage that ends at another door.
|
"Indeed. This looks worrying."
Uhvat spends a moment studying the room, particularly the signs of battle, to determine what combatants might be involved.
He focuses briefly, concentrating on what might be behind the door, particularly try to sense for any presence of undeads. He then listens at the door for what might behind.
|
The newly arrived human woman grimaces as the Hellknight takes his leave. "Ugh. I think part of that delay might be my fault." She had arrived a month and a half ago, two days ahead of the paperwork that was to grant her admission to the group's roster. She'd shrugged it off expressionlessly, though the perceptive would've noticed how overwhelmed and intimidated she was by the bureaucracy and paperwork.
When she had first arrived, she had made quite an impression. Her tall, muscular frame filled the doorway. Dressed in simple leathers over a practical mithral chain shirt, she always had her warhammer holstered at her hip. It had been her grandfather's, christened Orc Brains with all the imagination of a man whose primary concern was survival in a land constantly raided by orcs. She was plain as dirt, with a hooked nose and a stern expression that only melted when she looked at her wolverine companion, Stinky. Aptly named, he behaved more like a beloved puppy dog than a wild animal. When she practiced reading, as Kellids are mostly raised illiterate and she only started learning after joining the Pathfinder Society, he would curl up beside her with his head in her lap to snooze while she scratched his ears absentmindedly. Mostly, however, she spent her time getting to know the team and how they work together.
As the group descends into darkness, Kala casts Light on her warhammer, Orc Brains. Narrowing her eyes at the signs of the battle in the stairwell, she tries to determine how long ago it happened.
She senses Stinky's interest in the remains and chuckles a little, sending a feeling of amusement and acceptance through their empathic link.
The sight of the candles is at first welcoming. Once she takes a closer look at them, however, she senses evil at work. Nothing that worships snakes is good news. She doesn't even bother giving the writing a second look; it's obviously too complex for her to work out. She does, however, cast Detect Magic on the rack closest to her, just in case.
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|
Yanda shrugs, not particularly worried herself. to her, it was a hopeful sign. Though...
"Odd that someone left all those candles burning. What could that be about? Maybe I should lob a bomb in there and see what happens."
The look on her face shows that she is only considering the option, she is not reaching for a bomb or anything.
Now that she has taken her mutagen she looks more like some twig creature form the forest than the sylph she is. Every part of her is thin and her hands multi-jointed. Tie some cloth to her and she would make a fine kite.
|
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Ambling down the stairs behind his Kala, Stinky's curiosity is piqued by the scent of old blood. He sniffs at it, licks some off the wall, and grabs a bone to gnaw on later when they stop. There are always pauses in the journey when his Kala walks somewhere with people like this. They all smell like adventure: senses on high alert, but not scared. Just wary and a bit excited. Good smells. Like the smells from what's left of the marrow in this bone.
As soon as the group pauses in the room with the candlelight, Stinky plops down next to Kala to gnaw on that bone. Feeling the subtle sense of suspicion and unease from her, he leans his back into her leg as a show of solidarity as his drool dribbles down the bone onto the floor. You've got this, Kala. ... Yum!
|
You all see a slight Wayang appearing with a gun in each of his two holsters - the guns are attached to the respective wrist with a very fine chain.
He wears a chain shirt and beneath that an engineering outfit with lots of pockets and a large backpack on his back.
He bows to the team and his tone is calculated when he says ”Tofang is my name. Gadgets are innovations with an inherent danger and potential utility in the right hand! I try to have these hands. I just returned from a mission involving water ... I hope my guns stay dry this time?“ he asks innocently.
Tofang is sitting on a military saddle on top of a riding dog that looks like a mixture of a black wolfhound and a mastiff. It is clear that this dog can fight while carrying a rider and Tofang is not really fully in control.
~
When the Pathfinders appear in the respective level, the Wayang seems to be a little afraid.
He reads the words in undercommon.
"He.. hey, look. Here it says 'Offer prayer to Kro’akoth the Awakener, scaled brethren, and be welcome here.' Do you know who that is?" Tofang asks.
Tofang - dmg;
Tofang's dog - dmg;
Kala - dmg;
Stinky - dmg;
Yanda - dmg; 10 temp hp; ant haul (02:00); false life (19:00); mutagen (13:10); protection from arrows (19:00);
Uhvat - dmg; 10 temp hp; false life (18:00);
As the group descends the stairs through the wreckage of former battles Uhvat and Kala try to determine what might have happened but neither can make much sense of it beyond the determination that there were likely multiple battles that unfolded, none of them within days of the present: the blood is dry and caked; the scorch marks are no longer warm to the touch.
When they arrive in the room, Tofang easily deciphers the inscription regarding Kro’akoth the Awakener and translates it for the others.
As Uhvat and Tofang begin to cross the room, they each notice that the candles grow noticeably brighter and the stink of sulfur wafts across the room.
Meanwhile, Kala notes that the candles do indeed appear to be magical.
|
|
Kala's eyebrows rise as she senses the magical aura. Huh. Good hunch. She's mildly impressed with herself. In her rich, deep (for a woman) voice, she remarks: "These candles are magical. Just a sec." She continues to focus on her Detect Magic spell until she's figured out everything she can about them.
Unable to recognize what she's sensing, Kala inwardly groans at her ineptitude, then cuts herself short for a mental pep-talk. Hey, it's kinda hard to master the arcane arts when your spells are divinely granted and you're still learning how to read. Give yourself a break! You spotted it, and now your team can decide what to do about it. With *your* help. Clearing her throat, she asks for assistance with as much confidence as she can muster: "Um, I'm having trouble getting a read on this. Can anyone help me? Or is it no big deal? I don't know what the other levels of this place were like, so..."
Once finished, she wracks her brain for anything related to Kro’akoth the Awakener or references to "scaled brethren".
Eh. Sounds like a big long word, anyway. Probably wouldn't've even been able to sound it out.
|
|
"More religious mumbo jumbo. I'm sure whatever it is for will become apparent soon enough. the question is whether we douse the candles before we go on, or I lob a bomb in there and see if I can melt them all. What do you all think? I figure you have a say since if stuff blows up you might get hurt too."
Yanda starts fiddling with her bomb making stuff and pulls a flask from her belt.
Tofang - 25 dmg;
Tofang's dog - 12 dmg;
Yanda - 2 dmg;10 temp hp; ant haul (02:00); false life (19:00);mutagen (13:10); protection from arrows (19:00);
? - dmg;
Kala - 25 dmg;
Stinky - 12 dmg;
Uhvat - 15 dmg;10 temp hp; false life (18:00);
Kala is unable to discern anything about the magical candles beyond their magical nature and Yanda lacks the acumen of magic to make much sense of them. Tofang, however, is not only very knowledgable about the cults of Kro’akoth, but also apparently has a keen understanding of at least this sort of magic. Unfortunately, before he even has a chance to alert his new comrades about the presence of both abjuration and evocation magics, the candles grow even brighter and gutter wildly for an instant. Then they suddenly flare into brilliant sheets of flame that sweep across the room!
Along with the pain of their burned flesh, the pathfinders hear, to their horror, from all around comes the tolling of a bell! It is not quiet.
Tofang - 25 dmg; shield (12:05);
Tofang's dog - 12 dmg (13 hp); AC 13
Yanda - 2 dmg; ant haul (02:00); mutagen (13:10); protection from arrows (19:00); shield (12:07);
? - dmg;
Kala - 25 dmg;
Stinky - 12 dmg;
Uhvat - 15 dmg;10 temp hp; false life (18:00);
Yanda drinks an extract of shield and moves through the open doorway, coming to a stop in front of a second door. This door is closed.
Tofang similarly chugs a shield extract and then draws his second gun.
The group sees no obvious enemies or other threats, beyond the candles which continue to skitter and glow ominously, but in loud bell - sounding much like an alarm - continues to peal urgently.
Tofang - 25 dmg; shield (12:05);
Tofang's dog - 12 dmg (13 hp); AC 13
Yanda - 2 dmg; ant haul (02:00); mutagen (13:10); protection from arrows (19:00); shield (12:07);
? - dmg;
Kala - 25 dmg;
Stinky - 12 dmg;
Uhvat - 15 dmg;10 temp hp; false life (18:00);
Yanda works on picking the lock of the second door but quickly concludes that the door is not even locked. However, it does not open.
|
|
"Agh! Quickly Stinky! Heel! Now down. Good boy! Stay!" Kala guides Stinky to take up a position along the wall with the others, then flanks the doorway's hallway with him. Shuddering in pain, she nabs a potion out of her pack and takes a deep breath. Is there enough time? Could I heal Stinky before they get here? (Whoever they are...)