GM Erich's Devil We Know Series (Inactive)

Game Master Thereus, Silver Crusader

Desperately trying to remember a weakness, Qiroyo finishes with "He is best fought with.... bows and arrows!"

in other words.. no weaknesses, but very dangerous at close range :)

Qiroyo and Sir Durant move cautiously to close with the threatening ghoul priest. The remaining skeleton lurches forward but Eka knocks it sprawling into the wall with her trusted bardiche. The bone fragments clatter to the ground clouded in a veil of weakened necromancy. With a snarling hiss, Teppish curses at the nagaji in a gravely tongue and she ponders leaving the battle in fright.

Need a DC 15 will save from Eka or be frightened for 1d4 ⇒ 3 rounds. Shaken for 1 round if save is successful. Don't forget your +4 bonus for being so close to Sir Durant (doesn't stack with bless).

acro Durant: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (15) - 5 = 10
Eka AOO: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Eka AOO damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Round 2 - Bold can act - Bless is up
Altorin - 2 damage
Belmiir
Cyclic
Mange
Eka <Need Will Save>
Qiroyo
Sir Durant
Purple "Man" (Dalario Teppish)

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Includes the +4 from Sir Durant.
Does NOT include the addtional +3 vs. mind-affecting effects (racial trait) if applicable/stackable.
I will resolve the rest of her actions after the results of this will save are revealed.

The Nagaji Racial resistance to mind-affecting would apply but would not be enough to make the save. Frightened, it is. Run, Eka, run!

Cyclic responds in kind and casts a DC 16 Doom on the scary fellow, dismounts, and then urges her wolf to move forward and engage. Mange passes the oddly hesitant paladin nagaji. A potentially foolish move considering the warning just given. But Mange doesn't know any better (though evidently Cyclic does).

to hit bite, bless: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10
damage bite: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
trip, bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 15

Alas, but with no bone as the prize and being forced to drop the bone he already has, Mange is just not all that motivated.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" With an inglorious scream, Eka turns tail and flees the scene, shoving past all of her comrades and high tailing it down the hall occasionally risking a glance over her shoulder to see if the scary, scary ghoul is still there. "AAAAAA! AAAAA! AAAAAAAA!! (Full action run)

Qiroyo carefully studies the ghoul and tries to determine a combat strategy. He decides to encourage his allies with mystical advice.

"Fear not my friends. Fear is the path to the evil side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

Inspire Courage: +1 attack, +1 damage, round 1/4

I assume we want to try to keep this guy pinned for ranged attacks?

Altoron moves into range to coat the ground beneath the ghoul with ice.

Slick ref dc 15

Sir Durant stalks forward, a grim look on his face as he holds his sword aloft. "I regret the fact that I have already called down Iomedae's wrath on your minions, priest! Still, the Inheritor will not forsake me, even now. Prepare for your end!" Just as he is about to pass the end of the rows of cages, Durant raises his shield before him and ducks to the right before bringing his sword down in a vertical strike at the ghoulish Teppish.

Move 20ft and attack. I believe to get to my current spot, I would need to step up right across the desk from Teppish, then to the north, provoking an AoO. This should leave the corridor open for the others though.

Longsword, bless, inspired: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 17 Damage, inspired: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

Altorin's icy blast coats the wall and floor causing the ghoulish man to slide nearly under the table. Belmiir advances, axe in hand, in front of Eka as Cyclic tries to frighten the man in her own way. But the now mindless ghoul-man does not even react to that spell in the slightest. Mange skirts over to the now downed creature and bites into the wet mess of ice and tattered clothes but finds nothing solid to gnaw. Eka is supernaturally bewildered by all the action and flees in panic. sorry! Qiroyo's strangely familiar chant is enough to guide Sir Durant's challenging strike into the prone monstrosity, which instinctively lashes out at the hero who harmed him.

reflex purple: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
bite purple, prone and partial cover: 1d20 + 5 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 4 - 2 = 7
claw purple, prone and partial cover: 1d20 + 5 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 4 - 2 = 5
claw purple, prone and partial cover: 1d20 + 5 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 4 - 2 = 11

Round 3 - Bold can act - Bless and Inspire Courage are up
Altorin - 2 damage
Belmiir
Cyclic
Mange
Eka <frightened - 2 rounds left>
Qiroyo
Sir Durant
Purple "Man" (Dalario Teppish) - 7 damage <prone>

@Eka, you only need to run far enough to be able to not see the source of your fear, so around that corner will be enough.

Suddenly realizing that the man is now undead himself, she unloads a DC 16 decompose corpse on it. With that, she expends the last of her spell energy for the day. Dang, is that really a touch spell? Crap.

Edit: Cyclic moves forward so that she is in position to case a decompose corpse spell later, drawing one of her protection from evil scrolls in case the scene is too crowded.

Altorin will ready an action to slick the floor beneath the ghoul again once he attempts to stand up.

Eka finally--finally!--ducks around the corner and skids to a halt, limbs awkwardly askew, as she stares at the comparatively-non-threatening walls around her. Deep, rapid, breaths rasp from her gaping mouth as her heart pounds in her chest. She strains to hear past the thrumming in her ears to the sounds of the skirmish at the end of the hall, terrified that the ghoul will break free from her comrades (or worse, kill them all) and she would hear its footsteps racing after her with grisly intent.

With his undead opponent thrashing ineffectually at his legs, Sir Durant shifts aside, leaving a space for his allies to join the fray up close before he plunges his sword down toward Teppish again.

Longsword, bless, IC: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 26 Damage, IC: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 1 = 11

Mange takes advantage of the downed foe and takes a good nip.

to hit bite, bless: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 1 = 18
damage bite: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Mange and Sir Durant combine for a set of blows that force the ghoulish man once known as Dalario Teppish to melt away into an ashy paste, betraying his once human form as he claws the stony ground until his last throes.

The paladin can now clearly see a large chest jammed under the desk.

Combat Over!
Altorin - 2 damage
Belmiir
Cyclic
Mange
Eka
Qiroyo
Sir Durant
Purple "Man" (Dalario Teppish) - 28 damage <destroyed>

"Good boy, Mange," Sir Durant cheers the wolf's bit with a good scratch and pat behind the ears. After thanking Mange for the help defeating Teppish, the knight ventures back up the hall to retrieve Eka.

"Come on, Eka, it's alright. We've destroyed the fiend. You don't need to be afraid anymore." He stays with Eka until Teppish's magic wears away, understanding that the nagaji would not have fled from this fight unless she was under some compulsion. "Good, glad to have you back. Now let's get back in there and help the others search around."

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 19

"A-ha! A hidden compartment. Typical of these types of megalomaniacs. And look, he had written out his evil plan. A pity he didn't have the chance to deliver his monologue."

Perception 2: 1d20 ⇒ 19

After searching through the chest below the desk and finding the trade bars, Durant notices something else of interest, "Hmm..what's this switch?" Before pressing it, Sir Durant turns to his companions. "Anybody know how to check for traps?"

Eka sheepishly, though gratefully, accepts Sir Durant's moral support. "First blinded, now this. Looks like whoever controls my fate wants me to know I'm not invincible." When she returns to the group, her eyes are lowered in humility. She stands quietly nearby as the more experienced paladin searches the vicinity of the ghoul's remains.

"Not me. I may have know something about traps in a previous life. My hands tend to twitch when someone says the word trap, but if I did, I lost it all in the reincarnation."

perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19

Altorin inspects the switch Sir Durant requests help with.

"Fate has caught up with this sinister man."
Qiroyo studies the manuscripts.

Hmm... Lookss like no one in this group knowss how to deal with trapss. Maybe I could try to figure that out onsse we're done here? I don't know. Maybe.

Altorin is certain the lever provides no danger, so Belmiir steps up and pulls it. With a slow grinding of gears, the room begins to slowly rotate clockwise, effectively sealing the door you entered from the crypts (as it now faces a blank wall) and opening a new door in the east wall that leads into a vast tunnel system. see map

Weary from the battles and travails of the day, you decide to return to the Venture Captain to present your newly found evidence rather than risk an unknown foray into even more dangerous locales. Heading back to the surface, the surviving engineers and other kidnapping victims praise you for your timely intervention and the thwarting of Dalirio's plans to send bands of skeletons to assault their fair city.

Returning to the lodge, Hestia becomes worried about the newly uncovered plot to infiltrate a Cassomir building and make off with all of its inhabitants. Over the next few days, she tries to warn Cassomir’s officials about the tunnel system and it new denizens but is unable to provoke any satisfying responses from them. The authorities, she tells you, either think the claims are false or simply can’t cut though the bureaucracy to make anything happen about the matter.

Resigned that there is only one resolution to this problem, she informs you to rest up and prepare yourself for a final showdown with those who still threaten the city of Cassomir...

End of Part 3

Weary from the battles and travails of the day, you decide to return to the Venture Captain to present your newly found evidence rather than risk an unknown foray into even more dangerous locales.

How very out of character for us. Must be the end of the scenario:)

================================================================
You spend another week as guests within the Cassomir Lodge, practicing your swordplay and studying your texts. The Pathfinder Chronicles here are sparser than the Grand Lodge, but the tales within are enough to hold your attention during the long nights.

You are awoken from your sleep early on a Moonday morning and quickly assemble around the lodge's long table, still wiping the sleep from your eyes.

Venture-Captain Hestia Themis, a woman of small stature, but now greater importance within Cassomir, sweeps locks of thick, raven hair away from her face. As she starts to speak, shrill horns bellow an alarm through the alleys outside. Hestia pauses for the signal to quiet, and as the trumpeting ring fades, her booming voice continues.

“Colleagues, the city of Cassomir declared a state of emergency this morning. Late last night, a swarm of rats poured into Cassomir’s streets, spilling from every sewer grate within the Old Cassomir district. As the city guards dealt with this infestation, a large assault force of derros penetrated Swift Prison. Within a few hours, the derros emptied the Swift, and marched their new slaves into the Darklands. Normally we defer incidents like this to the authorities, but I offered our assistance. There’s an item of interest, a church bell called the Bell of Obedience, that may reside in Swift Prison’s chapel. We want to catalogue it and may never have another opportunity to explore the Swift unsupervised. While investigating the derro invasion, head to the chapel and inspect the bell. If possible, I want you to determine whether the Chapel’s bell is in fact the legendary bell of obedience without taking it from the prison. Cassomir’s constabulary is as of this moment fighting Cult of Nature’s Cataclysm devotees at the south entrance to the prison."

She rolls out a cursory map of the on the table and highlights her words with lithe fingers. "The constabulary agreed to distract the cultists there so that you might approach the Swift from its north side and enter the prison from the south gate behind the cultists.”

At that moment, a familiar teenage boy enters through the Cassomir Lodge’s front door and Themis gestures him over. “This is Nefti—I believe you remember him from when this sortid mess started. Though he works with the Aspis Consortium, he did help us rescue a fellow Pathfinder when this derro business began. It seems Nefti happened to be serving a debtor’s term inside the Swift when the abductions took place. For his testimony to last night’s events we secured his release. He agreed to escort you to a spot north of the Swift where he will tell you all he knows. Any questions? We must hurry to action...”

local: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
local: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

kn local, bell, untrained: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
kn local, Swift, untrained: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

"I had thought that they were planning on capturing the leadership of the city, not the prison population. How odd. Why the prisoners? Good thing we are still in town. Maybe we can catch up with the druid fanatics or cultists or whoever and deal with the menace once and for all."

Sir Durant shifts his weight with apparent discomfort, "Are we meant to engage the cultists at all, Venture-Captain? I personally feel ill at ease to let the constabulary fight off an invasion on their own!"

Eka turns her reptilian gaze to Sir Durant. "We will be invesstigating the derro invasion. Going for the head insstead of hacking at the exsstremitiess, sso to sspeak. Cut off the head, and the limbss do not know what to do. There iss more than one way to fight." She seems resigned to the role of the non-fighting warrior for the time being. She has been pondering her experiences with helplessness and uselessness in the recent weeks, and has come to the conclusion that physical fighting, while often useful, sometimes isn't the only (or even best) way to achieve one's goals.

The Venture Captain turns first to Sir Durant's query. “The governor ordered them to attack the Swift from Harbor Watch and clear out the persistent cultists it seems the derros left behind to cover the kidnapping. Hopefully with the cultists fighting the constables in the streets to the south of the prison, you’ll be able to enter from the north with little trouble. I'd say we trust them to do their duty, and we'll do ours.”

She then turns to the gnome. “Yes, Cyclic, this is particularly bold on the part of the derros. It makes me wonder who guides their actions. Apparently, they used the Ismacco tunnels beneath Old Cassomir, the ones you discovered a few weeks ago to get in. They have dozens or possibly hundreds of prisoners and are likely moving slowly beneath the city. Now, Nefti here overheard some of their plans and is sure he knows the location beneath Cassomir’s Locker where they intend to take the prisoners.”

Picture of Nefti is now up (found him in another scenario!) and a map of the Swift Prison is as well. Go ahead and start to figure out how you want to approach it and any other preparations you need to make. Realize that that map has squares that are 10 feet across rather than the usual 5.

What's the scale for the prison map?

"Nefti escaped? Again? Seems too convenient given the circumstances."

Cyclic quietly agrees with Altorin's assessment but is too polite to say anything. She also doesn't want to let on that she is suspicious in case it is founded. In any case, she is particularly sure that...

"Well, I'm sure Nefti will lead us right to them," and into a trap, "so quit offending the fellow and let's make a plan. Sooo, which of these buildings house the chapel? Or is the bell in the main building? And how does a drop off to the north help us get in a south gate?"

"Our own path we should forge."

"Yes, Cyclic, Nefti helped us in the past and I trust him. The Aspis Consortium is another matter entirely.” Hestia exchanges a few quick glances to make sure there are no hard feelings. Nefti gives a resigned nod.

She continues. "As to the bell's location? Safe and sound, I hope, in the southeast corner of the Greedy Narses - that is what the entry hall to Swift Prison is called. I'm sorry we couldn't have come up with a better plan, but events happened rather quickly this morning. If you hurry, the constabulary should provide enough distraction to get you inside, but they can't hold out forever."

Altorin will purchase a wand of clw with prestige points. Are there any good ways to counter darkness via alchemy? Maybe a potion that gives scent?

75gp ioun torch purchase.

"Then I guess we should enter through the Greedy Narses first, inspect the bell on the way, and continue our search for the prisoners. Are we ready?"

"Yes, ma'am! I will follow the plan as directed. I only wished to express my concern for the local law enforcement, and my desire to support them if given the chance. I know that our mission is of critical importance, though, and that they have agreed to this risk for our sake, so I will honor that.

"Now, Nefti, it is good to see you again. I am glad we were able to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, and we appreciate your guidance. Come, we seem to be on a rather tight schedule. Lead the way!"

Purchasing an oil of Daylight using 2 PA.

Eka nods and rises, her bardiche held upright beside her like a macabre shepherd's crook. "Yess. We have no time to wasste." Her hide armor creaks with foreboding as she turns to leave.

The group leaves the lodge with supplies in hand and heads toward the prison, approaching cautiously from the north. The sounds of a lingering battle up ahead on the southern side of the prison portend the constabulary's tenuous hold on the seaward district.

When you are within a block or so of the massive building, Nefti gestures at the towering walls of Swift Prison and the ramshackle buildings that make up the rest of the prison’s grounds. “This is as far as I go. Beyond the Swift’s thick gates, the Ismacco tunnels await. Deep below the keep, within the sewers, dozens of derros are marching the guards and prisoners into the depths of Golarion. Be careful, several of those Nature’s Cataclysm freaks still roam the Swift’s grounds.”

No sooner does he utter the warning, then the sound of excited chittering fills the alleys nearby. A half dozen child-sized rats scurry from the darkened streets to fill the area before you. Their handlers follow closely behind. "Come join the maker on the End of Days!" one shouts as he charges.

Nefti sees the first signs of rats and shakes his head vigorously. “I’m just a boy—what help could I be?” before disappearing behind the building.

Round 1 - Bold can act
Orange Rat
Altorin
Pink Rat
Red Companion
Sir Durant
Pink Companion
Eka
Pink Human
Yellow Rat
Yellow Companion
Red Human
Orange Companion
Cyclic
Mange
Qiroyo
Red Rat
Yellow Human
Orange Human

Moved the first four rats to close the distance. Placed a smaller battlemap of the area, remember the squares are ten feet across, not five, for targeting and movement. The "thicker" rats are the animal companions and slightly tougher.

"Alright, Altorin," Sir Durant calls back over his shoulder, "Time to put some rats down." The knight rushes forward and stops just near enough to the red-eyed rat to strike at the beast, and far enough to leave Altorin a clear space to coat with ice. It had taken some time working together, but Durant was finally learning how to work with his fellow agents.

Longsword, charge: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 2 = 18 Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Uh huh. Just as I thought, an ambush!

With a grim yet satisfied smirk, Eka wades forward into battle with the rats, striking at the one with the skinny purple border.

cold iron bardiche: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 171d10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Altorin's pupils disappear as his eyes fill with frigid energy, radiating a crystalline blue light as he pulls aether into this plane as a frigid burst.

Slick Ref DC 15

Altorin ices the ground and one of the rats tumbles to the side with a thud. Eka rids the field of one of the others but Durant's sturdy vermin hangs on by a thread. More of the druidic host amble forward to engage, their clubs shining with an otherworldly sheen.

Orange Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Pink Companion Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Round 1 - Bold can act
Orange Rat <prone>
Pink Rat -10 damage <unconscious>
Red Companion -11 damage <staggered>
Sir Durant
Pink Companion
Altorin
Eka
Pink Human
Yellow Rat
Yellow Companion
Red Human
Orange Companion
Cyclic
Mange
Qiroyo
Red Rat
Yellow Human
Orange Human

Before reaching the site, Cyclic cast Ant Haul on Mange (it's in her SoP). As usual, at the start of the fight she casts bless from her wand and tucks it away. Finally, she urges Mange forward to the attack (on red rat) who seems to be getting better and better as he gains health under Cyclic's care.

to hit bite, bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 1 = 16
damage bite: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
trip, bless: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15

Mange finishes off the rat, nearly ripping its head clean off. Qiroyo steps out and takes a potshot at the flanking rat. The remaining foes join the melee, hoping to augment the fallen, as the prone one scurries to regain its ground and exits the frosty dirt. The other iced-rat bites into the air near Durant, damaging only its pride.

Qiroyo crossbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Orange Rat acro: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Pink Companion acro: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Pink Companion bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Round 2 - Bold can act - Bless is up
Orange Rat
Pink Rat -10 damage <unconscious>
Red Companion -22 damage <unconscious>
Pink Companion
Sir Durant
Altorin
Eka
Pink Human
Yellow Rat
Yellow Companion
Red Human
Orange Companion
Cyclic
Mange
Qiroyo
Red Rat
Yellow Human
Orange Human

Delayed Sir Durant a step to tighten the initiative up a bit, don't think it'll make a big difference.

Wading through the prison like an effigy of ice, billowing a thick, dense fog that hangs to the ground, Altorin continues to beckon bursts of ice beneath the followers of Groetus.

No burn for the previous slick, Slick Ref DC 15

@party - I assume we want to keep the enemy in front of us and thus keep the slicks on the side?