GM Erich's Devil We Know Series (Inactive)

Game Master Thereus, Silver Crusader

Qiroyo will also know that elementals of this size have DR 5 that cannot be bypassed.

Desperately trying to heal up the group continues the fight, with Durant just dodging its sweeping leg. The creature's stony hide proves extremely difficult to pierce. Sir Durant and the injured wolf find some success but Eka's well placed strike seems to do no harm. Altorin waits for the hulk to regain its feet before letting loose a blast of cold that seems to affect it fully and it turns its dull black eyes toward the water warrior. The elemental struggles to its feet and tests the paladin again, this time landing a crushing punch to his chest.

Eka, Durant, and Mange get an AOO as it stands up. 

AOO vs Durant: 1d20 + 15 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 15 - 4 = 14
AOO damage: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 2) + 8 = 15
Attack vs Durant: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
damage vs Durant: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (3, 1) + 8 = 12

Round 2/3 - Bold can act - bless and inspire are up!  
Elemental -17 damage
Qiroyo  
Sir Durant  -12 damage
-------------- 
Cyclic  
Mange  -24 damage 
Eka  -14 damage
Altorin  

Qiroyo moves to a more favorable position and tries to line up a shot, while he keeps explaining the details of earth elementals and how to best fight them.

attack, bless, ic, study, melee: 1d20 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 4
damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 = 5

Sir Durant grunts with pain, but calls on Iomedae to bolster his failing body as he continues the fight.

Swift action Lay on Hands, then attack!

LoH: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Flail, bless, IC: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 15 Damage, IC: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6

Mange AoO

to hit bite, bless, inspired: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 23
damage bite, inspired: 1d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9

Mange starts maneuvering around the side of his opponent and tries to take him down.

to hit bite, bless, inspired: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 20
damage bite, inspired: 1d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 1 = 12
trip, bless, inspired: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 = 18

Cyclic begins a summon monster 1 from her wand.

Slick, ref DC 15

Seeing the earthen monstrosity rise back up, Altorin lays a fresh layer of ice beneath it.

Sir Durant --- you get another attack as it rises up.

Ah, right! Forgot that!
I'm going to use my once per day bonus to an AoO from my Tactician trait.

Flail, bless, IC, trait: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 30 Damage, IC: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 1 = 11
Confirm crit?: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 20 Crit Damage?: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

Did Mange hit and did his trip work? If so, Altorin could do something other than slick it.

Hit yes, trip no. Just waiting on Eka.

AoO:
Seeing a opening, Eka dares to take a quick swing at the monstrosity.

cold iron morningstar: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 111d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
Includes Inspire Courage

Actual turn:

She then swiftly heals herself...

Lay on Hands: 1d6 ⇒ 6

...and tries to whack at it again. (Standard action)

cold iron morningstar: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 151d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 = 8
Includes Inspire Courage

"Thiss iss not working!" Her voice carries the tension, the fear that is building up inside her. After all that she has overcome, will this be the end? Her eyes quickly scan the rest of the area, hoping for a doorway to use to go around it, but there is no way except back or forward. Then, she receives a flash of inspiration. She concentrates on the elemental, attempting to use her Detect Evil ability on it. (Move action)

Hoping to be able to use Smite Evil on that thing. Fingers crossed!

As the elemental rises, Durant and Mange take advantage and chip off more pieces of its earthen form. Unfortunately no crit for the amorphous elemental...

Qiroyo's shot goes errant and everyone holds their breath as Altorin slicks the ground once again. The elemental digs in and remains standing. Sir Durant's flail slides off the hulk but Mange bravely finds a mouthful of chalky dirt and stone.

Cyclic's wand begins to glow and Eka cannnot find a weak enough spot to strike.

@Eka, using Detect Evil would provoke an attack unless you want to cast defensively (Concentration check DC 17). Also, you can just smite without detecting, but you might waste it.

With a grinding roar, the elemental lashes out at the wolf and the paladin, wounding Durant grievously but leaving Mange standing miraculously.

reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 oof, at least it wasn't an attack
slam vs Durant: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34
damage vs Durant: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (6, 4) + 8 = 18
slam vs Mange: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16
damage vs Mange: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 5) + 8 = 15

Round 3/4 - Bold can act - bless and inspire are up!
Elemental -34 damage
Qiroyo
Altorin
Sir Durant -25 damage
--------------
Cyclic
Mange -24 damage
Eka -8 damage

Cyclics spell finally goes off and a yapping dog appears behind it, offering a flank to the beleaguered pathfinders.

I don;t have time to make a combat post right now...

Previous round: casting Detect Evil defensively:

Concentration check DC 17: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

I'll post Eka's actions for this round after she gets the results from this action.

to hit dog, inspired: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
damage, inspired: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
I do not believe the bless helps as the dog was not around at the time the spell was cast.

Mange continues to circle around and takes a nip at it.
to hit bite, bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10
damage bite: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
trip, bless: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 = 17

Cyclic lets her wand fall to the ground, takes out an alchemist fire, and tries to plaster it in its upper right corner. the dog doesn't need that HP!

to hit ranged touch, bless, inspired range penalty: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 12
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1 and catch on fire if direct hit

gosh we suck.

I'll post Eka's actions for this round after she gets the results from this action.

Remember to circle and flank.

Not evil

"Ratss! Of coursse it iss not evil!" Eka blurts in frustration, letting Sir Durant know not to bother Smiting Evil on this monster.

As the elemental swings, she catches a glimpse of Mange slipping around to its other side. Taking a five foot step to achieve flanking position, she decides to heal herself and give it another go with the ol' morningstar.

Lay on Hands: 1d6 ⇒ 1

cold iron morningstar: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 91d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Includes Bless and flanking bonus

She then tries again to wrack her brain for any ideas that would give her group any semblance of an advantage.

The dice really want us dead.

Altorin will slick again. Sorry, phone post.

Given the stakes here, I'll roll for the elemental's reflex save while we are waiting for Qiroyo and Durant's actions.

reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 so it falls prone

Qiroyo steps left and and reloads. then he tries to line up a shot, while he keeps explaining the details of earth elementals and how to best fight them.

attack, bless, ic, study, melee: 1d20 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 12
damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 = 5

You might do better to try a different action if you have about a 10% chance of doing 1-3 points of damage. Other suggested actions: do the aid action. Pick up the summon monster wand and use it. Borrow and use a CLW wand on one of the injured. Borrow and use a flask weapon from one of the other characters. Cast Guidance.

Going to bot Durant to keep it moving, seeing his fire resistance gives me an idea to help increase the damage per round. Going to rule that he can smash the flask on it with a melee touch attack and only risk the splash damage, which luckily does not harm him.

Qiroyo fires another arrow that just impacts the surface of the creature as Altorin once again drops the elemental helplessly to its knees. Sir Durant drops his flail heals himself and yells "Stand back!" to protect Eka from the upcoming fire. Dodging the elemental's wild swing he pulls an alchemist's flask and smashes it against the creature's prone form, the baubles of fire-spray crawling up his arm, but only highlighting the resolve in his eyes. Cyclic tosses a flask of her own hitting the beast just above Durant's head, the gooey embers dropping over him like orange rain. Eka takes a wild swing before stepping back and Mange cannot find a proper weakness either.

The beast senses the summoned dog at the doors behind it and reflexively crunches it with its outstretched legs, sending the pup back to its home plane with a gnarled yelp.

From behind, Altorin and Cyclic can see the curious/worried faces of the city constables at the main gate, crossbows at the ready.

Round 4/5 - Bold can act - bless and inspire are up!
Elemental -38 damage <prone plus 2 alchemist fire damages next round>
Qiroyo
Cyclic
Mange -24 damage
Altorin
--------------
Eka -8 damage
Sir Durant -21 damage

@GM Erich: I just realized that I have been forgetting about Eka's feat, which allows her to heal an extra 2 HP per hit die rolled for magical healing. Can I retroactively add the 4 HP she should have received for her two Lay on Hands?

Frustrated at her inability to damage this thing, Eka switches to her preferred bardiche now that she has room to swing it.

cold iron bardiche: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 121d10 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11
Includes Inspire Courage and flanking bonus.

"Gaaah!" She is livid.

Of course you can, Eka.

Mange tries to circle around behind the elemental to gain flank but there is a wall in the way. Instead he feebly bites at the thing again, obviously feeling the pain from the wounds taken (or perhaps trying to not draw attention to himself?).

to hit bite, bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8
damage bite: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
trip, bless: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10 (though I think it is still prone so it will not count)

Cyclic decides to try her hand at healing instead of attacking, casts Cure Moderate Wounds (from a nice safe distance) but then steps up next to Sir Durant and heals him, leaving her wand behind.

CMW: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 8) + 4 = 17

Desperate to stay in the fight as long as possible, Durant nods his sincere appreciation to Cyclic for the healing before launching yet another assault on the fallen elemental. He reaches into his pouch once again and retrieves his remaining alchemist fire and repeats his previous action, tossing the concoction practically at his own feet.

Thrown weapon: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 + 4 = 23 Fire damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Cyclic nods as yet another of the vials coats the massive elemental and the flames leap higher and higher.

"Well done all! I think we may have turned the tide."

"Hey the city guards are still out there. We could lure the thing outside and let them hit it with a volley of bolts!" yells Altorin as he unleashes another ray of freezing energy.

Frost Blast Ranged Touch, PBS, bless, inspire, melee: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 18
damage, PBS, inspire courage: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 6

Qiroyo mumbles something about chaniging tactics and his hands start glowing in a dark blue. Then he moves into the monsters reach and touches it.

casting Chill Touch

melee touch attack: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 1 = 15
negative energy damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
DC 14 Fort or 1 Strength damage

Qiroyo strides forward with outstretched hand to deliver his chill touch. The huddled creature lunges out at the gnome as he approaches, smacking him hard but only assuring his ghostly touch is completed. Cyclic heals Durant significantly as Mange fails to find his early success. Altorin blasts again straight to the elemental's shifting face, weakening his visage that returns moments later. Eka's bardiche clashes hopelessly with its stony arm once again, but Durant is able to launch another fire onto it, spraying the area with ember-drops again, but carving away another chunk of its primal essence. With a bellow of rage, its rises up again on faltering knees and lashes out at the paladin who covers it in dreaded flames.

elemental AOO vs Qiroyo: 1d20 + 15 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 15 - 4 = 26
damage vs Qiroyo: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 2) + 8 = 12
elemental fort save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
alchemical fire extra damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 3) = 8
elemental vs Durant: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
damage vs Durant: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (1, 3) + 8 = 12

Durant, Mange, Qiroyo and Eka get an AOO as it stands.

Round 5/6 - Bold can act - bless and inspire are up!
Elemental -63 damage <1 alchemist fire damage next round>
Qiroyo -12 damage
Cyclic
Mange -24 damage
Altorin
--------------
Eka -4 damage
Sir Durant -16 damage

The elemental left an opening that the monk is willing to take.

Aoo, stunning fist: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 1 = 21
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
negative energy damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
DC 14 Fort or 1 Strength damage
DC 14 Fort or stunned

AoO Flail, bless, IC: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 17 Damage, IC: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6

After taking an opportune strike while the elemental arose once again, Sir Durant calls to his companions, "We need to fall back! I'll hold it while I can, but we need to get back. Maybe get the guards helping us!"

With his shield raised high against the elemental's assault, Sir Durant continues the fight, but from a more defensive stance, then shifts away toward the door.

Fighting Defensively, then take a 5ft step back

Flail, bless, IC, defensive: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 13 Damage, IC: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 = 12

Mamge takes snarles and bites as it stands
to hit bite, bless, inspired: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 23
damage bite: 1d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 1 = 8

Then takes another attack when he gets the chance.
to hit bite, bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 16
damage bite: 1d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 = 7
trip, bless: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 21

Is bardic inspiration still active? I assume so since it says so but I don't recall it being continued.

Cyclic whips out her wand of CLW and shifts over to Eka to bless him swith a little healing.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9; +2 more from Fey Foundling, right?

"Run?! Now? We can take this thing."

Altorin continues to prevent the elemental from running.

slick ref DC 15

AOO:

cold iron bardiche: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 181d10 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 15
Includes Inspire Courage and flanking bonus

"SSyclic! Qiroyo! Go! Go!" Eka exhorts her teammates to get moving, both for their safety and because they're blocking her from doing so. She then takes another swing at the elemental to cover their retreat.

cold iron bardiche: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 231d10 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 1 = 14
Includes Inspire Courage and flanking bonus

Before the creature connects with Sir Durant, it is brought down with a desperate hail of attacks and a particularly strong strike from Eka's bardiche. Its form cleaves in half and slides down itself into a odd amalgam of dwindling ice, lumps of stone and rust monster ichor, forcing Mange to leap out of the way.

Combat Over!
Qiroyo -12 damage
Cyclic
Mange -24 damage
Altorin
--------------
Eka
Sir Durant -4 damage

CLW on Mange: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW on Mange: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW on Mange: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
CLW on Mange: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW on Mange: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
CLW on Mange: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

It takes a while, but Mange is healed up eventually. Not for the first time Cyclic considers how expensive it is to have Mange around.

Chest heaving heavily from both physical exertion and the mental intensity of the battle, Eka takes a moment to catch her breath as she glances around assess everyone's wounds. Once Mange is healed up, she suggests: "Are we ready to move on? It sseemss we have much more to do here."

Once everyone is ready, she clambers over the detritus left by the dead elemental and tests the single door on the right (south) to see if it's locked. (If there's nothing in the room, she'll try the single door to the north next, followed by the double doors.

"I am not that Mange is healed up. Poor thing had a bit of a fright there."

Feel free to heal as needed as we move on a bit

The constables stand down and return to their posts outside, relieved that they did not have to face the stone monstrosity.

Doing a quick search through the remains of the battle scene, the derros’ corpses provides the following bounty: four suits of leather armor, four short swords, four repeating light crossbows, and 40 poisoned bolts.

Exploring the doorways the elemental was protecting, you find a circular corridor that surrounds the keep but is otherwise unremarkable.

The double doors open up into a great hall. Broken furniture litters the room: parts of a stool, a modest writing table battered in twain, and several smashed chairs sprawl across the keep’s wooden floor.

Two sets of stairs, one in the northeast corner and one in the northwest corner, lead both up and down from this level.

"Down? I'm sure that is where they went. Or up to gather more info before we give chase?"

"I ssay we go up firsst. There iss only sso much up there, but who knowss how far down it goess?"

ohh, I wanted to know, if stunning fist went through...

Relieved that his final advice helped the party bring down the monst, he looks at his open chest. "I'm afraid I must say, I am in no poistion to move on safely. Anyone got something to close this wound?"

Stunning fist had no effect on the elemental, nor did the flanking seem to work.

Fishing around in her pack, Eka pulls out a potion of Cure Light Wounds and hands it to Qiroyo. "Let uss ssee how thiss workss firsst."

"What's a matter Qiroyo? That elemental didn't soil your enthusiasm, did it?" asks Altorin with a grin.

...

"We can check out upstairs first. Might as well there are no surprises waiting to follow us."

Durant nearly collapses from exhaustion as the elemental finally falls into a pile on the floor. He makes his way doggedly over toward the nearest wall instead and leads up against it to catch his breath while the younger Pathfinders recover and begin searching the derros for loot. "Now that," he pants, "Was a battle!" Despite his fatigue, a small smile plays on his lips, and you can tell that he is both exhilarated and relieved that everyone made it through the fight safely (or close enough).

When he finally recovers enough to rejoin the party, he hangs his morningstar back on his belt and points toward the door the others are gathering around. "Right! Upward it is!" He draws his sword once again, just to be safe, but also to feel the comfort of his old blade in his hand once again.

Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Accessing the upper floors of the keep, you find the rooms there tossed and disheveled just like the main floor, but with no real clues or items of value.

Descending down, past a sign that grimly reads "Stavian’s Fair" the intrepid Eka is surprisingly hit by a blast of greenish magical energy in the vague form of an arrow that issues forth from the stairway balustrade itself, burrowing deep into her flesh and destroying her from within.

Further in, the first level of Stavian’s Fair contains four large solitary confinement pens reserved for political dissidents. Due to the wooden nature of these cells, the rust monster’s carnage appears to have not affected this floor. In the southwest cell, Durant locates a diary, and its last passage details the horrific abduction (see the handout next to the map). Several pages beyond the last entry were torn out.

The stairs to the lower level of the "fair" await...

-------------

to hit Eka (flat-footed touch AC): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
acid damage Eka (this round): 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5
acid damage Eka (next round): 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5
acid damage Eka (round 3): 2d4 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
acid damage Eka (and another one): 2d4 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

As this takes four rounds to unfold, anything you can possibly do to mitigate the damage could be done...

Updated Health
Qiroyo -12 damage <awaiting potion effect>
Cyclic
Mange
Altorin
Eka (up to -18 damage)
Sir Durant

the only thing I can think of would be to smash an Alkali flask against the acid damage to neutralize it, but just too many things could go wrong with that. So, no help here.

"So, they have laid traps for us. That does not bode well. I guess we do our best to heal up what we take and continue on."