LoreMaster GM's PFS 9-14 Down the Verdant Path (Inactive)

Game Master vlaovich88

I did not say I had my rapier drawn so not taking AoO

Cortland draws his rapier and stabs at Blue.

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Vinnie attempts to deliver the spell that he is still holding.

melee touch attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
ILW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

If that somehow takes him out - I assume it doesn't - Vinnie will move forward 3 squares.

Aldar moves up to one of the tiny hounds, giving it a swift kick to the head. The is enough to drop the odd critter on the ground, unconscious. 10 nonlethal damage to yellow. I am removing him since the overlay will get messy

I believe you do flank in that situation.

The water deals damage every round after being in it for three. So at the top of the round, I will roll your damage till you get out.

A glorious eagle apears out of thin air ready to tangle with the fey woman in the tree. The bird has a fearsome start with flurry of claws and bite all finding some skin to rip apart. The bite was almost in a very bad place for the fey woman, but it missed by inches. 7 damage to red. (Didn't confirm the crit)

Jang begins casting a long spell again.

Courtland is clearly shocked by the tiny hound moving up to him and the arrow in his side so when he draws his sword, he nearly fumbles it. He is able to maintain his grip, but is ineffective with an attack.

Vinnie, I moved you up with a move action since your target was already dead and had you attack the other hound. I hope that was an okay assumption. Vinnie is glad to see the enemy on him drop so he moves quickly across the ice and pokes the other hound, hoping to release his magical charge. The poke finds it's mark leaving a nasty wound in the poor hound. 5 damage to blue

I will bot Gorak's standard action. If you do not like the action, I will allow you to redo the action in your next post. Gorak sees how much Jang is struggling to get out of the water so he digs in his bag to pull out his rope.

The fey woman looks very upset about this sudden eagle in her tree. She puts away her bow and pulls out her dagger and tries to cut it once. She is able to make slice on it, but the eagle is still alive.3 damage to the eagle

The hound keeps trying to smack Courtland with it's tail. This time, the hound does hit with a surprisingly powerful tail slap. 4 damage to Courtland

Everyone is up! That eagle was a smart play! But you take nonlethal cold damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3.

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Round 6 statusall surfaces difficult terrain and –5 penalty on all Acrobatics and Climb check
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Gorak
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Round 7 statusall surfaces difficult terrain and –5 penalty on all Acrobatics and Climb check
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Jang 11/24 (13NL)
Aldar
Courtland 7/19
Vinnie
Fey woman (red) -7
"Hound" (yellow)-10 (10NL)
"Hound" (blue) -5

acrobatics to 5ft hop, DC 10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Aldar lightly hopes over to the Cortland and the next enemy and delivers another debilitating set of kicks.

kick blue, power attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 non-lethal damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
kick blue, power attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 non-lethal damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

"Someone needs to help Jang before he freezes to death." Aldar says calmly as he knockout kicks the tiny creature.

Assuming that Aldar has taken out blue...
Vinnie moves into melee with the fey woman.
"We don't wish to harm you - we are simply here to close the rift, just as you wish - but if we must defend ourselves we shall. But why don't you surrender?!?"
Assuming she doesn't surrender...
melee touch with wand of inflict wounds: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
ILW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Cortland stabs at the blue enemy again with his rapier.

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Confirm?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 Bonus Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Thanks GM. I honestly assumed that since I rolled the climbs, that is what I would be doing for the next 9 rounds!

Gorak grabs the rope, and attempts top heave it up and over the edge.

"Right-o! Someone come to our assistance! Grab this rope!"

Jang finishes his spell and another celestial eagle appears above the fey!

Jang then tries to swim out.

climb : 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17

-

The existing eagle attacks!

Talon 1 : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 191d4 ⇒ 3

Talon 2 : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 111d4 ⇒ 1

bite : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 101d4 ⇒ 2

Please add 1 to the damage if evil.

-

The new celestial eagle appears above the fey and attacks with a smite!

Talon 1 : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 201d4 ⇒ 4

Talon 2 : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 231d4 ⇒ 4
Crit confirm bite : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 91d4 ⇒ 2

bite : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 71d4 ⇒ 1

Please add 1 to the damage if evil.

The closing of the fight will be much less detailed than I would of liked.

Aldar is able to drop the last hound with a swift quick to the head. It falls to the ground unconscious.

Vinnie climbs up the tree after the fey woman who looks shocked as he pokes her with the wand and a nasty wound forms on her flesh.

You are all trying to trick me! Everyone here are tricksters. That is all they do! You can't fool me! And surrender? You clearly have no clue where you are... You can make a knowledge nature check here to get some extra info about what she means by that.

Jang shockingly pulls himself out of the water as he creates another glowing white eagle that swoops in to attack the fey woman. Between both eagles, the woman falls out of her tree, missing her throat which is in one of the eagles talons.

End of combat! Nice job, this wasn't an easy one.

With all combats taken care of, you are easily able to use thrope to help Gorak out before he freezes.

Gorak spots a handful of different items that might make his faction happy.The first is a frozen bird that froze right as it was about to take flight out of a tree. It is a dc15 Climb check to climb up a 10-foot-tall tree to reach that bird. (remember the -5 to climbs check due to the ice)

He spots a campfire that the flames seem to of been caught by the flash freezing. The frozen flames are particularly delicate. harvesting a good sample requires a dc15 Sleight of Hand check or a DC 14 Dexterity check.

Lastly, he spots a bunch of flowers that have been effected by the freeze. These are numerous and wouldn't be a challenge to collect a sample. No checks needed for this.

On the fey woman, you find a potion of cure light wounds, a potion of jump, a sleep arrow, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str), and a masterwork studded leather armor. The hounds do not have any gear.

I will pause her for healing and interacting with everything here.

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Round 7 statusall surfaces difficult terrain and –5 penalty on all Acrobatics and Climb check
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Gorak
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Round 8 statusall surfaces difficult terrain and –5 penalty on all Acrobatics and Climb check
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Jang 11/24 (13NL)
Aldar
Courtland 7/19
Vinnie
Fey woman (red) -22
"Hound" (yellow)-10 (10NL)
"Hound" (blue) -17 (12NL)

Cortland will whip out his wand of Cure Light Wounds. Someone, please? Alchemists can't use wands without a UMD check.

Meanwhile he puzzles over what was meant by the cyrptic comment

Knowledge Nature, Inspiration: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (19) + 8 + (1) = 28

If no-one steps forward he wands himself.

UMD, DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
UMD, DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20 CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

He then looks toward Jang.

UMD, DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
UMD, DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23 CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Gorak absentmindely reaches for the wand, giving the human two quick taps with the wooden branch before handing it back to him. All the while, his attention seems fixed on several of the curiosities lingering just on this side of the fissure.

"Well, if you don't say! Look at these fine fragments of they fey, Chaps!" as he walks over to the field of crystalized flowers. He picks several, placing them in a small satchel at his side. He stands back up and goes to readjust his tophat- immediately remembering that it was sacrificed to enter into the First World.

Moving underneath the tree, he makes several attempts to try and shimmy up
climb: 1d20 + 0 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 0 - 5 = 0
climb: 1d20 + 0 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 0 - 5 = -1
climb: 1d20 + 0 - 5 ⇒ (3) + 0 - 5 = -2

After several very pathetic attempts to climb the tree, a dejected Gorak turns back to the group. "I don't suppose one of you mates could give me a bit of a boost? Between that frozen bird, and those intricate flame pieces- I am thinking I could add some might fine items to my collection!"

Anyone willing to help with either the climb or the DD/Dex?

Vinnie easily climbs into the tree to help Gorak. Take 10 on Climb for 20, -5 for icy conditions, net result of 15.

He also attempts to harvest some of the flames.
Dex 14: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Finally, Vinnie offers to take either of the potions if no one else wants them. Vinnie has a prehensile tail for swift retrieval of items, and the accelerated drinker trait lets him drink potions as a move action.

Jang looks deeply sorrowed and very uncomfortable in the cold.

He thanks Cortland for the healing.

”Thank you very much for your kindness! I have two admit that it is hard to except that some forces need to fart so that Love can spread!“

Aldar tries to make sure that the fey woman won't actually keel over and die. Then he makes sure to help people climb when they need the help.
heal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Cortland remembers something about fey creatures that are in the First World. They can never truly die. All fey immortal here so when it came to the end of the fight, she sees no benefit to surrendering.

) A First World creature killed while on the First World does not travel to the Boneyard, but simply reappears elsewhere in the First World 1d10 days later as if raised by resurrection, save that the negative level and Constitution drain from that spell cannot force it below 1st level or a Constitution score of 1.

Vinnie is able to help with gathering all the goods that Gorak points out.

If my math is right, everyone is full except Courtland? He healed for 6, bringing him to 13/19.

Are we all set to head out? What is the plan for moving forward?

Yeah, I know out of character that they don't really die.

Aldar replies to Cortlands knowledge, "Just because they come back doesn't mean they should experience their version of death. Even fey make mistakes...actually, I think fey make a lot of mistakes, but they shouldn't die for them. We all turned out alright after everything that happened."

Vinnie uses his wand to heal Cortland.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"There you go, ole chap, as good as new!"

”Are there any tracks we can follow?!“

survival aid : 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Gorak, lost in the wonders of the first world, is oblivious to any tracks or purpose at the moment. It isnt until Jang speaks up that he is pulled back to their original purposes.

"Oh right. The color! We best be off then, though I haven't a clue where to look next" as he once again reaches to adjust his hat, and finds it missing.

No survival

Vinnie realizes that they should be looking for a path or tracks or some other indication of the best direction to head and begins to look around for any signs.

Survival, aid from Jang: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 2 = 23

Vinnie is able to find some tracks on the ground from the fey woman. Oddly, her footprints seem to be as if she walked here backwards.

As you start following the odd prints, you begin to notice the next oddity when it comes to this strange realm. The seasons all seem to happen randomly and will vary from one moment to the next.

The first season to hit you is a sudden winter. Ice forms over the ground nearly instantly but as quick as it forms, it vanishes giving way to sunshine and rampant undergrowth.

You continue your trek and experience the other seasons as well with clouds of pollen and swirling leaves. There is no method of predicting these changes but alas, you move forward.

No matter the season, the air above this grove dances with multicolored sparks that orbit slowly around a massive mound of prickly vegetation and mulch. A cluster of gnarled, leafless trees rises from the heap. Instead of bearing fruit, the trees bear fat, round bindle bags, each tied closed with silvery rope. Five extinguished campfires dot the grove, each positioned near the mouth of a separate trail.

It is hard to get a good read on what those bindle bags are from here. The mulch is 5 ft high so it will be difficult terrain to move up on it but seems to be packed enough that once you are up, it will be easy enough to move around. Only the first square of the center circle is difficult terrain. Map is up to date.

Everyone can make a perception check. If you are trained in knowledge nature or survival, you may substitute those for the perception check.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

"What interestin' weather patterns. Ain't nothing perdictable about it. I am a wonderin' how the local fauna can manage it all"

perception : 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Knowledge Nature, Inspiration: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 8 + (3) = 23

"This place is...strange." Aldar says as he looks around.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Vinnie will also attempt to activate his wand of mage armor when they arrive at the grove.

UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Any chance you want to share a charge of that wand on Aldar, Vinnie? I'd pay for it if PFS let you do so.

of course. No charge. :-)

UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

It takes several tries, but eventually Vinnie remembers how to use the wand of Mage Armor and uses it on Aldar.

Huh, in my head, I always thought that mage armor was a personal spell. But alas, I am wrong.

Vinnie, Aldar, and Courtland recognize one of the plants up on the hill of mulch as being... different. It is standing rigid and upright, posing as one of the branchless trees. The others will notice the oddity if pointed out to them as well.

Cortland points of the strange vegetation

Vinnie hails the strange looking "tree" cheerfully. "Well, hello there! It sure is nice to see a tree in these here parts - reminds me of the carefree days of my youth, when my friends and I would spend our Saturdays swinging from branch to branch - though that was far from here. I don't suppose you have too many monkey people around here? Anyway, I'm Vinnie and these here are my friends. What's your name?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

The "tree" does not respond to Vinnie at all. You can make a knowledge nature check on it.

Knowledge Nature, Inspiration: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 8 + (2) = 28

What type of tree is that?

Gorak steps forward and looks at the tree more closely- reaching out to touch the bark. Any chance the Occultist object reading would work here?

Jang follows his companions in contemplation as he is still in thoughts about the necessary aggression against the Fey.

At the same time he is mesmerised by the beautiful surroundings of this world.

”This world would surely please my goddess because of its beauty! Please ... let us try not to fight again here ... “

Before Gorak climbs up to touch the tree, Cortland is able to recognize the danger of that "tree". It is actually a dangerous plant called an "assassin vine". It seems to of joined the trees here to disguise itself as a normal tree.

assassin vines are dangerous plants that lie in wait. They grapple and constrict people and have some capacity to entangle people with nearby vines.

Gorak, come back. It is not safe

Gorak stops, a few yard away from the tree- and looks back at Cortland.

That were a close call. Thank you"

It is an Assassin Vine. They grab and constrict their prey with vines and tendrils. You don't want to be within its reach.

”Let us move away and circumvent! Thank you for your deep knowledge Cortland!!!“ Jahg says silently and retreats.

"Well, but don't we need to investigate those bindle bags hanging there? Isn't that we are looking for? But what's the best way to approach them - should we just assassinate the vine before it does the same to us?"

Jang scratches his head.

Realising he is not the brightest light he adds ”Oh!? Really? Then of course we need to engage!“

He starts walking towards the tree ...

You guy will get to ready yourselves in anyway you wish. You will have a surprise round once you are where you want to be to start the combat. The map is up to date.

Cortland sits for a second thinking. I can prepare long arm and possibly enlarge person. I could get 15 feet of reach and MAYBE get the bindles from out of reach of the vine. I don't know what the vine's reach is and it would be 2 of my "spells" down.

Vinnie hears Cortland's idea and offers to cast Enlarge Person. "Then you'll only need to cast one spell." He thinks for a moment. "Also, we have this potion of jump that we found earlier - perhaps you could use that as well to be able to jump to get the bindles without coming within range of the vine?"

”I will try summoning an eagle that also will help us to get the bags!“ Jang says in thought.

GM, Jang can communicate with all his summoned monsters. Could he summon a celestial eagle to retrieve the bags and throw them on the floor?

Having no magical talent or tricks up his sleeve, Aldar simply waits and watches for a moment in which he is able to help.

I was going to explain the bags after the combat but I can give some more detail now.

Twelve variably colored bindle bags, secured by silvery drawstrings, hang 10 feet up in the trees. Most of the bags appear as intangible colorless blobs. One of the bags drips with bright, multicolored liquid
reminiscent of Azure’s tears. One of the bags looks like the others but seems to be considerably larger than the others. Finally, one bag is covered with reddish grey fur and makes faint growling sounds.

I put a picture of the bag on the map. The other bags are evenly split between the four squares of that tree. Does this help clear up any confusion?

Realizing that these are probably the 'colors' the gnome was looking for, Aldar calls out, "Ng! We are here to request the return of a gnome's colors. I do not wish to make one theft become two, so please come speak with us!"