GM.BastardBard's [PFS]#3-09: The Quest for Perfection—Part I: The Edge of Heaven (Inactive)

Game Master Neal B

Daji chuckles to himself. "Yesterday, you were in such a rush, and we had no idea what resided on the cliffs. I may be making an assumption here, but I think we killed Shang Xu. The big bad beasty the village below was afraid of. Let's just find this artifact and get down to some breathable air." He goes to go up the south stairs. Token moved on map

Danny follows dutifully behind the others keeping an eye out for anything sneaking up on them.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

"I don't know, Daji, that seemed too easy..."
The Balrog moves up the south stairs with his fellow ifrit.

Xiao Hua follows dilligently.

Just in front of The Balrog is a singular door in the Eastern wall, further North along the same wall is the double doors Valon has identified as likely leading to a courtyard.

The Balrog waves a hand and the nearby door opens. Open/Close.

He listens, then draws his whip and approaches.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Caleyn, clutching her axe, follows behind The Barlog quietly and alertly watching for any more surprises

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Hearing and seeing nothing I assume the group moves up and looks in the room...

Two large, corroded cooking pots dominate the center of this otherwise unadorned, long, tiered room. At the far end are double doors leading to the north.

Moved up those that haven't mentioned motion recently.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Still clearly unused to being as large as he is at the moment, Valon nonetheless steps forward to squeeze through the door and take point.

The Balrog moves into the room and looks around.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

He then repeats his magic trick of opening the doors from 25' away. Not only is it prudent and safe, it also looks cool.

Daji moves in behind Valon and The Balrog, searching the room with detect magic.

Making your way through this room, it looks like it once served as a communal dining area. There is nothing of value here, the only things of note are shattered ceramics strewn across the floor.

When Balrog makes his way further into the room he can see into the courtyard.

Initiatives - Bold May Act:
Xiao Hua Fatigued
Danny Fatigued
GM
Valon
Daji Fatigued
Caleyn Fatigued
Balrog

Fatigued Reference

How many rounds of Bless would still be active, if any?

Danny follows along behind, oblivious to the creature in the courtyard.

Double move into the dining area.

Looks like there was about 6 rounds of things accounted for, plus the everyone moving up and searching, I'd say Bless is no longer active.

Xiao Hua starts to caste enlarge Person on Balrog.

hey all! Forgot to give you all a heads up: I'm out of town attending a wedding this weekend. I'll update things when I can. (Likely will be delayed until at least tomorrow)

With a mighty roar the white furred creatures blunders forward into the dining area, right up to Balrog, and swings at him with the large item in its hands... which appears to be a monk's training dummy that it recently pulled out of the ground.

Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Damage: 1d10 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Missing Balrog only narrowly and shattering the training dummy against the bronze pot next to them. It let's out a ferocious and frustrated howl then bares its teeth and claws!

Initiatives - Bold May Act:
Xiao Hua Fatigued
Danny Fatigued
GM
Valon
Daji Fatigued
Caleyn Fatigued
Balrog

Fatigued Reference

I was casting a full round spell on Balrog!

"Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut." The ifrit looks mildly embarrassed before adopting a somber look, bowing his head, and radiating energy once more casting bless

I've tried to rules lawyer something and come to an impasse. The Haunted Oracle Curse specifically says retrieving a stored item. This is listed under the CRB under "Manipulate an item" (p.187), while "Draw or Sheathe a Weapon" (p.186) is a separate section. Would the curse extend to making drawing a weapon a standard action, or does this only apply to retrieving things out of packs/pouches/etc.?

If able, Daji draws his morningstar

The Balrog grows to giant size.

Assuming this one has a fear-gaze like the other one.
Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Hopefully that passes the DC for its gaze.
"I DO NOT FEAR YOU! I am the BALROG!"
Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
The Balrog uses Rallying Cry. Everybody can use this against its gaze.
Then he drops his whip and moves back drawing his longsword.
Acrobatics to avoid AOO, Large: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 1 = 25

Xiao Hua:yes, and the casting finishes at the beginning of your next turn. (It is a 1 round cast and not a 1 turn cast). But you would have needed to move up last turn to have line of sight to Balrog, so that would have taken your Standard Action last turn, and this turn. You still have a Move action this turn, if you would like.

Anyone within the red circle on the map needs to give me either a Will save, or accept Balrog's Rallying Cry, then click below to see the results.

Initiatives - Bold May Act:
Xiao HuaFatigued
Danny Fatigued
GM
Valon
Daji Fatigued
Caleyn Fatigued
Balrog

Fatigued Reference

I'll give everyone another hour or two before botting.

Daji accepts the rallying cry. His exhausted look fades to a smirk and a headshake at the Balrog. "Y'know, next to you, that yeti thing looks pretty silly."

Can I get a ruling on if Daji drew his morningstar or not?

Daji accepts the rallying cry. His exhausted look fades to a smirk and a headshake at the Balrog. "Y'know, next to you, that yeti thing looks pretty silly."

Can I get a ruling on if Daji drew his morningstar or not?

Yeah, my bad. I meant to address that. I would say it's fine. I'm not gonna dig too far into it at the moment. Can give you my opinion on a "ruling" for it moving forward, if you want, at a later point.

Xiao Hua would have moved quickly and then cast daze on the white furred monster.
Daze 18 will resist.

Danny, bolstered by the rallying cry, he steps over behind the Balrog and uses his magic to help guide his swing.

Move and cast guidance.

Botting:Valon moves up and attempts to knee the creature straight in the chest! using Balrog's Rallying Cry.
Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Cold: 1d6 ⇒ 3
And as he makes contact Valon gets some quick forming frostbite on his kneecap. "Hoo! That's cold!"

Botting: Caleyn also double moves up and readies her axe, trying to look more fierce than tired. using Balrog's Rallying Cry.

The creature howls in a ferocious rage and attempts to strike Valon with both of its claws!
Claw 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Cold: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Claw 2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Cold: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Initiatives - Bold May Act:
Xiao HuaFatigued
Danny Fatigued
GM -8hp
Valon -18hp
Daji Fatigued
Caleyn Fatigued
Balrog

Fatigued Reference

Daji moves along the wall to try to surround the creature, puts his offhand behind his mainhand, and swings with as much might as he can muster.

Morningstar attack, fatigue: 1d20 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 1 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Did my daze work?

Balrog: You are also able to act, looks like I forgot to Bold your name in initiative... my bad.

Danny sneaks over behind his enlarged party members and casts a spell on Valon the help him how he needs.

Move and cast guidance.

Xiao Hua moves closer.

Bleeding heavily and realizing he can't keep using his hands, Valon quickly steps away from the beast and moves to a safe distance. Once there, he draws his waveblade from its sheath.

5-foot step, move action to move away, drawing the weapon as part of it. I think that's fine, but if movement would provoke an AoO then I'll use a full-round action to Withdraw instead.

The Balrog maintains his Rallying Cry.
Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24.

He steps up and slashes at the beast, taking advantage of his reach.
Attack, Bless: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Using my Folio reroll on that.
Attack, Bless: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 5) + 4 = 14

The stairs should mean it can't 5' step and attack me, which means only a single attack and I will also get an AOO.

AC is 17 due to Enlarge.

You can't take a 5-foot step in the same turn that you take a move action to move (source). But you could take a full-round action to Withdraw, and you would not provoke (unless you move through a second square that the creature threatens (but if you move to the left, you should be fine)).

Effectively your turn would be the same, except you wouldn't have a weapon drawn. Please move your character to where you want to be, if able.

The stairs should mean it can't 5' step and attack me, which means only a single attack and I will also get an AOO.

Stairs prevent running, and can add a difficulty to Acrobatics checks attempted on them, but otherwise provide no penalty. Stairs that are "particularly steep" are treated as difficult terrain (reference) but these stairs are not referred to as steep.

The Balrog wrote:

The stairs should mean it can't 5' step and attack me, which means only a single attack and I will also get an AOO.

Stairs prevent running, and can add a difficulty to Acrobatics checks attempted on them, but otherwise provide no penalty. Stairs that are "particularly steep" are treated as difficult terrain (reference) but these stairs are not referred to as steep.

I had no idea. Definitely a rule that has been more honored in the breach than in the observance in my PFS experience. Thanks for letting me know.

Daji approaches the creature and makes solid contact with a squish and a thud of his morningstar.
Valon makes a tactical retreat. Balrog strikes the creature across the chest.

Botting: Caleyn moves up to the creature and tries to summon all of her power to attack the creature with her axe.
Greataxe, Fatigued, Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 1 - 1 = 12
Damage, Fatigued, PA: 1d10 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 3 = 9
While her tired eyes cause her to nearly miss it, she deals a considerable amount of damage for her size.

The beast continues roaring crazily and strikes out with one claw each at Daji and Caleyn.
Claw, Daji: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Claw Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Cold Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Claw, Caleyn: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Claw Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Cold Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Initiatives - Bold May Act:
Xiao Hua Fatigued
Danny Fatigued
GM -34hp
Valon -18hp
Daji -10hp | Fatigued | Staggered
Caleyn -14hp | Fatigued | Staggered
Balrog

Fatigued Reference

The Balrog bellows out another war-cry.
Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Round 4 of 6 for his Bardic Performance today.
Then he drops his shield and attacks with both hands, again charging his sword with arcane power.
Attack, Bless: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 2) + 5 = 12

Seeing things aren't going well, Danny begins concentrating on a spell to summon a natural ally to fight the creature.

Drop Entangle to begin casting summon nature ally. Start of my next turn an Eagle will appear in a flanking position.

Moving closer to cast Daze on the beast.
DC 18 Will to resist

Daji takes a step away from the creature and attempts to heal himself.

cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

With a rebel yell Balrog slashes the creature, which cries out in pain. Seeming a fair amount weaker just before it slumps to the ground unconscious.

Out of initiative

Status Update:
Xiao Hua Fatigued
Danny Fatigued
GM -46hp
Valon -18hp
Daji -8hp | Fatigued
Caleyn -14hp | Fatigued | Staggered
Balrog

Fatigued Reference

"If we didn't spare the one out there, I sure don't want to spare this one. Plus, I'd imagine the village below would be elated if we came back with news of Shang Xu's demise... Maybe even his head? I dunno, either way let's behead the creature and be done with it."

The Ifrit then, seeing Caleyn having issues, uses his last spell for today to heal her.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Daji sighs and warily peaks into the courtyard to see if the battle noise has drawn any more unwanted attention.

The towering ifrit finishes the creature, then wipes the blood off his sword. He sheathes the sword and gathers up his whip and shield.
"Well that was Shang Xu, I think. Now we have to find this Braid of a Hundred Masters."

Valon stumbles forward, one hand clutching the bloody wound on his side. "Careful," he cautions, his voice strained. "We don't know if there's another one of these things running around here somewhere."

Since the thing dropped on the action before mine, do I still spend my spell slot? <insert puppy dog eyes>

"Oh, fine. He's being so dramatic, but she looks even worse."
The demonic-looking giant casts his last spell of the day, healing Caleyn's wounds a bit.
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Then he takes out his wand and taps Valon.
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Wand at 35