EbonFist's Fane of Fangs (Inactive)

Game Master EbonFist

Hundreds of years ago, the daemonic harbinger Anogetz attempted to conquer the Southern Fangwood with hordes of crazed animals and cruel fiends. The faithful of Erastil, god of hunting and patron of frontier settlements, fought back, and legend says that when they cornered the cult of Anogetz in its temple, Erastil himself fired a great arrow that split the daemon’s unholy altar in two. This arrow has been a key part of a ritual that has kept the daemons from returning.

Until two months ago, Erastilian priests have performed this ceremony in the reconsecrated temple on the night of the new moon, but the relic recently went missing.

The church of Old Deadeye asked that you track down who stole the relic and return it before the daemons broke free once more. You found the arrow only a week ago and have hurried back to the temple to meet the priests Enogas and Larya, who will take custody of the relic and enact the ritual. The new moon rises tonight, and even now dusk is falling.

You have possession of the spear of the huntmaster—a giant arrow so large that it is a two-handed weapon in its own right.

The relic is a +1 spear that allows the wielder to cast know direction at will. You may decide amongst yourselves who is carrying it.

You now stand outside the Fane of Fangs. Once a temple to Anogetz, this sanctuary has since been converted into a shrine to Erastil. The god’s holy symbol—a bow of elk antlers nocked with an arrow—is emblazoned on each of the large oaken doors leading into the temple.

The entrance stands slightly ajar. The path leading to the site shows signs of recent traffic.

Anyone who looks at Taman will see a half-naked strong man. His face is dyed in color. He carry his large Bastard sword. "Sorry! I did not introduce myself. My name is Taman! Taman Hornraven!"

Taman looks around to spot something unusual.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

The happy go lucky gnome shakes Taman's beefy hand. "M'name's Spackle. Glad ta be makin' yer 'quaintance." The bard knocks an arrow in preparation of the team entering the temple.

On his way to the door, Taman spots several sets of tracks. In fact, he spots 4. Closer inspection indicates that two of the sets of footprints were made by individuals wearing boots while the other two sets were made by humanoids who were going barefoot. All of the tracks go into the Fane, none of them come out.

"Four of them are inside of Fane. We need to enter!"

"We're right behind you!" calls a halfling astride a wolf. "If you need help with anything, just call for Luli and I'll be there quick as I can. Granted, I can't walk too fast - or see that well - but Karma here takes care of those things for me."

Luli is dual-cursed with lameness and blindness, but in return he can call upon the fates as an immediate action to force a creature to reroll any d20 they just made with Misfortune.

Players: You can decide if you wish when to use Misfortune. I will default to using it if you roll a Nat 1 on a saving throw. I can only do this once per creature per day (and only once per round), so choose wisely.

GM: If an opponent gets a Nat 20 on an attack roll and I have not used my immediate action, I will force them to reroll it. If you would like to discuss this further, I am open to suggestions. This is an ability that is more difficult to use in PbP than in F2F games.

And Luli has no use for a spear. Would anyone else be interested in carrying it?

"Woof." The wolf is unimpressed as she sniffs the air for anything out of the ordinary.

Perception, Scent: 1d20 + 5 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 8 = 24 vs smells and odors

If Karma detects something out of the ordinary, she will bark and bare her teeth at it.

Taman enters and again he looks around.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Dusty too is on the wary side of things, snuggling the stock of his crossbow, Betsy, up to his shoulder as he advances behind Taman, eyeballing the tracks for anything untoward.

Survival (Track): 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 1 = 25

"Plenty o' reasons why a man 'r a woman might go barefoot in a temple, but there's an awful lotta unfriendly-types who do it too..."

During the joint travel you get to know Toral who is a young Dwarf from a Kelish merchant family. He always felt the pull of the heavens and stars.

Toral embraces the lessons of the past as the heavens have watched over this world since the beginning of time.

He is a stoic negotiator but has an empathic approach. He is very perceptive and understands people's motives which is very important as a merchant.

He typically walks around in his full plate and during battle tries not to attack but use spells and hexes instead.

Toral's family has deep roots in the Exchange faction of the Pathfinder Society.

Thus, the Kargar brothers Almaas, Jangafzaar, Toral and Sadaf are all members of the Pathfinder Society.

* *

”Let me support the tracking.:: “

survival : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Beyond the doors you find yourself in an open-air courtyard. Both it and and its decorative columns are covered in moss and lichens. Weathered statues of an elk-headed hunter stand in alcoves spaced evenly around the room. Two pillars and a statue that had been intact only a month ago when you first got the mission to retrieve the spear of the huntsmaster now lie shattered on the ground. Halls to the north and west lead out of this room. Several lanterns stand around the courtyard, providing full illumination.

Even with Toral's help, Dusty learns nothing more about the tracks than that Taman learned everything that there was to know.

Once inside, Madame Karma follows her nose to a patch of moss. It shows no obvious signs of being unusual but she digs a bit and it becomes evident to anyone who looks (is lucky actually blind or does he have the Obscured Vision curse?) that the red coloration of this particular patch is actually a bloodstain.

At the same time, Taman notices that several of the statues to Erastil have had fangs crudely carved across their mouths.

A male priest is standing over the fallen statue, shaking his head. "Gods cursed vandals! They'll pay for this in this life or the next," he says, more to himself than the newcomers.

A female priestess is standing near a set of double doors further in the complex, pulling on them, though she gives up the effort when she sees the group arrive.

The man turns to you. "Ah...you must be the ones with the spear. Give it to me and we'll start the ceremony. Hurry, there's not much time, now."

Feel free to place yourselves anywhere you like in the room with the white "X".

Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

"Oi! Anyone else notice that these here carvin's 're a sign o' that daemonic harbinger Anogetz? Ah'm thinkin' that canna be coincidence."

Heal : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

”It is obvious from the way it is still a bit tacky and has not completely dried that this blood is no more than a few hours old!“

Toral steps forward.

”We came as fast as we could! But before we hand over the item that we have protected for so long we would like to understand who you are and what you intend to do now?! And please explain what happened here! Thank you!“

Diplomacy : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

The priestess comes into the courtyard but leaves the talking to the priest.

"I am Enogas, this is Larya. We're priests of Erastil. We've come to enact the ritual. But we need the spear," he says.

He shakes his head and clucks his tongue at Spackle's revelation. "Not enough that these vandals destroy our sacred statues but they also deface them? It makes me sick. Sick!"

He gestures to the sky to indicate the missing roof. "As you can see, this place is open. Perhaps an eagle or other bird of prey struck down a victim and flew away with it."

sense motive to see if they are truthful : 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Toral steps forward again and anger is rising in him but he is able to calm his emotions so that not everybody can see that.

Bluff to remain calm and not show that he noticed something : 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19

He concentrates on the priest and tries to slumber the priest!

GM, You probably want to check if Toral is able to act first but he’ll try his slumber hex DC 18 Will or asleep for 4 rounds.

but they also deface them?

A little confused, "Uh...you didn't notice thet yer OWN temple was defaced?!?! You lot feelin' alright?"

Sumthin' is more'n a wee off here.

Dusty squints suspiciously at the 'priests,' keeping Betsy raised and ready.

"Either o' you priest types able to give us a little miracle? Usin' a symbol've Erastil, o'course."

Petronicus Krupt III comes running in, finally catches up to the rest of the group. He is breathing heavily and leaning up against his guisarme.

"Didn't you hear me say: 'Wait a minute, lads, something I ate last night didn't agree with me' when we stopped to have lunch? You just left me squatting behind those bushes with my pants down and ..."

His voices trails off with some embarrassment as he sees they are talking to what appear to be priests of Erastil.

"Oh, sorry, Padres, didn't see you there. Well, Padre and Madre, I guess."

"I told you it was...yawn...vandals..." the priest says, stifling a yawn.

Will Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

He fights off the hex but...

between the tracks and the blood and the defaced statues and the bad story, it's pretty clear to the group that these are not the true priests.

It's also pretty clear to the false priests that the group knows they're not the true priests and they drop their facades. In place of the two people the group was conversing with stand hairless, leathery bipeds with faces dominated by grotesque and unsettling whorls and slits instead of actual features.

"Well, I guess we're going to do this the hard way," the thing that once appeared to be a male priest says, though you don't see a mouth to move to make the sounds.

Round 1 - Fight! The Bold may act. A picture of the things has been added to the slide.

Dusty
Baddy 1
Taman
Lucky
Baddy 2
Spackle
Toral
Petronicus

Knowledge (dungeoneering) check to identify the shapeshifters: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 7 + (1) = 13

"Figgered it might come down to this."

With smoothly practiced motions Dusty looses a flurry of quarrels towards the closer of the monstrosities.

'Betsy' (RS, PBS): 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 13 - 2 + 1 = 25
Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17
'Betsy' (RS, PBS): 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 13 - 2 + 1 = 18
Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12
'Betsy' (RS, PBS): 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 2 + 1 = 14
Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 1 = 11
+2 more to attack and damage if they're evil outsiders

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 +2 if they're evil outsiders

All three of Dusty's bolts find their mark and send their target reeling. He lurches forward, though, not quite slain by the shots.

Unluckily, Lucky is a closer and easier target so it comes next to him and lashes out with a longsword.

Longsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Slashing plus SA: 1d8 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 6 + (4, 6) = 22

Neither Dusty nor Petronicus know much about these creatures...not even what they are.

Round 1 continued. The Bold may act.

Dusty
Baddy 1 -40HP
Taman
Lucky -22HP
Baddy 2
Spackle
Toral
Petronicus

Karma growls and snaps at the creature, trying to pull it to the ground before Luli guides her back.

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Bite damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Trip: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

"Ouch! Karma, back!" Luli closes his eyes for a moment and remembers the smell of the summer breeze, the crunch of leaves on the forest floor, and the taste of spring water. This isn't so bad, he reminds himself, and as if in response the jagged cut on his shoulder stops bleeding as profusely.

Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 7) + 4 = 12

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Karma bites and takes a 5-ft step back. Luli casts cure moderate wounds on himself. GM, which knowledge can we use to identify these creatures?

Taman gets crazy, ragemoves closer to one of the enemies and tries to hit it.

+2 Large bastard sword - rage- power attack: 1d20 + 11 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 11 + 2 - 2 = 26
damage: 2d8 + 11 + 6 ⇒ (6, 4) + 11 + 6 = 27

Karma misses because it is now quite prepared for combat.

Just in time for Taman to steps up and chops at the other with his massive sword.

His attack strike true but she quickly retaliates.

Longsword Prone: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Slashing: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Bottom of Round 1/2 the Bold may act

Dusty
Baddy 1 -40HP
Taman -5HP
Lucky -10HP
Baddy 2 -27HP
Spackle
Toral
Petronicus

GM, which knowledge can we use to identify these creatures?

It's knowledge dungeoneering

Dusty loads, winds, and shoots in such a smooth rhythm that it nearly masks his uncanny speed.

"Nice an' easy everyone. Just keep 'em on the back foot and this'll all be over soon."

Starting with the closest
'Betsy' (PBS, RS): 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 13 - 2 + 1 = 22 This one vs. Touch
Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14
'Betsy' (PBS, RS): 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 13 - 2 + 1 = 16
Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 1 = 9
'Betsy' (PBS, RS): 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 2 + 1 = 14
Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16

If Dusty downs a foe (and thus refills his grit), he'll make his next shot target touch

And Dusty downs the one he put so many bolts into last time with another and hits the other one with another projectile though does not put it down.

Dusty
Baddy 1 -40HP Down
Taman -5HP
Lucky -10HP
Baddy 2 -36HP
Spackle
Toral
Petronicus

Toral concentrates on the other female priest and tries to slumber it.

slumber hex DC 18 Will or asleep for 4 rounds.

Waiting to see if the slumber hex works.

Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

The thing that formerly looked like a female priest sags and then slides to the ground, unconscious.

"Anything useful to be done with it 'fore I plant a bolt in its head?"

Petronicus walks over to the prone form. "Well, we could interrogate it. Anyone have experience getting secrets out of prisoners?"

"Other than a lotta beer 'n lyin' 'bout their looks, Ah got nuthin"." The bard looks around, "Ah'm a'wunderin' where the real priests are. Can't be nuthin' good 'ave happen'd to 'em ifin these two had the run o' the place."

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

"Perhaps they are nearby. Karma, can you find us a scent to point the way?" Luli taps himself a few times with a wand, patching up the last remnants of the sword gash.

CLW: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 2 = 10 (Perfect!)

"Bwoof."

Perception, Scent: 1d20 + 5 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 8 = 30

Spackle slides up to the halfling and asks conspiratorially, "Aye lad. That's a neat trick. 'Ave ye trained her ta find beer 'n the like?"

Ok...I'm going to blow through some of this because...well, it could take a lot of time but some of it's not that particularly interesting and I'm trying to keep this short.

As the Pathfinders explore the facility they find that areas marked 2

Small pots filled with soil sit in the corners of each of these rooms with piles of seeds placed atop of each. Prayer mats lie scattered throughout the rooms. Erastil clergy use these rooms for meditation and prayer to Old Deadeye

areas marked 3

Blankets and pillows are stacked neatly in corners of these rooms, showing that these rooms are used for sleeping. Two statues of Erastil have been erected in the southern sleeping room.

area 5

The double doors to this chamber are locked.

area 4
Three shallow pools sit in the middle of this room—one filled with clear, blue liquid, one filled with budding plants, and the third filled with a transparent red liquid. Two clothed figures slowly bob in this last pool.

"Well now, looky here..."

Religion (Area 5 DC 12): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Religion (Area 4 DC 15): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Will share the spoilers.

1 weapon = 10 arrows, correct?

"Well now, looky here..."

[dice=Religion (Area 5 DC 12)]1d20+8
[dice=Religion (Area 4 DC 15)]1d20+8

Will share the spoilers.

1 weapon = 10 arrows, correct?

That's correct.

If I can use a dose for 10 bolts, I will do so, otherwise I'll let other people use the water

Dusty squints at the keyhole. "This'd be easier if we just had a real Erastil-ite here, but I reckon I can goose this lock soon enough."

Disable Device: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

I don't know that I would get off 10 shots in the next hour. I would be happy to share a dose (I doubt I would need more than 3 or four arrows).

Taman puts his sword into the pure water.

Petronicus carefully dips the head of his guisarme in the holy water before poking at the bodies in the pool.

Are they truly dead? If so, he'll ask for help to haul them out.

Petronicus investigates the two priests. They are well and truly dead. they are also very pale but with no excessive wounds, as though they died from blood loss but with no obvious place where the blood left their bodies.

Everyone gathers back at the double doors just as Dusty pops them open. What they see beyond is a horrible perversion of Erastil's temple.

Columns and statues of growling animals line either side of this shrine. Where once stood a broken altar now towers the statue of a fiendish man made of the same stone with curling ram horns, a hissing snake in each hand, and a gaping hole in his chest. From this wound pour writhing tendrils of inky smoke that slither across the floor and ceiling.

Hovering before it, a full 10' off the floor is a brown, shaggy-furred beast with slate grey hooves. Its head resembles that of a maniacal horned ape.

As the group has been exploring the temple, the sounds of angry animals has risen. Looking back into the open courtyard where they first encountered the "priests" they find the area lined with all manner of woodland creatures and all of them with a look of unnatural fury in their eyes. Though none of those gathered are particularly dangerous (squirrels, rabbits, foxes, deer, small birds) there is something disturbing about such a large gathering and so much blood lust.

As the doors are opened, the cries of angry animals crescendos, and a flock of blood-flecked starlings swarm into the eastern edge of the courtyard. There they fly about in a short-lived whirlwind of rage before the birds scatter, leaving behind two mountain rams with glowing red eyes and fleeces that smolder like burning coal.

[spoiler=Climatic Dice Rolling!]Taman Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Lucky Init: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Dusty Init: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Spackle Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Petronicus Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Toral Init: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Daemon Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Ram Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Place yourselves anywhere outside the doors to the inner temple to begin. Round 1. The Bold may act.

Dusty
Spackle
Gorilla Baddy
Lucky
Taman
Petronicus
Baddy Rams
Toral

"Oi now! That there is one big baddie if'in Ah ever seen one! Good thin' Ah gots a trick 'r two up me sleeves." Spackle starts to sing about the benefits of beer and ale as he draws a wand.

Song of the Fiery Gaze (Su): At 3rd level, a fire dancer can allow allies to see through flames without any distortion. Any ally within 30 feet of the bard who can hear the performance can see through fire, fog, and smoke without penalty as long as the light is sufficient to allow him to see normally.

Next round I will drop Obscuring Mist. We will be able to see just fine, but we should have concealment from this guy. At least, that's the plan.

Scooted some people into a rough marching order near the door, though Dusty wound up in front since he needed to deal with the lock.

Dusty's eyes widened in surprise at the depth of corruption that had taken hold of this fane, but as he raised his crossbow he only muttered, "Well that just ain't right."

I'm guessing that's an Evil Outsider...
'Betsy' (PBS, RS, FE: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 13 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 26
Good Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 11
'Betsy' (PBS, RS, FE: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 13 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 19
Good Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 11
'Betsy' (PBS, RS, FE: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 25
Good Magic Cold Iron Piercing: 1d10 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 14

As he briefly pauses in his barrage, he backs out of the door frame to hunker down against the beast's charge!

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 2 = 15 If Dusty learns that Cold Iron will do just fine, then he won't use the holy water dipped bolts, if he doesn't learn either way, then he'll err on the side of blessed weaponry.