GM Kate's Extinction Curse [closed]

Game Master Kate Baker

"Hi Thkrull, sorry, though I saw something coming out here, but it was nothing. Bye, Thkrull!" Rova calls as she dashes back to the room, panting slightly from the exertion.

Thkrull grumbles in annoyance. Does he need to go help his halfling? She can protect herself, but the others with her aren't as capable as I am...

Reflex DC 29: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (18) + 21 = 39

Prism dodges the objects as she slices a few out of the air back at the ghost.

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 1) + 4 = 6
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 19 - 4 = 28
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (2, 4) + 4 = 10
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 - 8 ⇒ (16) + 19 - 8 = 27
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 = 8
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

Prism misses the swirl of objects entirely!

Red tries to resist Kennari's healing.

Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21

It fails and screams with anger as the healing light overcomes it! Ghost down!

Prism still struggles with Red's resistance.

Rova runs back inside!

Yellow claws at Prism and Unset!

ghost hand vs Prism: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29
ouch!: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 1) + 12 = 19 void

ghost hand vs Unset: 1d20 + 21 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 21 - 4 = 30
ouch!: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (1, 6) + 12 = 19 void

ghost hand vs Prism: 1d20 + 21 - 8 ⇒ (7) + 21 - 8 = 20
ouch!: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (7, 4) + 12 = 23 void

Niksi's boost to defenses can't quite stave off the ghost's attacks.

Initiative!
Prism, -19 hp
Rova, -44 hp
Kennari, -68 hp
Yellow Ghost, -95 hp (<50%)
Unset, -75 hp, blinded for one minute, hasted
Niksi, -53 hp

One ghost left! Everyone is up!

Kennari casts a defensive ward, then coalesces icy energy around the remaining ghost.

Cast shield, Cast frostbite.

Cold damage: 6d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 3) = 16 DC 29 basic Fort save, reducing status bonus to saves by 1.
On a crit failure, also gains weakness to bludgeoning 5 until start of my next turn.

Rova turns her attention to the remaining ghost -- "Back to Groetus with you!" -- and fires an enchanted arrow at it, trying to squeeze the shaft just over Prism's head, like if her target were an apple balanced on her hair.

Hunt Prey, Strike, Enchanting Arrow

+1 striking shortbow (deadly d10, magical, 60 foot range, reload 0): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
Hunter's edge (precision/piercing damage): 2d6 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (6, 6) + 2 + (3) = 17
Mental: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7

Unset continues to try and batter the ghost!
Melee, striking thundering fist (magical, nonlethal, agile, finesse) v yellow: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20
Damage B +1d6 So: 2d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 4) + 6 + (3) = 15
Check v. hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Melee, striking thundering fist (magical, nonlethal, agile, finesse) v yellow: 1d20 + 19 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 19 - 4 = 24
Damage B +1d6 So: 2d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 5) + 6 + (5) = 18
Check v. hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Melee, striking thundering fist (magical, nonlethal, agile, finesse) v yellow: 1d20 + 19 - 8 ⇒ (11) + 19 - 8 = 22
Damage B +1d6 So: 2d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 + (3) = 16
Check v. hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Prism does everything she can to bring down the last slippery ghostly phantasm.

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 2) + 4 = 9
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 19 - 4 = 17
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 - 8 ⇒ (13) + 19 - 8 = 24
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 2) + 4 = 10
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

Niksi boosts offense and defense, harmonizing the songs!

Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30

The ghost withstands the cold, ignoring the amount that gets through.

Rova gets in one hit that does a little damage, while Unset and Prism struggle to connect.

The ghost causes bits and pieces to fly around the room again!

ouch!: 6d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 6, 4, 5, 4) = 25 bludgeoning, DC 29 basic Reflex

Initiative!
Prism, -19 hp, Reflex
Rova, -44 hp, Reflex
Kennari, -68 hp, Reflex
Yellow Ghost, -106 hp (<50%)
Unset, -75 hp, blinded for one minute, hasted, Reflex
Niksi, -53 hp, Reflex

Remember your bonus from Niksi for the saves!

Reflex w/ID: 1d20 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 20 + 1 = 40

Unset readily dodges the debris, before bringing his appendages against the adverse apparition.
Melee, striking thundering fist (magical, nonlethal, agile, finesse) v yellow: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27
Damage B +1d6 So: 2d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 3) + 6 + (4) = 15
Check v. hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 16
Melee, striking thundering fist (magical, nonlethal, agile, finesse) v yellow: 1d20 + 19 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 19 - 4 = 26
Damage B +1d6 So: 2d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 6) + 6 + (3) = 19
Check v. hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Melee, striking thundering fist (magical, nonlethal, agile, finesse) v yellow: 1d20 + 19 - 8 ⇒ (10) + 19 - 8 = 21
Damage B +1d6 So: 2d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 3) + 6 + (3) = 16
Check v. hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Reflex (master, evasion), inspired): 1d20 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 20 + 1 = 29

Rova manages to avoid any of the items but one just glances off her wrist as she fires an arrow, and she misses badly.

Great Groetus! (+1 striking shortbow eldritch shot, deadly d10, magical, 60-foot range): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20

Reflex vs. ouch!, inspired: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 19 + 1 = 31

Kennari tries again, hoping to wear down the ghost's resolve.

◆Cast shield, ◆◆Cast frostbite.

Cold damage: 6d4 ⇒ (2, 4, 1, 2, 4, 2) = 15 DC 29 basic Fort save, reducing status bonus to saves by 1.
On a crit failure, also gains weakness to bludgeoning 5 until start of my next turn.

DC 29 Reflex: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (19) + 21 = 40

Prism dodges the bits and the ouch flinging around the room. She uses one of the floating pieces of rubble and sweeps at the ghost's body.

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 1) + 4 = 9
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 19 - 4 = 18
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 2) + 4 = 9
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

+1 Striking Sickle (Gang-up): 1d20 + 19 - 8 ⇒ (15) + 19 - 8 = 26
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3) + 4 = 10
Sneak Attack Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3
◇- Debillitating Strike Enfeebled 1

Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20

This time, the ghost takes some cold damage!

While Rova misses, Prism and Unset work together to chip away at the ghost enough that it finally dissipates!

Badly injured, you all have a chance to rest.

The shelf holding the stone golem hands also holds a ring of wizardry type III. The interior of the ring is inscribed with the words, “Conquer the city, Jormir, then come back to me.”

Kennari pauses his refocusing for a moment to examine the ring. "This is a potent device" he says looking up from his examination. "Quite a bit of arcane potential stored within."

Kennari would certainly benefit from that ring, but I'm happy to flip with Prism for it if you'd like it as well (I think we're the only Arcane casters).

All yours Kennari. It would be better in your hands.

Prism smiles and plucks the ring from the golems hand. She gives a sharp whistle and tosses it down to Kennari. "Don't drop it!"

Kennari bobbles the ring once, twice, the drops it entirely, quickly scrambling to pick it up again before looking up sheepishly.

Prism giggles as she clutches her belly laughing. "You got it." She leaps down hanging by the hand slightly as she falls silently to her feet. "Where to now?"

The tunnel from the terrace opens into the collapsed core of the broken aeon tower. The truth of this tower’s failure to weather the passing ages is apparent when looking below. At some point in the distant past, the tower’s inner core of fill material collapsed, causing the mudbrick exterior of its highest level to fall inward. The result was the total collapse of the upper portions of the tower into a great central pile of rubble within the intact sides of the tower’s remaining lower tier. Tumbled stone, broken bricks, and centuries of tangled overgrowth fill the tower beneath the aeon orb, which continues to orbit serenely nearly 200 feet above the pile.

The aeon orb is 300 feet above the ground level, and 160 feet above the mound of rubble filling the tower’s collapsed center. It is up to you how to reach it!

"Hm. I have magic available to me to help one of us fly up there. If we want more than that, I would need to wait until tomorrow." Kennari eyes Thkrull carefully. "How many of us could you carry, big guy?"

One casting of fly available, could prep more tomorrow. Maybe we all pile on Thkrull's back and I cast it on him?

Prism looks up placing her hands on her hips. "I got nothing." She dumps out he bag and begins looking for something useful. "Soap and a rope."

I would 100% allow you all to ride Thkrull for this.

Thkrull trumpets mightily. He can carry everyone -- or better yet, simply handle the stupid glowing ball himself!

You all pile on to Thkrull's back, not too difficult with a gnome and halfling in the group, and fly up to the orb. As you draw near, you feel its gift to you: the reflection of stone.

REFLECTION OF STONE RESONANT REFLECTION 10
ABJURATION EARTH MAGICAL

Your body is infused with the resilience and durability of stone. You are protected against the effects of severe cold and severe heat. In addition, you can also focus this durability to gain an additional effect.

Activate [two-actions] envision; Frequency once per day;
Effect You cast stoneskin as an innate divine spell, heightened to a spell level equal to half your level rounded up.

"Oh, that's nice! Thank you, Groetus!" Rova exclaims as she feels the god's power (offered through the orb, obviously).

"But how do we get it to start working properly again?"

Is there something we can do here?

You don't think there's anything else you can do to help the orb now. It's at least protected from the xulgaths by its height above the collapsed tower. You know you need to get the resonance from five orbs in order to recharge the whole system.

We have 3 now I believe correct. Life, Water, and Stone?

Yup, three!

You carefully land Thkrull, when another golem approaches you!

This squat clay golem is sculpted to vaguely resemble an enormous female dwarf. The golem’s hands are raised in the air, stubby fingers splayed in a gesture of surrender. She makes no move to attack you.

"Ah. Um, greetings. I am Kennari; what is your name?" Kennari says, nervously, before repeating the greeting in Azlanti.

Unset eyes the golem with suspicion.
Perception +16 to Sense Motive

"Ye think it speaks common then, do ye?" The fleshforged man inquires of Kennari. "Or whatever else that was that ye muttered?"

Prism stares on. "I don't think it speaks at all." Her mouth stays agape in wonder. "Is it a guard? Let's see if it follows us!" She walks in a wide circle across the floor.

She follows you, though at a slight distance. "Runkrunk?"

Art on Slide 4!

She repeats herself. "Runkrunk! Runkrunk!" She gestures to you, then to the aeon stone, then to where you fought the ghosts of the golem crafters, then to herself, then back to you again.

"Runkrunk!"

Nature: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23

Prism giggles. "It follows! And it sounds like the boars in the woods." She twirls and does a wide figure eight.

Nature (trained): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32

"I think that's her name," Rova decides.

"Maybe she wants us to bring her to the stone? Or the room with the crafters were?"

She moves back to the ghost room, to see if Runkrunk follows.

Thkrull sneers (though it's hard to tell with his elephantine face). This stupid pig golem better not think it's going to be friends with his halfling. She may be very generous and friendly to almost all things, but Thkrull is not.

Runkrunk follows you, looking happy. She points to where the ghosts were, frowning and shaking her head, then points to you and the aeon orb and smiles.

Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

Prism looks high up at the golem. "Do you want to come home with us now!?"

She nods her head. "Runkrunk! Runkrunk!"

Rova looks her up and down, trying to figure out whether Thkrull could carry her. Not sure how much Bulk she'd be?

She can walk herself out of here!

She accompanies you back to the circus. You realize pretty quickly that with her newly gained free will, she refuses to fight, despite her physical prowess. However, she loves interacting with animals and can lift boars and wolves above her head! The Flamboni Sisters starts working with her and soon she can juggle wild animals!

New act for the circus!

You also can level your characters! Let's go with a lump sum of gold again, and you each have 1200 gp to spend.

You head back to Castinlee and open for a week of shows. Your new acts Runkrunk, Booralu, and Pin Tingwheely start to fit in nicely and their acts draw huge applause as Runkrunk juggles wild hogs, Booralu sings to the fireflies, and Pin does incredible aerial acrobatics.

Eventually, your time here comes to an end, and you pack up for your next location, Turpin Rowe, alogging town. You realize that the town is particularly bustling right now and soon discover the cause: it's the annual Stump Festival!

Would you like to go talk to the town's leader Commissioner Ikener to find out where to set up, or go gather information around town? If you want to gather information, please make a Diplomacy check.

"We should probably find out where to set up first," Rova says, looking around. I wonder where we can find Commissioner Ikener."

She heads into town looking for some sign of its leadership.

Rova manages to find a dour-looking dwarf.

"You're here to set up a circus? No, no, the Stump Festival is just starting. You would only draw paying customers away from us. Why, I couldn't possibly authorize you to set up unless you compensated the city 100 gp for losses."

Rova blinks. "I don't think we have that much money, do we?" She looks at Niksi. "Is there some other way we could compensate you? I could tell everyone about Groetus coming, so they'd be ready."

She doesn't mention that she plans to do that anyway.

"Why no, if you set up your circus, then you'll be pulling customers away from the festival! What recompense could there be besides money?"

There's not another option written into the adventure, but I am open to pitches!

Prism jiggles her hefty coinpurse. "I can pay the fee Commissioner." She looks to make sure everyone is in agreeance. "We just want to set up now to get unloaded. We promise not to open a show until after your festival has ended." She offers a bright and colorful smile.

Will pay from the 1200 Prism just receieved at Leveling.

Rova shrugs and nods as Prism solves the problem. But she'll still make sure to enlighten everyone about Groetus.

He accepts the money without smiling. "Very well, then. You can set up at the edge of town."

If you'd like to Gather Information around town, please make a Diplomacy check! If there's something else you'd like to do, let me know!

Rova happily walks through town, seeing the sights and listening to see if anyone knows Groetus is coming, or if there are doppelgangers here too.

Diplomacy (trained): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

Dimplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Prism is easily distracted by the sights, sounds and people all around the festival. "Can we go?"