GM Jhaeman's "Dawn of the Scarlet Sun" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

Power attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 - 2 = 10
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13

An ill timed and clumsy blow misses completely the undead creature, damaging the wall instead

What would be the fun in hitting everytime, anyway?

Angoldir steps forward, motioning for Pai to stand between him and Grunyak. ”It sounds like they have things well under control, but a story can change without warning. Perhaps you will make the difference here between a happy and a sad chapter.”

Qadar flits over to Pai’s shoulder, warbling softly in her ear. ” भाग्य पर भरोसा रखें। आप शेष राशि को बहाल करने के लिए यहां हैं।” Soft light gently surrounds the gnome as the bird offers a bit of guidance.

Pai can't help but feel at least somewhat heartened by the adorable little bird's song. "Awww! So cute!" Reluctantly she steps up between the dwarf and the elf, weakly protesting: "Alll riiiight, but for the record, I think this is a really bad idea! If just touching them is bad, drawing them out into the open so we can fight them from a distance is smarter." Abaal had BETTER not be allowed to go first any more! I wonder if he'd stay behind anyone else, or if he'd just push past them no matter what they do?

Looks like all Pai would be able to see is the corner of the wall and people's backsides, so that's all she'll do this round.

The remaining wright slams a decaying fist into the side of Abaal's head. Although the swordsman is easily able to shrug it off, he feels suddenly weak! And somehow, the wight looks more alive!

Abaal, you take 3 points of damage and now have 1 negative level.

Initiative (Round 2)

Drusilla
Angoldir
Pai
Undead
Abaal
Yaiho
Grunyak

Bold may go!

**SWISH! SWISH!**

+1 adamantine falchion v yellow (power attack): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 damage: 2d4 + 14 ⇒ (2, 2) + 14 = 18

+1 adamantine falchion v yellow (power attack): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 damage: 2d4 + 14 ⇒ (3, 2) + 14 = 19

Grunyak steps forward taking his battle axe in two hands and chops at the dead abomination. +1 axe chop: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 for dmg: 1d8 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 3 = 6

"The thing give you a love tap, did it?" "Well here's my reply, keep your hands to yourself!"

Should be room now for Pai off the stairs if she has a neat trick to use. Sorry, Yaiho, if I cut you off. I figured Abaal probably finished it anyway.

Abaal and Grunyak combine their attacks to cut large chunks from the rotting, animated corpse in front of them. But, fuelled by the life-force drained from Abaal, it continues standing!

Abaal's first attack hit, and Grunyak hit. I don't think it'll be too spoilery to say this thing is in low single-digit hp now.

Yaiho itches to get into the fray but finds no path to reach the undead foe. He patiently waits to see if his allies can finish it off or if he finds a way to step up and destroy the undead.

Initiative (Round 3)

Drusilla
Angoldir
Pai
Undead
Abaal
Yaiho
Grunyak

Bold may go!

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Pai steps off the stairs and files in behind her (mostly) much taller teammates. "Welp. I see your butts." She crouches down, trying to see through their legs. It would be so cool if I could make this shot. Oh boy. Well, here goes. She attempts to thread her sizable blast of electricity between Grunyak and Drusilla's legs.

Electric blast vs. Touch AC: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 1 + 1 = 312d6 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4) + 2 + 1 + 2 = 12
Confirm crit?: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 1 + 1 = 292d6 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 2 + 1 + 2 = 15
Includes Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Elemental Overflow. Does Not include the adjustment for cover.

"OH YEAH! Did you see that shot?! It was beautiful! Ohmygosh! I can't believe I did that! That was AWESOME!" Pai does a silly little victory dance in her little pocket of safety behind the melee crew.

The wight is completely destroyed by Pai's electric blast!

We are off Initiative. Good work everyone--that could have gone much, much worse!

"Did we get all of 'em? I mean, you're not fighting anymore, so I assume we got 'em all, but all I can see are your butts. So if we got all of 'em, maybe we should...keep going? I mean, I'd take the lead, but I think Abaal would just dash right over me the next time we see someone. I don't like footprints on my back, so I think I'm safer back here, honestly." Now that the danger is past, Pai's nervous chatter bubbles out of her mouth unchecked, echoing off the stone walls (but not the Pathfinders' butts).

"Sorry Angoldir, now what did you say they were?"

Quiet, Pai, concentrates and just give us the essential informations: do you like what you see? Which one is your favorite butt?

Who knows, maybe that will stop her chatting? If not, the answer could be fun, at least.

"Sorry Angoldir, now what did you say they were?"

"Wights," the aged elf replies as he finishes descending the stairs. "We are fortunate your blades are as sharp as they are." He pats Pai gently on the shoulder before moving to examine the swordsman. "Though you seem more haggard than such a small wound would suggest. The undead likely drained some of your life essence away. You may want to seek assistance at a temple after this is finished, lest the draining become permanent."

Gunyak quickly checks the perimeter, looking down each passageway. "We are not safe yet there could be more dangers further down one of these halls."
perception looking down halls darkvision 60': 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
"Does anyone require healing before we move on?

Grunyak will use his wand of CLW on Abaal.
wand charge: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"I heard about your antics from a halfling I know and some trip you took to a golden city. It is nice to know somethings never change."

"Tis but a scratch." protests Abaal mildly at Grunyak's and Angoldir's concern.

"I heard about your antics from a halfling I know and some trip you took to a golden city. It is nice to know somethings never change."

"Ah, the little towhead fellow with the animate clod of dirt. Those were good times. I still visit the high priestess of that Razmirin cult when I am in the vicinity of the sanitarium in Caliphas. By the way, you wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of a monastic, elven archer by the name of Flyndyngylyn? It always makes me a little nervous when I can not see him."

"...I mean, I'd take the lead, but I think Abaal would just dash right over me the next time we see someone. I don't like footprints on my back, so I think I'm safer back here, honestly."

"Know this, little one; I would only trample you to save you from harm. Now be careful of any ambush predators back there, as we should be off."

Anyone taking the everburning torch? Abaal activates the light of his wayfinder and moves ahead into DANGER & the UNKNOWN!

Quiet, Pai, concentrates and just give us the essential informations: do you like what you see? Which one is your favorite butt?

After a surprised, wide-eyed pause, Pai bursts into laughter, her nervous chatter turning into incessant giggling. "...AHAHAHAHAhahahahahahah!" Stooping to pick up the everburning torch, she finally is able to force some words through the chuckles. "Whoo! Oh, man. Hahaha! I wasn't assessing them. Haha! For the love--Heeheehee!" She begins taking deep gulps of breath to quiet herself. The laughter slowly abates, only to be replaced by startlingly loud hiccups, so strong that they jerk her entire frame each time. The light from the torch bounces along with them. "Go figure--HIC!"

With the immediate threat over, Yaiho strides into the center of the room. He winks at Pai as he passes her. "For record, Yaiho has best butt. Strong butt."

He looks up the north and south passage to see what is down both paths.

Carefully making your way through this foreboding catacomb, your sources of light soon fall upon a set of doors.

Angoldir sighs. ”Shall we look for anything dangerous that might spring into action when we open this door, or does our daring swordsman wish to trigger it with his face again and alert everyone on the other side that we’re here?”

"I would assume the shrieking wights have already done that. As you know, sound travels via the aether to the ear. But go ahead, they may have set a trap to delay us here as the mysterious key delayed us above."

Perception, Trapfinding, Take 10: 10 + 9 + 2 = 21

Angoldir starts moving towards the door to check for traps, but before the elf even reaches it, a hidden glyph on the floor activates with an ear-ringing chime!

Angoldir, please roll a DC 15 Reflex saving throw. If you fail the save, you take 10 points of sonic damage. If you succeed on the save, you take 5 points of sonic damage.

Sorry, it's a pretty sneaky little trap--in order to get close enough (10') to search the door for traps, you have to walk over the hidden glyph of warding on the ground. With your Perception check, you believe the door itself is not trapped.

While you technically can examine an object for traps from a distance (with a -1 penalty on the Perception check per 10 ft distance), let’s keep things moving.

Reflex, Trap Sense vs DC 15: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24

”The way appears clear. Perhaps haste is in order,” Angoldir concedes.

Fingers massaging her ears, Pai remarks: "Uh, yeah. That was loud, even from here. You okay?. Here, let's try this key." She steps up to the doors and looks for an obvious keyhole. If there isn't one, she'll try opening the door.

@Angoldir: On the map, I moved Angoldir and Qadar closer to the doors in question. Is Qadar still on Pai's shoulder?

"I would assume the shrieking wights have already done that. As you know, sound travels via the aether to the ear."

Angoldir starts moving towards the door to check for traps, but before the elf even reaches it, a hidden glyph on the floor activates with an ear-ringing chime!

"Sound." says Abaal in a deeply serious, and sagely tone.

Readies to strike the the door dead should it hinder Pai.

The door opens easily. Whatever purpose the vaulted, brick-lined chamber on the other side may have once served, today it is obviously the inner sanctum of some depraved cult.

Unnerving, spiky runes have been painted on the brick walls with blood, between which dozens of mutilated birds—gulls, falcons, ravens, and a particularly large number of doves—have been impaled. The foul stink of rotting meat emanates from these grisly trophies.

Opposite the only visible entrance, a jagged boulder with a bloodstained cloth draped over it serves as an altar, with several fly-covered, foul-smelling lumps of meat sitting atop it. The wall just beyond the altar has been painted to depict a single curved white feather sitting in a pool of blood. To either side of this symbol yawn archways set with barred doors, turning the alcoves beyond into prison cells; the northern cell’s door hangs ajar, but deep shadows obscure what might be found in either cell.

The Knowledge (religion) checks below are separate--it's possible to succeed on one and fail on the other.

Grunyak will think religiuos thoughts as he looks over the room.
knowledge religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

No abyssal here.

"Hmmph, looks like a mess."

"I think we found the missing hearts." He points to the lumps on the alter.

knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"Not really what one expects to see from a shrine dedicated to Dawnflower."

Abaal moves ahead toward the altar area, and shines the light of his wayfinder into the transepts.

Yaiho rubs his right ear, trying to get the ringing out of it from the sound trap. He moves toward the door but stops before moving over the altar.

"Is safe to move over altar?"

"Heh. Good point. I bet Abaal will find out for us." If he looks back at her, she'll give him a wink so hopefully he won't take offense. It's just friendly, playful ribbing, right?

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
No Abyssal here, either.

Okay, this stinks just too much! Pai is completely distracted by the stench of rotting flesh. She tries activating her Air Shroud ability in the hopes that it'll block out the smell. (It functions like Air Bubble, but lasts all day. The description says nothing about blocking out smells.)

Does anyone has a clue about what it means? Should we care? Let's be careful, anyway...

I'm sure Dale would have translated that in a few minutes. And then he would have rambled for a famous lenght of time about what it says.Probably in other langages too. I miss that hairy fool, and all the team, in fact, even if those are quite the bunch too...

Knowledge (religion), Inspiration: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 8 + (1) = 13

Angoldir shakes his head as he studies the room, pulling out a wand and tapping himself with it. ”I don’t recognize these runes. One moment.”

UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Using wand of comprehend languages.

”Now then, what do these mean...” The elf’s voice trails off in thought for a few seconds. Qadar, meanwhile, warbles in Angoldir’s ear and the investigator suddenly looks back at the altar with wide eyes. ”Oh...”

Qadar is using his domain ability Recall to allow Angoldir to reroll his failed knowledge check.

Knowledge (religion), Inspiration: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 8 + (2) = 22
Knowledge (religion), Inspiration, Recall: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 + (3) + 2 = 28

The elf turns to his companions, his stark features furrowed in worry. ”This is a shrine to Shax, as would make sense from what we have learned from our earlier investigations. That answers the question of Whom - and now we know the ‘Why’ as well.” He gestures at the runes adorning the walls. ”This is a ritual to pervert a holy place, to scatter the holy energies and desecrate the site. But to do so requires thirteen hearts. And not just any hearts - they must belong to devout worshippers of the site’s previous patron deity. Hence the focus on attacking worshipers of Sarenrae and taking their hearts.”

I'm not totally sure I am happy to know all that. But there is one thing I'm sure about... Let's put an end to this, if we can.

Abaal enters further into the room and uses the light of his wayfinder to look into the alcoves. The northern cell's door hangs ajar, and beyond it is a bedroll and a used chamber pot. The door to the southern cell is closed, but, peering through the barred window, a figure is visible! A young human male wearing tattered priest's robes is sitting on a straw mat and blinks furiously as the light shines on his face. He seems terrified and confused, as if he had gotten used to utter darkness.

Yaiho moves to southern cell and attempts to open the door.

It's locked.

"Well, hey! Let's try this dandy little key!" Pai scampers forward and sticks the key into the lock. As she does so, she thinks: Huh. No more undead? Wow. Now I'm feeling like the other shoe is gonna drop at any time. OH NO! What if it's this guy? But by that time, the key either has unlocked the door already or doesn't fit...

Yaiho readies himself to destroy the door, his natural enemy, if the key doesn't work.

The brass key fits the lock, and the door swings open. The man on the other side huddles in the corner. "Who . . . who are you? You're not the . . . Is she gone? She could come back!"

Alright, I'll bite.

"Who?"

The man gets to his feet, pokes his head out of the door, and scans the room. "You don't know?!? There's a horned demon-woman of some kind! She's the one behind this! I heard her saying she was going to cut out my heart as some kind of sacrifice." He looks around, panicked. "We should run! No, we should barricade the door! It could be too late already. But I'll fight, this time--I won't be taken by surprise again! Does somebody have a weapon? Oh, my name's Lex Avai, by the way."

"More importantly, son, who are you and why are you in the dungeon of this unholy temple?"

Grunyak points his sausage-like index finger at the the kid. "Whether we turn you over to the authorities or let you go is dependent on the truth and timeliness of your answers. Now, explain."
intimidate: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Grunyak will sense motive on any answers.
sense motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

The young man looks shaken, but replies to the dwarf: "I'm Lex Avai, like I said. An initiate of Sarenrae. I was out for a walk some . . . week ago, I think. It's hard to keep time in total darkness! But I've been here for days, I know that! They kidnapped me! Yes, there was more than one! But really . . . we need to run or barricade this place. Their leader could come back any second!"

Yaiho looks at the young man. "Must destroy demon-woman. If not take care of demon-woman now, she will take more hearts, more victims. You stay in room. Yaiho will crush demon-woman."

Pai's eyes go wide. A demon woman?! Uh oh... Quick as a scurrying mouse, she scampers over to the door, peeking and listening for anyone approaching.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

”Could you describe this woman in more detail?” Angoldir asks calmly from the rear. ”We found the key that unlocked your cell carrier by a woman who attempted to murder one of our own in the dark.”

Did we catch merely an apprentice? Or was there another disguise going on this morning?

Lex frantically starts searching around the room. "There's got to be a weapon or something around here!" To Angoldir's question, he replies "I didn't get to see the demon-woman very clearly. It all happened so fast! She had horns, and a forked tail, and . . . I think bat-wings!"

What kind of weapon do you use? I have a few spare...I can lend you a great axe or my spear. I favor this morningstar. That's some devilish woman you just described... Hope Angoldir will know what we are dealing with, so we can better prepare ourselves.