World's Most Interesting Overflow Archives (002) [PFS CORE 6-15] (Inactive)

Game Master Great Green God

"We're wasting our time. It's got a one track mind, even if it is a bit screwy, and will keep flooding this place until we hunt down the other fragments, if they even survived, and this villian. Let's search this place and move down to the lower levels."

Now that he no longer feels threatened, at least from above, he moves fully into the room and starts sifting through the gunk.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Not much to see from Deluge's point of view (and sadly no additional scroll fragments). Since this is a railed balcony most of the worst water damage has been kept to a minimum as nearly all the water just falls down to the main floor.

As for other places to search, there is of course the main hall you walked through to get here and are currently overlooking, or... further down the spiral stair down into the dark sub-basement....

Xusius ponders what Mistress Koi said.

He then tells the group. "I zink zhe is zaying we need to be looking for an elf. I will try to get her to ztop ze water works eef possible. I zink we are going to have to go down into ze basement."

He addresses Mistress Koi.

"Dear lady, we are going to zeek out zis person, but we will need zour help. I zink he went below into ze basement. Would zou want to accompany us? I zink zat ees also where we weel find more pieces of ze writing zou zeek as well. Zere ees also another problem. We do not breathe water. Ees eet possible you can remove ze water zou have releazed? I apologize, I am unfamiliar weeth zour abilities to control zis most prestigious amount of water I zee. Eet ees quite impressive."

Sylvan again. "And go do that what do you call it again--running? Go running all over the place. No, no, no. Best to flood the area out to a few miles, and then collect him when he can't get away so easily." rumbles Mistress Koi before a sly expression comes over her big face. "I suppose I could hold off on that if you and your pets were to go collect him for me. Hm?"

What's everyone else doing?

Pa is waiting for the go ahead direction from the elf, who seemed to understand what the fish was saying. Once directed, he is ready to lead the group downstairs.

Bernard has been casually leaning up agasint the stairwell to this floor, with a toothpick between his teeth, "Mmmm, i wonder how this fish would taste with some ale washing it down?"

He waits for the team to move on.

Xusius smiles inwardly to himself as he thinks the fish thinks that he thinks she's got a great plan.

"Why Mistress Koi, zat ess a wonderful idea! We would releesh ze opportunity to track down zis miscreant for zou and ze Maker. Eet would be much easier for us to catch heem quicker eef zou could lower ze water level zo zat we can get into ze basement weethout drowning."[b]

[b]"Zat ees, unless zou have a way for us to breathe ze water! Zou are quite formidable weeth many powers. Would zou happen to be able to do zat for us so we can catch ze absconder for zou and ze Maker?"

Though Deluge likes the idea of heading down to the basement, he is not so keen as to lead the way. He will move down off the stairs and stand to the side on the main level, allowing the others to pass.

While he waits he casts goodberry to enchant 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5 berries.

Mistress Koi waddles over to the stair and looks down into--well, Deluge who seems to be "sucking it in". This allows her to look down, through the grill-work and into the dark waters of the sub-basement.

Even more Sylvan: "Oh! It doesn't seem that bad. Why I'll bet it barely crests your curious lower fork. Really Craig, you do worry so. No, I best leave it where it is in case I have to suddenly flood the whole establishment."

"Besides-" With that one word her expression turns sly again. She draws close and nudges Xusius with one thick tentacle. "That will give you a reason to return to me."

Mistress Koi chortles.

Once Xusius explains the man they're looking for, Yangrit suggests: "Hm. That could be the man Virml saw briefly appear when he read the scroll. <Sigh.> Let us go down to the sub-basement before the water level down there gets too high. I can swim if I have to, but I would rather not." She grumbles as she splashes toward the stairs.

"I do hate getting wet, but down we go." says Hannar as he cast Light on his staff.

The party proceeds down the metal spiral stairs into the sub-basement where they find the water to be much higher than above. Even with the stair's stone lip the water down here has reached a depth of about four feet (1.22m) obscuring the bottom of the steps and most of the bottom three or four shelves of each bookshelf.... Books, codices, ledgers, folios, scrolls and piles of paper and vellum clog the narrow walkways. From up on the stair you can see the top tiers of the bookshelves sticking up like strange obelisks or seawalls amid the black lake.

Map updated

The ceiling here is 15-feet-tall, and barrel-vaulted. The bookshelves are about 10-feet-tall. The floor is covered in 4' of seawater, and debris--just like a deep bog. It sort of looks like the background of the first page of the hand-outs except the water would be at about the level of that third shelf. This means that for some characters it might be easier to swim (the water is considered calm). Small or smaller characters pretty much must swim, or navigate some other way.

There is no light, aside from what filters down from the stairwell above (where the light is dim out to about 20' from the ceiling aperture). The sub-basement is otherwise dark (aside of course from any light the party brings with it--like Hallars').

Pau attempts to climb to the top of the closest shelf, thinking getting out of the muck would give him easier opportunities to move around the room.

Climb 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Pau can totally do that. The shelves are about 10-feet tall, with a DC 5 to climb. The tops are for the most part broad enough that you can move along them at half-speed without an acrobatics check for balance, or you can move at full speed for an acrobatics check (DC 5) without falling. Understandably, there might be places that this doesn't work so well (for instance doorways--if any). Also the ceiling is rounded and only 5' higher than the bookcase tops, so there might be places along the edge that will require squeezing, and obviously a whole lot of crouching everywhere else.

Deluge deices that this is a good time to take another form.

"Do not be alarmed but I am about to shift into an alligator. Even better, do not attack me."

Deluge uses his wild shape ability to turn into an alligator that looks like it has just eaten a whole sheep.

I think that puts his AC at 16: 10 +2[beast form] +4[mage armor]. Is that correct, or does he get something from the base form too? This is pretty new for me. I've heard you lose your armor and gain the natural attacks, but I do not see that in the beast shape spell description. Is that even a legal shape in core?

Hannar goes into the water, his glowing staff helping with his footing as well as guiding the way with the light spell he had cast on it.

Double move. Using the staff to walk with so the water is lit as well.

I think that puts his AC at 16: 10 +2[beast form] +4[mage armor]. Is that correct, or does he get something from the base form too? This is pretty new for me. I've heard you lose your armor and gain the natural attacks, but I do not see that in the beast shape spell description. Is that even a legal shape in core?

That looks to be right, upon a really, really quick look at Deluge's character page, as his armor and shield are subsumed into his new form, leaving him to rely upon mage armor and natural armor bonuses granted by beast shape.

If more than an hour has passed, Xusius will recharge himself with Mage Armor from his wand.

Xusius casts Light on his Wand of Magic Missile and moves over to a bookcase and climbs up on it.

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 19

It's been about half-an-hour since you stepped into the library proper (the big room directly above).

Those on top the bookshelves note a eerie blue ghost-light emanating from an alcove on the north side of the room.

Pau points out the eerie light. ”Soemthing funky is going on over there, looks like,” the monk says toward the north end of the room. ”Can we get our own light up there so we can figure this out?”

Deluge snarls at Pau. Or it could be a yes. Hard to tell. He is feeling a little cranky. Something about this particular form always makes Deluge feel cranky.

Bernard will tred in the water closely behind Hannar, keeping his bow out of the water, "That's a neat trick you got there, mate." He feels safer in the light.

He watches as their alligator friend appears in the water, "You lead the way, amigo!" He tilts his hat. "I knew it was you!"
Darn, forgot how to time stamp youtube links, but yeah haha, this is like the croc scene from Crocodile Dundee!

He will follow the party through the water over to the shiny thing.

"We may as well start there." Her tone is a mixture of Oscar the Grouch and Eeyore. Noting how deep the water is, Yangrit clambers up onto the top of the nearest bookshelf and begins hopping along from shelf to shelf towards the blue light.

Climb DC 5: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Acrobatics DC 5: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

She manages to make it seem quite simple and graceful, never once bumping her head on the ceiling.

Xusius moves forward crouching down so as to not hit his head on the ceiling, hopping from bookcase to bookcase.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

As the party draws near to the strangely dancing blue light, two things happen nearly simultaneously.

First, a tiny neon blue comet shoots out from the back alcove where the light was careening down the center aisle, swirling through the air like a Varisian rocket. There is something off about it. It's hard to focus on, and the air around it ripples like desert haze. It zips past Yangrit and Xusius so near the water neither can reach it before he can react, and buzzes over Rectitude.

Second, as the light passes down the center aisle something large and horrible rises form the water to the east of the bookcases that Yangrit and Xusius are perched upon. A horrible giant corpse bird with dead white eyes and black plumage that smells of brine and death. It shrieks in their faces spraying them both with whatever disgusting black death ichor that fills it, then it leaps at the bookcase tipping it back into the one behind it!

"SCAAAAAW!!"

Xusius, Yangrit before you take your turns, I need a Reflex save form you both DC 15.

Once your PC sees the blue blur they may make a Knowledge (planes) check to identify the phenomenon. Open all the following spoilers below that apply.

Likewise, when your PC sees the gigantic corpse bird (remember: 10' tall bookshelves) you may make a Knowledge (religion) check and open all of the appropriate spoilers below.

Conditions Deep boggy floor space. With the only light (other than the party's) coming from the room above through a hole in the ceiling 15 feet above the floor to the south much of the room is dark or dim.

Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Giant Corpse Bird?
__ Hannar
__ Yangrit (pending reflex save)
__ Deluge
__ Blue Blur?
__ Xusius (pending reflex save)
__ Bernard
__ Pau

Map updated

Knowledge(Planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Hannar shouts out anything he may remember to the group as....Nevermind

If Hannar can see the gigantic corpse bird, he will cast Glitterdust on it. If not, he will cast it at the Blue Blur. Taking care not to target his companions, of course.

Know. Religion1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

”Yuck, that bird is definitely undead! Use anything you’ve got that can have an effect on the risen dead,” he calls out.

Where did that Apollyanna get off to? Maybe spending time with her and the others wasn’t as bad as I thought, he grimaces, looking at his current circumstances, balancing on a bookcase in a watery muck, being attacked by a dead bird.

If Hannar can see the gigantic corpse bird, he will cast Glitterdust on it. If not, he will cast it at the Blue Blur. Taking care not to target his companions, of course.

While the bird is a little taller than the bookshelves, Hallar is down at ground level and does not currently have line of sight or effect on his target, so technically he hasn't even seen it yet. He can certainly hear it though.

On the other hand Pau, who is still on the stairs could be standing at an elevation that allows him to see over the shelves, so we'll go with that.

Desluge comes round the corner of the bookcase to see the blue light. He has absolutely no idea what it is so he snarls and snaps and swats at it with his tail.

to hit bite: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

to hit tail, secondary: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 1 - 5 = 13
damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Xusius reacts to the emerging situation.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

He sees the blue light and wonders what it is.

Knowledge(Planes): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Then he sees the death bird.

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 ⇒ 3

Then whatever happens...happens!

Reflex DC 15: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Yangrit is so focused on the streaking blue light that she is completely taken by surprise when the giant undead bird knocks over her bookshelf. As she sputters in the water, she shouts out: "Dang! It looks like a magically made SMART undead bird!" She then flounders to the bookshelf beside the big bird and clambers onto it. (Move action, provokes AOO)

Swim: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Climb: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Once stable, she takes a swing at it.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 251d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Confirm crit?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 231d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Then whatever happens...happens!

The bird pounces on the bookshelves knocking them and the next set of shelves over sending the monk and wizard into the water. **Splash! Splash!**

The giant angry dead raven thing lands on the bookshelves and stares after the glowing blue light.

Kicking off of Xusius, Yangrit comes up out of the water like a wet, angry dwarf torpedo fist first.

In order to reach the top of a bookshelf to make an attack Yangrit would have to stand up/right herself (a move action), and climb (another move action), also unless she climbed at an accelerated rate she would only get 3/4 the way up (one quarter speed of 30' is 7.5'). Considering all of that and despite how much I want Yangrit to be clinging to the side of a bookshelf punching and kicking giant angry dead raven thing. We'll go with the simpler she stands up and punches it thereby not wasting her chance at a critical.

20% miss chance (blur effect): 1d100 ⇒ 22

Deluge nips the blue-lit sky-eel-shaped thing and spins around to deliver a slap with his tail--which misses. The thing makes a noise like steam escaping a tea pot.

acrobatics (avoid AoO): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

It twirls about Deluge--through the air and underwater without seeming to notice the difference--regenerating 2/3s of the damage Deluge inflicted right before his astonished crocodile eyes.

The thing dives in to playfully deliver a tiny nip, and tail slap of its own!

blue nip v Deluge: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2
blue tail flick v Deluge: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1
THREAT!
confirm?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 additional damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

While it fails to bite him the thing's tail connects, sending a charge through him like electricity. Time and Deluge's sense of his place in seem to flicker.

Deluge Will save DC 14 or be confused.

Conditions Deep boggy floor space. With the only light (other than the party's) coming from the room above through a hole in the ceiling 15 feet above the floor to the south much of the room is dark or dim. The worm has a blur-effect making it harder to hit.

Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Giant Corpse Bird?
__ Yangrit
__ Deluge -3 hp (pending Will save)
__ Blue Blur?
__ Hannar (Hannar can see it now!)
__ Xusius prone, in water
__ Bernard
__ Pau

Map updated

Pau tried to hop to the bookcase closest to the strange little blue creature menacing the alligator Druid.

Acrobatics 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Assuming he succeeded, he moves along the bookshelf and tries to punch the blur.

Attack 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Damage 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Could someone move me on the map? That acrobatics check might put me in the water...not sure.

Hannar casts a spell...

[spoiler=Glitterdust(DC=16)]School:conjuration (creation); Casting Time: 1 standard action Components: V, S, M (ground mica) Range: medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: creatures and objects within 10-ft.-radius spread Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will negates (blinding only); Spell Resistance: no Description: A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded and visibly outlining invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades. Each round at the end of their turn blinded creatures may attempt new saving throws to end the blindness effect. Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Stealth checks.[/dice]

S.R(if needed): 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 2 = 22

....then moves towards the nearest shelf.

will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Hallar's spell seems to effect it just fine, bedazzling the corpse bird (no SR) though its dead white eyes still seem to be able to see.

Pau tried to hop to the bookcase closest to the strange little blue creature menacing the alligator Druid.

Assuming he succeeded, he moves along the bookshelf and tries to punch the blur.

Could someone move me on the map? That acrobatics check might put me in the water...not sure.

The leap is fine, I'll move you, but the thing you are trying to hit is outside of Pau's reach from atop the bookshelf.

will st: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Yea, NO. Deluge is used to mind games. Heck, his druidic superiors were really into that, driving him nearly batty with their sudden changes of subject or their annoying penchant for shifting into one odd form or another in the midst of a lecture.

Irritated at getting wet, Xusius stands up. He points his wand at the dead bird and fires a missile from it at the dead bird.

Wand of Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Seeing that he has a clearer shot at the undead bird harrasing his part, Bernard takes aim with his bow and shoots. "What is with this place, portal fish, now corpse birds?"
Bow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 101d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Not sure if he actually has a straight line, please just take any penalties if he doesn't.

Stumbling over something on the floor beneath him Bernard looses the arrow too soon and it flies off into the archive.

Xusius fires a magical bolt clear through the thing causing a gout of black goo to spurt out of both sides of the undead monstrosity.

From its perch upon the fallen bookcases, the carrion bird rears back, and pecks down at Yangrit, even while kicking at Xusius with one balled talon trying to force its way past. This thing whatever it is, is terrifically strong.

black peck v Yangrit (higher ground): 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 1 = 24 damage: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

black slam v Xusius (higher ground): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 = 19 damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Yangrit's blow seems only to have antagonized it. As GM I need to note that Yangrit's strike did not do as much as she had hoped (about 5 hp less)....

Conditions Deep boggy floor space. With the only light (other than the party's) coming from the room above through a hole in the ceiling 15 feet above the floor to the south much of the room is dark or dim. The worm has a blur-effect making it harder to hit.

Round 2! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Giant Corpse Bird? -11 hp, bedazzled
__ Yangrit -16 hp
__ Deluge -3 hp
__ Blue Blur? -1 hp
__ Hannar
__ Xusius -14 hp
__ Bernard
__ Pau (lemme know what you want to do about last round if anything; "2D maps, and 3D fights")

Map updated

sense motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23; Does it seem like one of these is chasing the other, or does it seem like they are in league?

to hit bite: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

to hit tail, secondary: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 - 5 = 5
damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Once again Deluge manages to sink his teeth into the little vermin trying to mess with his mind.

Does it seem like one of these is chasing the other, or does it seem like they are in league?

Tough to make that call with a die roll at this point. The sense motive skill takes a minute or more to use to get a hunch.

Once again Deluge manages to sink his teeth into the little vermin trying to mess with his mind.

20% miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 13

Or does he?

Something is messing with Deluge's spacial sense. His crocodile-sense is tingling. He could have sworn he had the thing dead to rights.

Can Pau jump down and try to score an attack on the blurred creature?

Sure. If that's what Pau wants to do he has a movement for it. He does have to jump down (Acrobatics DC 15 or fall prone). We'll keep those attack and damage rolls from before, but Pau still has a 20% miss chance you'll have to roll.

Yelping in pain at the massive peck she just received, Yangrit relays what she has learned thus far: "OWWW! This bird is STRONG and does NOT take as much damage as one would think!" She then draws her cold iron katana in her right hand, dishing out a flurry of blows on the dead bird.

Flurry of Blows Kama: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 201d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Flurry of Blows fist: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 91d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

A snarky part of her mind whispers a half-formed comment about the stench of wet feathers and rotting flesh. She mentally shoves it away, wondering if she should've drunk a healing potion instead.

Pai tries to jump down and hit the creature.

Acrobatics 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

Miss chance, High is good 1d100 ⇒ 1

This time it is Pau's arm that seems to spin out into infinity. As he reels his miles-long arm back into shape the worm turns on him! Pau has a chance for an AoO.

lt blue nibble v Pau: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2
lt blue tail flick v Pau: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

Pau Will save (vs enchantment, DC 14) or be confused.

Conditions Deep boggy floor space. With the only light (other than the party's) coming from the room above through a hole in the ceiling 15 feet above the floor to the south much of the room is dark or dim. The worm has a blur-effect making it harder to hit.

Round 2! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Giant Corpse Bird? -11 hp, bedazzled
__ Yangrit -16 hp
__ Deluge -3 hp
__ Blue Blur?
__ Hannar
__ Xusius -14 hp
__ Bernard
__ Pau -2 hp (pending Will save)

Map Updated