[OutPost III, PFS(2)] PFS(2) 1-10 Tarnbreaker's Trail (Inactive)

Game Master Blake's Tiger

I’m a bit confused at how I ended up next to the bear. I only had enough movement to end 15 feet away from it. Maybe I’m mistaken and it was 10 feet and it has reach. Anyway, moving on.

Carmelizzia, remembering how the dwarf was thrown, tries to escape the hold.

<1> Escape from the grab. The escape indicates to make a unarmed attack modifier, it is not clear to me if Dexterity can be used in that case. If it can not, Carmelizzia would only have a +7, so she would use her acrobatics instead that would give her a +8.
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 Well no hero point to reroll that critical failure…

Failing to get out of the way, the varisian tries to use her claws at the beast, striking as fast as she can.

<1> Flurry of blows
Tiger Claw: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 9 - 4 = 8
Tiger Claw: 1d20 + 9 - 8 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 8 = 19, I do not think that hits as 29 was not a critical hit, but just in case Slashing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
<1> Strike
Tiger Claw: 1d20 + 9 - 8 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 8 = 14

I reviewed the old versions of the map, and it only has you 10 ft away. It does have reach, and the grab pulls you to adjacent.

Carmelizzia struggles in vain. She attempts to claw at the beast, but it simply appears to have too tight a hold of her and its hide too thick.

Tam Sa Gi's blows fare no better against the bear's side.

Encounter Mode. Round 3/4. Bold may act.

Terrain: Ice (most of the map) is difficult terrain.

Giant Short-Faced Bear (-60)
Feldspar
--3--
Frankie
Carmelizzia (17/30) (Tiger Stance) (grabbed)
Tam Sa Gi (Wolf Stance)
Barb (7/23; rage)
Mordack

hydraulic push: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 against the bear
dmg: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 6) = 11 blunt damage. and moved back 5 feet.

Mordack's water buffets the aberrant bear, momentarily pushing it back against the rock wall.

Encounter Mode. Round 3/4. Bold may act.

Terrain: Ice (most of the map) is difficult terrain.

Giant Short-Faced Bear (-71)
Feldspar
--3--
Frankie
Carmelizzia (17/30) (Tiger Stance) (grabbed)
Tam Sa Gi (Wolf Stance)
Barb (7/23; rage)
Mordack

Feldspar moves east until he is next to barb, pulls a healing potion from his bandolier and hands it to her.

Can I administer the healing potion, or do I have to hand it to her? If I can, I will.

Move, 10' (one full move)
Draw potion
use or hand off potion. I'll let Barb or the GM roll the d8 healing when it becomes relevant if that's ok.

It does not appear so. You can Release the potion as a free action to Barb's Interact to take it from you, or, I suppose, you can spend your third action putting it in Barb's hand. I'll have to consider this for the future.

healing: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Barb gratefully quaffs the potion placed in her hand by Feldspar. "Thank you, friend. Now, I have an appointment with a cranky bear."

She then carefully marches toward the cave, quietly cursing the ice and conditions, as well as the bear.

Interact action to drink the potion, Stride x2

Seeing that punching appears to do no appreciable damage to the bear, Tam Sa Gi takes one guarded step back from the bear, gets out of Wolf Stance and grabs her longspear.

Apologies if I misled. Those were just misses. No resistance involved. You may redo if this clarification changes your actions.

Seeing that Olin is safe, Frankie advances towards the bear, while also drawing her glaive. Seeing the bodies lining the cave, Frankie says "Looks like this one's developed a taste for men - Supposin' we have to put it down."
Frankie strides twice to get behind Tam Sa Gi, in reach of the bear with her glaive

The bear roars as it tosses Carmelizzia across the ice and then rushes the goblin harassing him from a distance. The beasts teeth sink painfully into Mordack's shoulder, though his winter clothing seems to have absorbed most of the impact because he's still alive.

Bear's movement may trigger Frankie's AOO.

Encounter Mode. Round 3/4. Bold may act.

Terrain: Ice (most of the map) is difficult terrain.

Giant Short-Faced Bear (-71)
Feldspar
--3--
Frankie
Carmelizzia (6/30) (Tiger Stance)
Tam Sa Gi
Barb (15/23; rage)
Mordack (6/13)

Tam Sa Gi: The bear is still in range of your long spear if you opted to keep that action or also still in range of your fists if you opted to revise your action.

oouch Not sure what I want to do at this point. I'm a squishy now forced into melee. I could strike with my dagger and try to kill the bear before it kills me. I can't step in difficult terrain. Luckily I'm last in init, so if I wait for the other four to go, it might help my decision. I'm looking for the rules in Pathfinder 2e that says casting in melee provokes, but I don't see them anywhere in the rulebook unless they did away with that, which I know is a rule in Pathfinder 1E. If not I might just burning hands the bear. If I withdraw I'm still screwed. If, during the process of withdrawing, you move out of a threatened square (other than the one you started in), enemies get attacks of opportunity as normal. This thing has reach so I have to move out of two threatened squares to get out of melee.

Somatic and material components have the manipulate trait so they provoke. Verbal 1 action casts doesn't provoke (nor free action casts).

Frankie takes advantage of the opportunity and lunges at the bear with her glaive
Attck (Deadly d8, Forceful, Reach): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
potential slashing damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Blood spills from the wicked gash Frankie cuts into the beast's side, but it does not seem to slow it or give it pause.

Encounter Mode. Round 3/4. Bold may act.

Terrain: Ice (most of the map) is difficult terrain.

Giant Short-Faced Bear (-78)
Feldspar
--4--
Frankie
Carmelizzia (6/30) (Tiger Stance)
Tam Sa Gi
Barb (15/23; rage)
Mordack (6/13)

...I'm looking for the rules in Pathfinder 2e that says casting in melee provokes...If, during the process of withdrawing, you move out of a threatened square (other than the one you started in), enemies get attacks of opportunity as normal...

You should note - unlike Pathfinder 1e, creatures do not have the innate ability to make Attacks of Opportunity. They must have the ability or one like it listed in their statblock. Fighters get them, and some creatures have the ability listed - but, for many foes, you are in no danger of castings spells beside them, or leaving a threatened square

Frankie moves towards the cave to gain tactical advantage (flanking), and hoping to distract it from Mordack - who is looking quite frail. "Over here you dumb fur ball!" She shouts as she strikes repeatedly with her glaive.
Attack1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Attack2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
dmg1: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
dmg2: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

using last hero point (thanks Barb)
Attack1 Reroll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Edit:.....damn....

The dwarf's subsequent strikes, however, do little more than scratch the beast's thick hide.

Encounter Mode. Round 3/4. Bold may act.

Terrain: Ice (most of the map) is difficult terrain.

Giant Short-Faced Bear (-78)
Feldspar
--4--
Frankie
Carmelizzia (6/30) (Tiger Stance)
Tam Sa Gi
Barb (15/23; rage)
Mordack (6/13)

"You and I need to discuss a few things!" Barb calls out to the creature as she rushes forward and strikes at it with her greataxe. She then slashes again.

Greataxe attack, raging: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 potential slashing damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Greataxe attack, raging: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 potential slashing damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Hero Point reroll on the first attack
Greataxe attack, raging: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

2 action sudden charge followed by Strike

Barb trudges across the ice and swings her axe at the beast's neck as its jaws relinquish Mordack, but the thick hide proves too resilient. She draws back and slams her axe down one more time. This time the steel bites and the blade sinks deep into the bear's neck. With a disturbingly human-like scream, it falls to the ice, motionless as steam rises from the spreading pool of blood.

With the predator vanquished, you are able to investigate its lair. There you find the rest of the Varki team. Marbin and Runa are horribly wounded and unconscious but alive. Ylva, who some of you spoke with, unfortunately succumbed to her wounds as it seems the bear had begun to feast before your arrival.

Mordack, look at your spell descriptions. Some of them (like Burning Hands) are considered Melee attacks. If, for example, they are touch range, they are considered melee attacks and, therefore, will not cause attacks of opportunity.

Tam Sa Gi attempts to strike 3 times with her longspear. Melee Attack #1: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 Melee Attack #2: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12 Melee Attack #3: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (4) - 6 = -2

Longspear Attack #1: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Longspear Attack #2: 1d8 ⇒ 6
Longspear Attack #3: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Some of them (like Burning Hands) are considered Melee attacks. If, for example, they are touch range, they are considered melee attacks and, therefore, will not cause attacks of opportunity.

Burning Hands is definitely not a melee attack. You may be thinking of Produce Flame. However, I am unaware of any rule modifying the trigger (manipulate action) on Attack of Opportunity in regards to melee range spell attack spells and could find no such modification or exclusion in a scanning of the rule book. Fortunately, it is a moot point as the beast is dead.

"Can any of you provide first aid?" Barb asks of the group. "We'd best stabilize these two and load them on the sleigh to take them to safety."

They are stable and unconscious. Any healing would bring them to conscious and able to walk themselves.

Feldspar, being still only half way to the bear, trudges back to fetch the sleigh as best he can.

I have medicine +4. I presume that's nowhere near the best in the group, and is in the range where treat wounds has a slight danger. But if one of you calls for me I'll hurry over and treat wounds.

I have healing potions on me if you want to heal them. The ones given to use by sword and sorcery points, so if you don't use them, you lose them.

Carmelizzia stands up, happy to still be alive. Coming toward the injured she says “I can’t do anything to help them unfortunately. We should try to find Olin before he gets lost or something. Once he is safe, I guess we’ll try to mend their wounds.” While talking she’s looking at her bruises and especially the scars. “Is that infected? That was not a lycanthrope, was it?”

While someone is busy trying to tend to the wounded, she will spend some time doing some dancing while giving a prayer to Shelyn. Refocus

"Here, I can help them" Frankie says, dropping yet another tool of violence onto the icy ground. Pulling out her Healers tools, she begins to attempt quick patches to each of the two survivors.
battle medicine1 (DC15): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 for 2d8 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 healing.
battle medicine2 (DC15): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 for 2d8 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5 healing.

Since her second effort, did not seem sufficient to bring the fallen Varki back to consciousness, Frankie spends the next 10 minutes, treating the wounds more carefully
Treat Wounds (DC15): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 for 2d8 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6 healing.

Tam Sa Gi comes over to the wounded.
Battle Medicine #1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 for Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9
Battle Medicine #2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 for Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 8) = 16

Since her second attempt seemed to make things worse, Tam Sa Gi attempts to treat the wound instead.
Treat Wound: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 for Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11

With dedicated care, Frankie and Tam Sa Gi are able to bandage the surviving Varki's wounds and coax them back to consciousness. Marbin slumps down and begins to weep when he sees Ylva dead on the cave floor. Runa asks frantically, "The beast? Where is the beast?"

Once you have assured them that the beast is dead and calmed Marbin, he insists that they build a cairn over Ylva's body. By the time you finish, Olin has returned with several marshals. The marshals immediately begin checking over all of you for injuries. Finding the Pathfinders well enough to continue, they thank you for rescuing the Fangs of the Remorhaz and allow you to finish the race.

The remainder of your trek is likely more somber, but you press onward.

Two tall, wooden linnorm statues mark the finish line to the harrowing Balgirdtrek. Crossing the line, the gathered crowd of spectators and participants cheers and applauds, which may ring hollow in light of Ylva's death. You are met with blankets, soup, and medical supplies almost as soon as you are within the village of Frostgarten, where spectators are gathered to celebrate the competition and those who completed it. You find that you are the first to arrive, and you realize that if the bear had not attacked the Varki, they would likely be receiving the honor of winning rather than you.

"You made a good showing," an official says to you. "Thank you for stopping to rescue your fellow racers." After a solemn pause, he continues, "The Pathfinders are welcome to return next year. One last thing, the winners must prepare the feast and additional medical supplies for the remaining racers. Come. I will show you to the supplies."

No checks. This is just free form moving forward.

"I think the feast should be a celebration of all and particularly honour the rightful race winners. We should check if the Fangs wish to make it a memorial for Ylva," Barb suggests to her teammates.

She then waits by the finish line to make sure all the other teams arrive safely.

Tam Sa Gi agrees with Barb and she begins preparing for incoming arrivals by going over her medical supplies. When this busy work is done, she joins Barb at the finish line to wait.

Feldspar will get out his medical kit and be sure there is a warm fire waiting for the remaining teams.

"I don't really know much about preparing feasts, but if you need someone to do scullery work that's not unfamiliar to me."

Carmelizzia’s thinking if that beast didn’t attack them, it could have been us. I wonder if anyone would have come to our rescue…

At the mention of preparing food, she replies “If someone tells me what to do, I’m sure I can do something helpful.”

"We of the north know that sometimes bad things happen in the wilderness. You cannot let the misfortune of one take away from what is your own accomplishment," an official tells Barb.

There are several Ulfen ready and able to help you prepare the feast without ruining it, though they do tease the less skilled of you the entire time. Barb's ice sculptures are given polite attention once finished and then carted out of sight when she's not looking.

Without Trace of Fail arrives shortly after you. Over the next several hours, all but Wyrding Wayfinders trickle across the finish. A trio of marshals pulling sleds with supplies from the last check point arrives and announces that Wyrding Wayfinders was unable to finish. They will be arriving by sleigh shortly.

The feast is enjoyed by all. You use your vouchers to stay at an inn until you are ready to set sail and report your success. Venture-Captain Torrsen is delighted that you won the trek, saddened to learn of the death of one of the Varki team but encourages you for showing the moral fortitude to stop and rescue your competitors. He rewards each of you with a significant sized pouch of gold.