Hmm's PF2 #1-07 Flooded King's Court and Other Tales (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

Grams smiles as Sandstone makes a friend, inordinately proud of the young man. He's also clearly new to the Pathfinders, but will fit in well.

"Good man," she whispers to him as they descend down.

He heart starts racing as Blue alerts them to the presence of the teethy, dragony dogs -- though she's pretty sure that's probably not what they are, really. Still, she's been waiting for some glory for most of her life, and finally her chance is here.

Letting out a fierce war cry -- "YAAAAAAHHHHH!" -- she raises her shield and charges at the creature Scratch just shot!

Action 1: ◈ Raise Shield (+2 AC)
Action 2: Sudden Charge [◈◈] (flourish, open) With a quick sprint, you dash up to your foe and swing. Stride twice. If you end your movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, you can make a melee Strike against that enemy. You can use Sudden Charge while Burrowing, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming instead of Striding if you have the corresponding movement type.

Battleaxe Strike: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

AW!!! I'm a little late on this, but:

Sandstone is so touched by Dog taking him into his confidence that all embarrassment about his disastrous performance and resulting kumquat aroma is immediately swept away.

He fumbles in his pocket and produces a small red pebble. Pressing it into Dog's hand, he says, "Thank you, friend. Be who you are; this is your strength." He smiles, being sure to bare his tusks.

Seeing that the big red lizard has already taken a couple of good hits, Sandstone thinks it may not be in a reasoning mood. He rushes to the green one, hands outstretched, and pushes his spirit toward it: I can help you leave this place. He uses his connection to the animal to seek understanding of what it is and how it came to be in this dank basement.

Actions: Stride, Wild Empathy / Diplomacy check, Nature check
Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Not to post three times in a row on purpose, but Hmm reminded me that I have a hero point again, so let's take another croc crack at that diplomacy roll.
Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 12
EDIT: Hella.

Tess rounds the corner behind Sandstone, torch held aloft, and her eyes fall on Blue's "dragon dogs." "HELL-o!" she yelps, taking in all those teeth. She nimbly threads between her companions and glances down the passageway to look for other threats approaching, making sure she's out of Scratch's line of fire but preparing to join the fray with her rapier once she's peeked down the corridor.

Actions: Stride, Perception
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Looks like Tess is using a torch, so that's how Iqu's seeing right now.

Iqu hustles down the tunnel and swings her greatclub at the red 'dragon-dogs.'

Strike: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 (Oh, no! Haha. And I've already used up my hero point.)
B Damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Stride, Stride, Strike.

Scratch shoots the big red bitey thing!

Bloo identifies them (sorta) as dreaded dragon dogs, and hurls a telekinetic projectile at Red, but it flies over her scales! Grams charges the creature, but also misses! Sandstone makes a more proper identification of the ‘dragon dogs’ as crocodiles, but does not remember much more about them. He makes an attempt to connect with the creatures, but the crocodiles aren’t feeling it today. Iqu swings at the red dragon dog and misses.

Tess peers down the passageway and realizes that this opening was not supposed to be there. A crack in the basement wall broke when a flood came through here. Likely this same flood in the sewers brought in the croc -- er, dragon dogs -- and then as the waters receded, some of the masonry fell over most of the hole, trapping the creatures here. Tess can see sewers leading out from here.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

◈ Red bites Grams.
Red Jaws: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Piercing Damage plus grab: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Grams raised her shield, so that wasn't a crit!

◈ Red takes an action to grab!
◈ Red attacks with its tail.
Red tail (agile): 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 4 = 20
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

◈ Green bites Iqu.
Green Jaws: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Piercing Damage plus grab: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

◈ Green takes an action to grab!
◈ Green attacks with its tail.
Green tail (agile): 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 10 - 4 = 22
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

You've both been grabbed. Sorry for the ouchiness. If any of you want to Escape you can use the escape action.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2
Active conditions:

Grams (-12, grabbed)
Scratch
Iqu (-17, grabbed)
Sandstone
Tess
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing
Big red bitey thing (-10)

================================

Blue assesses the situation, "Them look like green dragon-dogs, not bloo dragon-dogs. Me try lightning zap on!" Then she begins waving her hands around in arcane gesticulation, accompanied by incantations in draconic, "විදුලි චාපය"

◈◈ electric arc (Reflex 17 half)
electric arc electricity damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5. oof

A small bolt of blue electricity arcs between the two crocodiles.

Somewhat alarmed at seeing her friends in danger, Blue casts another spell, "පලිහ", and small dragon scales appear to cover her entire body when she does so.

◈ shield
(Shield triggers her draconic bloodline power, causing the scales to grow on her body for 1 round. Combined, the two effects grant her +2 to AC, and she can use ⤾ Shield Block)

"Them things are hungry, covering fire incoming!" Getting a better look he calls out what he knows about the crocs. "Not sure if you knew this, but they got BIG teeth!"

Recall Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

The master of the obvious reloads and fires another bolt past Grams and into the red croc.

Crossbow (P), Precision: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Damage: 1d10 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (7) + 2 + (2) = 11

Red Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Green Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Bloo arcs electricity between the mean dragon dogs, but most of the electricity bounces off their thick scales. Scratch continues to damage Red!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2
Active conditions:

Grams (-12, grabbed)
Scratch
Iqu (-17, grabbed)
Sandstone
Tess
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing (-2)
Big red bitey thing (-23)

================================

Thank goodness for the shield!

Grams lets out a cry of pain as the creature sinks its teeth into her. Still having the presence of mind to protect herself as she sees the tail coming, she slams her shield into place, grunting as a little of the impact comes through. Shield Block, so subtract 3 Hardness from the damage, and shield and I both take 4 HP

Wedging the shield between its jaws to free herself, she still tries to bring her axe down, but the blade merely slides off its tough scales.

Action 1: Escape
Athletics (trained) to Escape: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Action 2: Strike
Battleaxe Strike (iterative): 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 8 - 5 = 7
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Action 3: Raise Shield

I think my move was legal, but please let me know if not!

Yelling as she sees her friends get hit, Tess charges into the fray, brandishing her rapier.

Stride + Attack

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Piercing / Slashing) damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Grams escapes, swipes at the Red Dragon Dog, and raises her shield again! Tess wades into the fray, but does not hit!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2
Active conditions:

Grams (-9)
Scratch
Iqu (-17, grabbed)
Sandstone
Tess
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing (-2)
Big red bitey thing (-23)

================================

Iqu tries to escape!

Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Whether or not it works, she winds up and swings her club at the crocodile.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 5 = 18
B Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 1d10 ⇒ (10) + 4 + (2) = 16

Escape, Powerful Swing

The time for reasoning is clearly over. Sandstone focuses, whispering the names of the wind.

◈ wild morph

In a burst of sand and wind from nowhere, Sandstone's hands transform into razor-sharp claws. He takes a swing at Green.

◈ claw attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

I'm not entirely sure how this damage roll works. The spell text says the claws do 1d6 slashing damage each. I'm reading this to mean that I get two damage rolls for the one attack, but that almost sounds too good to be true. I'm going to post both rolls, but please ignore the second one if that's illegal.

slashing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
slashing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Suspecting that Green might be upset about this, he raises his shield.

◈ Raise Shield

It is too good to be true. :) It means both claws do the same damage, so you don't need to worry about whether you might be holding something in one hand.

Iqu escapes and Sandstone wildshapes, Alas, neither hit!

◈ Red moves up to try Tess!
◈ Red bites Tess!
Red Jaws: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Piercing Damage plus grab: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

It misses, biting some rocks!

◈ Red attacks Tess with its tail.
Red tail (agile): 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 4 = 18
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

◈ Green bites Sandstone.
Green Jaws: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Piercing Damage plus grab: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Because Sandstone raised his shield, that is not a crit!

◈ Green takes an action to grab!
◈ Green attacks with its tail.
Green tail (agile): 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 10 - 4 = 24
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

If any of you want to Escape you can use the escape action.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Grams (-9)
Scratch
Iqu (-17, grabbed)
Sandstone (-13)
Tess (-10)
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing (-2)
Big red bitey thing (-23)

================================

Sandstone grabs his sagebrush and pinyon and holds it aloft. He shouts in a voice that sounds like the wind. A cool breeze that smells of sunshine and saltwater fills the room.

◈◈◈ Heal (1st) - Everybody in a 30 foot radius heals the following amount:
Heal: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Unless I misread, Iqu's no longer grabbed.

Happy to be back on her own feet, Iqu spares Sandstone a passing nod. "My thanks!" She winds up and swings at the green crocodile, hoping to repay the favour by helping Sandstone.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
B Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 1d10 ⇒ (9) + 4 + (4) = 17

Having missed the crocodile again, she pivots, hoists her club high, and tries to bring it down on its snout.

Strike: 1d20 + 9 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 9 - 5 + 1 = 6 (+1 is from backswing)
B Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 1d10 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (4) = 14

Curses!

Oops! You're right! You're not grabbed!

Sandstone heals everyone. Iqu manages to attack Green once!

Also, Grams, I think Tess may be looking for a flank.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Grams (-4)
Scratch
Iqu (-12)
Sandstone (-8, grabbed)
Tess (-5)
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing (-19)
Big red bitey thing (-23)

================================

I definitely wouldn't mind :) Though I'm not sure my piercing rapier is going to do much against their hides unless I crit! I'll wait to take this action after Grams goes, so if applicable, hopefully the crocodile will be flat-footed.

Tess snarls as the croc's tail slams into her, but with Sandstone's healing, she's able to keep her focus. Backed against the wall, her adrenaline sings as she looks for a weak spot in the creature's defenses and strikes again.

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Piercing / Slashing damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Edit: wow, huge bummer on that damage, but hopefully it lands!

"Ooh! Nice hits against mean dragon!" Loola cheers on her friends.

I have a magic missile I am going to cast this round, but since it is auto-hit, I want to wait until after Scratch and Grams go so I know where best to use it.

Tess hits Red soundly, even if her thrust is not very forceful.

By my count, you have two more actions, Tess.

Also, do you want to roll your sneak attack under a spoiler in case Grams gives you that flank?

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Grams (-4)
Scratch
Iqu (-12)
Sandstone (-8, grabbed)
Tess (-5) 2 more actions
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing (-19)
Big red bitey thing (-25)

================================

YES, thank you for the reminder! I'm honestly not really sure what I'd do with my other actions, since I'm not ready to run away yet. Brandish the torch in its face? Is it sensitive to light? :)

I don't think there is any downside to attacking again, right? I mean, you take the penalty on that attack, but there aren't any other penalties, are there?

You might as well attack three times. If you miss, you miss. There's a 20 on every die.

I FORGOT I can do that! (Edit: Nope! Ah well.)

Tess can tell her rapier is an annoyance to the beast at best, but at least she's making contact. "Not today, fell sewer-beast!" she cries, dancing around its tail to strike again.

Rapier: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Rapier: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (11) - 6 = 5

"...Welp, maybe today," mutters Tess in frustration.

Scratch stays focused on the task at hand, pulling out another bolt and sliding it fluidly into the groove in his crossbow and cranking the bowstring back into place. He shifts his position, trying to get a clearer shot but its difficult being so short.

"Ya'll are doin' great up there, just keep avoidin' them croc teeth. I'll fix ya up solid after, promise!" He buries the bolt into the red croc. Pretty sure that's the one I am hunting prey on.

Crossbow (P), Precision: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage: 1d10 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (7) + 2 + (5) = 14

So reload, stride, strike.

Tess misses twice, but Scratch's cross bow strike takes out the Red Croc!

Grams and Bloo, can you finish Green off?

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Grams (-4)
Scratch
Iqu (-12)
Sandstone (-8, grabbed)
Tess (-5)
Bloo

================================

Big green bitey thing (-19)
Big red bitey thing (DEAD)

================================

"Me get green dragon!" Loola states, emphatically and hopefully. She again waves her hands in the air and speaks an arcane evocation, "මැජික් මිසයිලය." Three bolts of magical force fly from her hand into the hide of the remaining crocodile.

◈◈◈ magic missile
magic missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 1) + 3 = 10

Scratch blows the smoke off the business end of his crossbow "Still got it!"

Sorry for the delay!

Grams moves in to pin the remaining dragon-dog in the corner, bringing her ax to bear!

"One down, everyone! One more to go!" she encourages her fellow Pathfinders, happy to be in her first real fight.

Action 1: ◈ Raise Shield (+2 AC)
Action 2: ◈ Stride
Action 3: ◈ Strike
Battleaxe Strike: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Bloo takes out the remaining crocodile, and Gram's strike releases Sandstone from its grip!

Out of combat!

What do you want to do here? Anyone trained in medicine? If so, feel free to make those medicine checks as I move you along in your explorations!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

You travel through the sewers. The strong scent of saltwater hints at the daily flooding that washes through these sewers from the nearby sea, as do the occasional stranded fish or crustacean. The walkways alongside the sewer are slick and damp, although relatively clear of the normal waste found in a sewer.

Most of the water is 6 feet deep, but the section in the center (marked in dark blue) plunges to 15 feet. The water is calm.

Eventually, you reach a sunken pool. This room is a sinkhole formed following the earthquake. Over time, the daily flow of water has widened and deepened the hole here. The sides of this chamber are rough and uneven, dropping sharply to a large pool of water that fills the entire room. To the north and south, the masonry of the sewer walls has crumbled away.

Most of the water is 6 feet deep, but the section in the center (marked in dark blue) plunges to 15 feet. The water is calm.

Sandstone and Scratch notice that there is some sort of chest submerged in the water in the deepest part of the pool. What are you going to do?

Medicine (trained): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Grams takes a look at her wounds, but there doesn't seem to be too much she can do for herself. It'll heal, it'll just take some time.

"Does anyone else need any help?" she asks the others. If you want Grams to try treating you, please feel free to just roll the check; it's possible someone else might have more skill at it, though.

At the pool, she looks around.

"I'm not much of a swimmer, but could probably see what's there if no one else wants to. But it could also belong to whatever creature's down here upsetting the goblins. It's not usual there's just a chest in a pool, right?"

Scratch is also a former field medic and has +6 to Medicine. If anyone wants his help just speak up and make the roll. There is a penalty for a crit failure, but I'm pretty sure +6 keeps it out of that range. Natural 1's are no longer auto crit failures HMM?

"Good work on them crocs kids. If ya want I can help try patchin' ya up while Grams works on her own stitches. Just lemme know." He reloads his crossbow, sets the safety, and swings it back over his shoulder for later.

------

"Slicker than a slug's belly down here, but at least it doesn't smell like a sewer under a goblin warren..." His mind drifts off as he wanders along, picking his way slowly through the slippery, submerged tunnel.

"Yup, somethin' looks inter-restin' down there in that deep stuff... Dunno 'bout any of you, I'm not super keen on swimmin' in a sewer, even if the water looks calm." He starts dragging out a length of rope and a grapple from his backpack. Tying them together for a good old fashioned bottom dragging mission for the chest.

And for funsies, I have put an overall map of what you've explored so far on Slide One, with a star to indicate where you are.

As for Scratch's question:

Similarly, failing the check by 10 or more is a critical failure (sometimes called a fumble). This sometimes results in additional negative effects. You also often score a critical success by rolling a 20 on the die when attempting a check (before adding anything). Likewise, rolling a 1 on the die when attempting a check often results in a critical failure. Note that not all checks have a special effect on a critical success or critical failure and such results should be treated just like an ordinary success or failure instead.

I don't see an exemption for skills with this rule, so this might be the time to use a hero point if one of those turns up. Feel free to use the GM's floating hero point from her campaign coin for this very purpose.

Speaking of Hero Points, you were all pretty valiant against those crocodiles. I'm awarding hero points all around to the party!

Grams will absolutely go in if no one else does, though she's not a terribly strong swimmer. She's all about the adventuring life, and this is an adventure!

Grams looks around to make sure there's no more crocodiles -- or dragon dogs! -- in the area before anyone ventures in.

Perception (expert): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Tess, still feeling a little woozy, gratefully lets Scratch take a look at her wounds.

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"I feel I've gotten wet enough for the day," Tess remarks wryly, brushing off another soggy papier-mâché remnant of the "armor" costume. "But I'll stand by in case anyone needs a hand! I might, um, be of some use if it's locked. "

"This why me not want take bath!" Loola proclaims, defiantly, holding her nose and pointing to the deeper part of the pool. "Bath smell like poop! Salty poop."

"Been settin' bones and stitchin' arrow holes closed fer over a hundred years I'd say. Surprisingly though I never moved up in rank... guess I never said "YES SIR" loud enough." If/when anyone decides to go swimming, Scratch hands the rope to the strongest looking of the group then takes his crossbow back up just in case there's trouble.

Not perceiving any crocodiles or dragon dogs, Gram sinks to the bottom and retrieves the chest! Still dripping, she marches out of the pool and holds up the chest for everyone to see. It's a barnacle‑encrusted lockbox, sealed with wax. The lock mechanism is completely frozen, but perhaps an athletics check could force it open?

Sandstone produces an assortment of herbs from his bandolier. "These can help heal." He makes a paste with a few of them and rubs it on some of his own wounds.

Sandstone has Natural Medicine which means he gets to use his OP Nature modifier on Medicine rolls. Feel free to roll me, in general :)

Natural Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

He peers curiously at the jade cat. "Does it mean something that it is green?"

Sorry for the delay. Yes, Iqu will take a Medicine check from someone.
Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Healing Iqu: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10

Iqu tries to pry the chest open.
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

If she can retry:
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
(I haven't peeked in the spoiler yet, since I'm not sure if she's allowed to retry.

I don't see any reason that you can't try this multiple times.

Iqu kicks the chest open, and you all stare at the contents.

Also, Grams notices a red beret that is sort of stuck to Sandstone's back... It must have been stuck in the teeth of the crocodile that bit him, and then got stuck on Sandstone.

Not that the GM would EVER forget a piece of treasure that the party might have earned in a fight, and found this way to remind you all of it! It looks magical, if anyone can indentify it. Or if they decide to play with it to see what it does.

"Ooh! Pretty hat!" Loola claps her hands. "It look like kind you find in a second-hand store."

Too on the nose?

Ain't she a good sinker... and swimmer! Scratch chuckles a bit as Gram marches out with the chest.

"I got a crowbar here... or not." He adds as Iqu manhandles the chest like a jar of prized pickled eggs.

"So a fancy military hat got coughed up by the crocs? Maybe we need to do a bit of surgery, see what other stuff they might have in their guts?" He pulls out his clan dagger, eyeing the nicked up, well used blade.

I honestly haven't pursued learning how to ID magic items yet. Do you need detect magic or just the relevant skill now?

LOL, GM. Hate when that happens!

"You've got something on you," Grams say, trying to dry her hair as she notices the cap on Sandstone's back.

She turns her attention back to the note as Iqu gets the chest open.

"So this must have been down here for a little while," thinking back to what she was doing 100 years ago. That must have been shortly after Regar was born. He'd been such a cute baby, and had grown up into a fine young dwarven gentleman. She shakes her head, returning to the present, where Regar would probably have been horrified to find her mother.

She grins.

Identify Magic is a general skill action for someone trained in the relevant skill. We probably would normally need detect magic to know it's magical, but I guess we checked that because it managed to survive so long. Or someone checked because of the cat...
Taking the hat, she spends 10 minutes trying to study it to see what she can make of it. But finally, she shrugs, forced to admit that she can't see anything special about it.

Religion (trained): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Sorry, just made the check; feel free to ignore if you want to make that a secret check.

Feel free to either roll occultism or arcana. Or try it on, and see what it does. And yes, it does look sort of like a hat from a second hand store.

As Loola and Scratch eyeball it and talk about it, the hat shifts from Beret to a Flowered Bonnet to the sort of military hat a naval commodore might wear.

Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Seeing the hat change form, Loola claps some more and giggles. "Bloo recognize hat! Me know what is!" She begins splashing around in her excitement, anxious to tell her uncle Cosmo that she was paying attention to his lessons that day.