Tyrant's Grasp III: Last Watch

Game Master CrusaderWolf

Ketra's blades clatter off the golem's form as the thunderous report of Silvia's rifle fills the enclosed space. The shots are devastatingly well-aimed but the crystalline statue is extraordinarily sturdy. Instead of shattering, the bullets send shards of crystal spalling off in every direction.

Rosalind falls back a step, but the golem's size and the closed door at her back limits her options. She sets to tending her injuries with a will--not even a backhand from the golem is enough to stop her from resetting her dislocated arm with an audible pop.

Zsofia leaps in with more kicks and punches, managing another modest crack in the halite statue's form. "This is not going well!" the phantom shouts in frustration. "Anyone have any better ideas before it beats us all to death?!" The question is punctuated by a grunt as the statue clips her with another punch; a second blow is evaded by the nimble Ketra.

"We're causing damage--but I don't think my arrows can do much to it!" Sanduro answers, hesitating as he looks between Rosalind and the golem. Delay

+ ROUND TWO +
Sanduro (Delay)
Zsofia (-8hp)
Rosalind (-23hp)
Garret
Crystal Golem (-26hp)
Silvia
Ketra

+ ROUND THREE +
Sanduro
Zsofia (-17hp)
Rosalind (-23hp)
Garret
Crystal Golem (-33hp)
Silvia
Ketra

"Well, as far as I know my magic won't touch it," calls back Garret, sending some more healing energy into Rosalind assuming he is able to coax the wand to obey...

UMD: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
On 20 or higher, CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

There goes my flank... against mindless enemies like the golem that are unfeintable I have no other way to get bonus damage good enough to overcome DR.

"Since it wasn't- broken when we got here-" Ketra ducks under a swing "-I'd say those seal breakers tricked it somehow." She pulls out the holy symbol from before and presents it.

"We're not intruders you big hunk of crystal!"

And I have no special abilities to bear on non-evil creatures either, unfortunately.

Silvia grits her teeth and stands her ground, her rifle pounding out a steady rhythm of gunshots.

Rifle #1, DA, Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 1 = 13
B+P: 2d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1) + 7 + 1 = 10

Rifle #2, DA, Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 1 = 27
B+P: 2d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8, 6) + 7 + 1 = 22

Rifle #3 vs Touch (Deadeye), DA, Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 1 = 23
B+P: 2d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6) + 7 + 1 = 19

Golems are a hard counter to this party, hmm. Good to know!

Ketra brandishes the wooden holy symbol and shouts at it even as Silvia sends a fusillade of additional gunfire into its torso. The golem's head snaps around to orient on the holy symbol before shifting away from the dancer to focus its attention to pummeling the rifle-toting paladin instead, striking her thrice in retaliation.

"Silvia, hold your fire! I think Ketra's on to something," Sanduro pleads. While the construct is distracted by Silvia, Raesilia moves past Garret to start mending the paladin's wounds. (Incredible Healer for 41, undoing half of the golem's damage) Zsofia hesitates, waiting with one fist cocked back and looking back and forth at the rest of the party.

+ ROUND THREE +
Sanduro (Delay)
Zsofia (-8hp)
Rosalind (-15hp)
Garret
Crystal Golem (-33hp)
Silvia (-21hp)
Ketra

+ ROUND THREE +
Sanduro
Zsofia (-17hp)
Rosalind (-15hp)
Garret
Crystal Golem (-33hp)
Silvia (-21hp)
Ketra

I know Ketra had a symbol, but we gave several to the soldiers - does everyone else in the group have one to present to the golem, or do we have to back off to recover some for our use?

You have 8 in total, one from each of the Seal Breakers you've killed. I don't know it was ever established exactly how many you gave to the troop but I assume at least half.

Okay, in that case, we don't have enough for every individual person to have one, so...

Ketra holds the symbol up "All of you, back off. Carefully." Then she addresses the statue, using her most authoritative voice "I order you to stand down. These people are not to be harmed and are fellow protectors of the faith. Return to your pedestal."

The statue freezes in mid-windup for another punch, turning away from Ketra's retreating allies to face her instead. For a few seconds nothing happens, then the golem turns and steps back onto its pedestal. It resumes its previous pose, now sporting some new cracks and chips from its crystalline form.

END COMBAT

Ketra nods uncertainly. "Uh, good." She gestures toward the eastern door and addresses the others "Go ahead. I'll just, follow along at the rear for the moment."

Glad that worked! And we know how to deal with it on the way out as well, probably. In fact, if we encounter foes and they don't have symbols on them, we could potentially back up and lure them into the golem.

"Hey, Ketra...good thinking," Silvia says, rubbing at a quickly purpling bruise on her cheek. "I was too focused on breaking the thing."