#0-23: Tide of Morning [Tier 4-5] (Core) by GM Rutseg (Inactive)

Game Master Balacertar

Hudor directs his current Flaming Sphere to chase after the sprigan trying to flee his attack while he casts another Flaming Sphere at the annoying Fey.

Move Action: Move current Flaming Sphere 5' to attack Red
Standard Action: Cast another Flaming Sphere to attack Orange

Flaming Sphere vs Red: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 2) = 7
Reflex DC 17 for no damage

Flaming Sphere vs Orange: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4) = 8
Reflex DC 17 for no damage

Seelah, hearing the lorestone make such noise, hustles to where the stone lay, eyes scanning everywhere for other threats, not already on fire. Kyra, can you get to Xuan and make sure he's still breathing? Hudor, that's great, keep it up! Iomedae be praised.

Goldur turns invisible and draws a wand as he moves. You hear his inspiring song coming from the north of the groove getting closer to the spriggans.

Ref DC 17 (red spriggan): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Ref DC 17 (quickling): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Both of the enemies swiftly avoid the burning spheres this time.

Seelah tries to encourage the rest of the party while rushing towards the lorestone.

The quickling spring attacks on Seelah jumping with his tiny blade.
Spring Attack: short sword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 301d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Critical?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 231d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
The fey skewers the paladin with a deep punch, and then continues running without letting an opportunity for an attack happen. Making honor to his name, the quickling moves an astonishing distance for his tiny legs.

Orange: natural blur
Red: 30 damage, badly damaged
Hudor: mage armor 4 h, dazzled r14, flame sphere r8
Xuan: -4/27 hp, unconscious, dazzled r11, blur 4 min
Seelah: 36/40 hp [1 NL]
Round 5: Quickling, Duath, Kyra, Sprigans, Xuan, Hudor, Goldur, Seelah

Duath and Kyra can act!

Lyra moves to the fallen warrior after she directs her blade to keep up the assault.

attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 = 211d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7
does the inspire add to the attack roll? if not disregard the +1

Duath scoops up the bow and attempts to cross over quickly.

Acrobatics DC5: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 4 - 1 = 19
Acrobatics DC10: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 - 1 = 20

Acrobatics DC5: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 1 = 13
Acrobatics DC10: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 - 1 = 5

The elf makes it about halfway before splashing back into the water, cursing loudly.

gotcha...rolling attack now

attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 1 = 111d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

Duath fights with the water after getting Seelah's bow.

Seeing Xuan is already stable Kyra slashes at the spriggan over him, but misses. Benefiting from inspire courage, her force scimitar though cuts a good chunk of skin on the creature's shoulder.

The red spriggan steps out of the flaming sphere and reloading the crossbow shots at Seelah.
light crossbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 252d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9
Critical?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 242d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
The bolt lodges at the paladin's back, affecting one of her lungs.

The other spriggan responds by dropping the crossbow once more and drawing the morningstar to bash at Kyra.
morningstar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 242d6 + 5 ⇒ (3, 3) + 5 = 11
The head of the weapon crashes breaking the plates of Kyra's armor and leaving an ugly wound.

Orange: natural blur
Red: 30 damage, badly damaged
Blue: 7 damage
Hudor: mage armor 4 h, dazzled r14, flame sphere r8
Xuan: -4/27 hp, unconscious, dazzled r11, blur 4 min
Seelah: 23/40 hp [1 NL]
Kyra: 24/35 hp, spiritual weapon r8
Round 5: Quickling, Duath, Kyra, Sprigans, Hudor, Goldur, Seelah

Back to Hudor, Goldur and Seelah.
Xuan has apparently left the game, thus, we will leave him unconscious and out of the initiative tracking to avoid slowing down the game again.

Also super sorry for not having a backup and wasting so many turns while you are battling for our lives.

Hudor directs the flaming sphere to go after the spriggan and then directs the other flaming sphere to head toward the spriggan.

Move Action: Flaming Sphere moves 5' to Red
Move Action: Other Flaming Sphere moves 30'

Flaming Sphere on Red: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 6) = 9
Reflex DC 17 for no damage

I hadn't posted, because I was stable and unconscious...?

Keeping up his performance, Goldur touches Xuan with his healing wand, weaving the command word into his song.

Cure light wounds on Xuan: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Inspire Courage! The spriggans can probably figure out what square I'm in from all the noise, but I'm still invisible so I have a 50% miss chance.

Xuan groans, staggers to his feet, and draws a potion.

With a quick gesture of his hand Hudor moves the ball at the center towards the northeast, while with the other hand he pushes the other ball over the red spriggan.
Ref DC 17: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Too slow to jump over it, the spriggan is set aflame by the ball and falls down due to the many burns. The creature shrinks until becoming a small version of itself.

Goldur vs Blur mischance: 1d100 ⇒ 89
Goldur, singing but invisible, reanimates Xuan touching him with the healing wand and the oread quickly looks for a potion.

Seelah does something heroic.

The quickling runs all through the river bank to reach Hudor and spring attack "You die wizard!!!"
Spring Attack: short sword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 291d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Critical: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 271d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
He makes a cut at Hudor's ankle and then keeps running back.

Orange: natural blur
Red: 37 damage, unconscious, dying
Blue: 7 damage
Hudor: 28/30 [1 NL], mage armor 4 h, dazzled r14, flame sphere r8
Xuan: 2/27 hp, dazzled r11, blur 4 min
Seelah: 23/40 hp [1 NL]
Kyra: 24/35 hp, spiritual weapon r8
Round 5: Quickling, Duath, Kyra, Sprigans, Hudor, Goldur, Xuan, Seelah

Duath, Kyra and Seelah can act!

Wade DC 5: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Duath finishes pulling himself ashore and readying his bow.

"Finally..." he huffs while he fires of a shot from this new weapon at the blurred figure of orange.

Composite Longbow (3 STR): 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 - 2 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Critical Confirm: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 2 = 11
Critical Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 46

Kyra presses her two=pronged assault.

attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 = 271d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10
spitual scimitar: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 281d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

crit: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 1 = 251d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10
crit: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 281d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

holy cow...good time for a pair of 20's!

Seelah simply picks up the lorestone, cradling it beneath her shield for the moment. Okay, I've got it! she says before briefly channeling Iomedae's power into her. The paladin will then cross to support prepare foe the quickling to come and attack her..

retrieve lorestone, swift action Lay on hands self, readied action: Attack

Lay on Hands: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7
Readied Action, Power Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Obviously if the quickling doesn't come attack then that's wasted

Climb DC 15: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (3) - 3 = 0
Climb DC 15: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (4) - 3 = 1
Seelah desperately tries to climb the central stone to pick up the lorestone but the heavy burden of her full plate makes her fall once and again. The divine light of her god heals her wounds.

Duath finishes his crossing of the river and puts an arrow at the quickling's back!

With a combined assault of twin scimitars Kyra cuts to pieces the last spriggan with both steel and force magic. The creature shrinks to his original form on his death.

Orange: 10 damage, natural blur
Blue: 43 damage, dead
Hudor: 28/30 [1 NL], mage armor 4 h, dazzled r14, flame sphere r8
Xuan: 2/27 hp, dazzled r11, blur 4 min
Seelah: 30/40 hp
Kyra: 24/35 hp, spiritual weapon r8
Round 6: Quickling, Duath, Kyra, Hudor, Goldur, Xuan, Seelah

With no spriggan left, we continue to Hudor, Goldur, Xuan and Seelah!

Goldur stops his performance and touches Xuan with his wand. "Well fought, my friend."

Blur miss chance (low): 1d100 ⇒ 43
Cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Sounds good to me, thanks!

Hey everyone, I can't get up there in my armor, anyone got any bright ideas for getting this stone quick?

Seelah will abandon trying to climb the stone, and turn, looking for the little quickling. Where'd that little guy go?

Ready action to attack if it comes close enough?

Seeing that Seelah is having trouble, Xuan moves over, and tries to climb...

Climb: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24.

Per Gm instructions! I don't know if Seelah can see the quickling from where she's standing, so its a little more complicated. When visuals established with the quickling, Swift Action: Smite Evil 2/2 for the day. AC 25 vs the quickling.

Power Attack, Smite Evil: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
Power Attack, Smite Evil, bypasses DR: 1d8 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

Wincing from the slight cut the quickling gave him, he directs both of his Flaming Spheres to head south.

Double Move: Moved both Flaming Spheres.

Goldur touches Xuan with his wand, healing him a bit more.

The oread comes to help Seelah. More akin to the stone, he has no trouble climbing up and picking the lorestone.

Seelah smites the quickling for death and readies an attack.

Hudor directs his flaming spheres but the quickling is so fast that it seems nearly impossible to catch him.

"Eh you! Leave the lorestone in place!" blind by the need to recover the lorestone and willing to avoid Hudor's flames the quickling runs towards the central stone choosing a path that takes him near Seelah.
Natural Blur misschance 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 22
The faithful of Iomedae effectively cuts in half the quickling as she catches him mid-run.

Combat is over!

Orange: 25 damage, natural blur, unconscious, dying
Hudor: 28/30 [1 NL], mage armor 4 h, dazzled r14, flame sphere r8
Xuan: 6/27 hp, dazzled r11, blur 4 min
Seelah: 30/40 hp
Kyra: 24/35 hp, spiritual weapon r8

With the glade in total peace you have time to pick up the lorestone and cover it protecting it from sun light. Although not in the way you expected you finally managed to get the hands of the Pathfinder Society into the precious artifact. Who knows what First World secrets it might hold?!

"Well, you all did excellent!" Duath says joining the others, giving an apologetic bow...as he still drips from his time in the water.

He looks over the fallen enemies for anything of note, in case they run into the gnomes again as a good faith offering.

"Here is your bow back, I should be able to requisition one that won't break on me after this mission. I dishonored my name a few times over but we prevailed, that is what counts. Let us head back before more fey or wild creatures come down upon us."

Xuan nods gravely.

"The Stones wanted us to succeed... I am glad that we were able to accommodate them..."

The trip back home is much more pleasant now that you have the lorestone with you. Crossing the Verduran Forest you are received by the gnomes at Hemzel's hut like heroes. The druid's body has been properly returned to the world of the wild following the Green Faith rituals and you are allowed to rest at the hut, which thanks to your efforts putting off the fire has been quickly repaired by the gnomes.

The next days you pick a ferry to sail the Verduran Fork and the Sellen River to Cassomir. After a short contact with the resident Pathfinders you are granted a ticket back to the Isle of Kortos. The sailing goes without note, other than a few headaches and the tiring routine of the trip.

Back at Absalom you are received by Venture-Captain Dennel Hamshanks who is eager to listen your report. He seems very impressed by the recovery of the lorestone "You made it, well done. I will make sure to recommend you for a field agent promotion. Please make sure to scribe your chronicles, I will make sure they are received by the Decemvirate. The recovery of an artifact like the lorestone is an event of note"

"It was no problem getting the lorestone. Only a few giants and quicklings to take care of."

I hope the Society can learn from it. And protect it...

"Excellent! You know, I keep my own records of the adventures I find myself on on the Society's behalf, I'll be sure and send this one over for your perusal..." And hopefully this time I won't just be given the bureaucratic runaround!

"Good job" with the lorestone survival, and its return to Absalom’s Grand Lodge, the artifact is added to the Society collection—although unlocking its mysteries will consume many years (at best). For sure, this is a changing moment on the organizations efforts to explore the Verduran Forest.

Defeating Cyflymder’s gang has removed a minor menace from the Verduran Forest, allowing local, peaceful druidic activity to resume. But, as explorers push ever deeper into the dark groves, friction is bound to flare up again.

But that will be another story.

FIN