[Gameday IX / PFS2 Luke_Parry] 2-01: Citadel of Corruption (1-4) (Inactive)

Game Master Luke_Parry

"Im sure there is more to learn on this map"

society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

James continues his steady work of interpreting the map.

Jukuza tries his luck with the Ocularity, but gets lost in the intricacies of the crystal...

Overwhelming Mental Force: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4 Mental damage.

Ylen manages to snatch a final piece of information from the map, just as the final traces of it crumble away into nothingness.

The Lost Library of Koloran, Round 7:

James (-)
Jukuza (-4)
Pasha (-)
Ylen (-)

Map-Mural of Koloran (8 successes; -1) (GONE)
Stone Tablets of Ai’Sheen (1 success; -2)
Ocularity (-; -1)

Pasha is up!

Attempting the ocularity.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Will Save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Pasha does her best, but although she retains her senses, is unable to extract any useful information.

The Lost Library of Koloran, Round 8:

James (-)
Jukuza (-4)
Pasha (-)
Ylen (-)

Map-Mural of Koloran (8 successes; -1) (GONE)
Stone Tablets of Ai’Sheen (1 success; -2)
Ocularity (-; -2)

Party is technically up, but at this point, with the mural gone, there is nothing stopping you 'brute forcing' your way through the remainder, so I am happy for whomever thinks they have the best shot at the tablets and/or Ocularity to post multiple rolls.

All I'm able to do is help move tablets so I'll post 5 rolls and you can assign each one to the next 5 tablet rolls.

Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Ylen redirect his attention to the occularity.

Round 1
perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Round 1
perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Round 1
perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

We might have to do some medicine after that second one. Ylen might have actually almost killed himself just now. I could use some healing as well.

Ylen doesn't make any progress (although he comes darn close at one point), but does feel like his mind has been through a blender...

6d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 4) = 11 Mental damage.

Feel free to Heal; as I said, there is effectively no time limit at present.

James will also take three rounds
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

After a bit of trial and area (during which he loses a fragment of his mind), the stalwart barbarian manages to wrest *some* secrets from the Ocularity.

4d4 ⇒ (2, 4, 1, 3) = 10 Mental damage.

Nevertheless, the party successfully uncovers the next 'tier' of information:

The cyclopes’ core understanding of their ability to see the future centered on the importance of their single eye. A cyclops seer lived in the present and the future simultaneously and could see events centuries before they occurred, though this ability was rare and in decline near the end of Koloran’s history.

James (-10)
Jukuza (-4)
Pasha (-)
Ylen (-11)

Map-Mural of Koloran (8 successes; -1) (GONE)
Stone Tablets of Ai’Sheen (1 success; -1)
Ocularity (2 successes; -1)

At this point in time, I am going to hand-wave giving everyone an additional hero point, and encourage some more rolls.

Ylen takes a while to recover from the mental damage of the occularity, before diving in again:
Treat Wounds: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 for 2d8 ⇒ (7, 2) = 9 hp

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19 and will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 and will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 and will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Since Pasha is the only one that can do the Tablets, I will continue to help carry them for her but I'll do more Athletics rolls after she catches up a bit. I'll send her a reminder to do some Religion rolls. I think Ylen will be able to finish off the Ocularity.

Ylen, with a bit of difficulty, manages to extract some additional lore from the grasp of the mind-numbing eldritch pathways within the Ocularity, but his mind is not entirely unscathed.

4d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 3) = 7 Mental damage.

James (-10)
Jukuza (-4)
Pasha (-)
Ylen (-9)

Map-Mural of Koloran (8 successes; -1) (GONE)
Stone Tablets of Ai’Sheen (1 success; -1)
Ocularity (3 successes; -1)

After a bit of wiggling, it is still just *barely* possible for you to achieve the 'minimum optimal' success condition for this scenario, but it relies on no-one rolling any more crit-fails on research checks, now that you actually have some successes to 'lose' on each research topic.

For reference, it is possible to achieve up to one more Success or Crit-fail on the Ocularity, and up to 9 on the Tablets.

Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Sorry for the delay.

@Pasha Belle: Feel free to keep rolling. I'll take it as given that you used your Hero Point on that 6 ;-)

Jukuza will continue to lug stone tablets around for Pasha.

Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Ylen takes a last look at the occularity trying to extract the las bit of information.

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

"This thing is doing weird stuff to my brain, but i think i got it"

He then takes a break from the occularity and helps Pasha with the study of the tablets.

religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Ylen manages to extract additional knowledge from the Ocularity, and then it goes dormant.

Pasha and Ylen then focus upon the tablets, gradually extracting some information from them, although they struggle a lot.

I assume Ylen will use his Hero Point on that 8...

Compiling their notes, the party learns the following:

As prophecies began to fail them, even the Koloran cyclopes began to seek powerful beings from outside the planes to inform their prophecies. Unfortunately, this knowledge came at a price; as you become aware of these nameless entities, you attract this attention to yourselves...

The party also learns that Valgomorus, a cyclops seer, had uncovered a ritual that he believed could bring back the lost power of prophecy. The ritual required a great sacrifice to an extraplanar being...

All research DCs increase by 1 from this point forward.

James (-10)
Jukuza (-4)
Pasha (-)
Ylen (-9)

Map-Mural of Koloran (8 successes; -1) (GONE)
Stone Tablets of Ai’Sheen (6 success; -1)
Ocularity (5 successes; -1)

Still waiting on a lot more Religion checks...

Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Pasha and Ylen try their best, but just end up getting more and more confused...

As the party is getting ready to pack up, and head back to the surface, the wall where the mural was rumbles, and then collapses, revealing a rather angry-looking, skeletally-thin cyclops with glowing Red eyes...

V: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31.
James: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19.
Jukuza: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24.
Pasha: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27.
Ylen: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17.

With a roar, the cyclops charges forward, and takes a swipe at James!

Claw: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27, for 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 damage, + Fort save.

Get Off My Property, You Gosh Darn Kids, Round 1:

V(+3)
Pasha (-)
Jukuza (-)
James (-13; Fort save)
Ylen (-)

Party is up!

fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 waiting to see what happens before I do something.

James feels his life-force being drained from him.

Drained 1, to be precise.

Jukuza will quickly move into his Dragon Stance (Action 1) and then move in to engage with the cyclops (Action 2) with a ki-infused flurry of kicks! (Action 3) Using my Ki Strike focus spell.

Flurry of Ki Dragon Tail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Flurry of Ki Dragon Tail: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 5 = 22

Hopefully that hits!

Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + (1) = 12

Edit: Just double checked and I think I have a hero point to use as well, so I'll use that on my first roll and try again.

Flurry of Ki Dragon Tail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 4 + (6) = 20

Ylen runs back when the cyclops appear
"I thougth they were all dead !"

He then reloads his cross bow and takes a shoot at the cyclops

Action1: Move back
Action2: LoadCrossbow
Action3: Strike 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 for 1d8 ⇒ 2 damage

Rage pull out Guisarme and strike hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
dmg: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 Drained 1: so HP is really 9/22, not 9/23. -2 to my ac (16 AC), Guisarme is large sized weapon, and another -1 AC from raging. 4 Temporary hit points from rage. I now have darkvision, cause of my rage.

1st Action: Pasha takes a 5-foot step away. "Whoa, not going to mess with that guy! James, are you okay?"

2nd & 3rd Action: Pasha casts heal on James.

Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Pasha pumps healing energy into james.

Jukuza delivers two solid blows, shattering multiple ribs, but the undead behemoth just keeps moving.

James delivers a solid strike of his own, but it is not quite as effective as he would have hoped.

In a rage, the Cyclops lashes out at Jukuza...

Claw: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27, for 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 damage, + Fort save.
Claw: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26, for 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 damage, + Fort save.
Claw: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6, for 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 damage, + Fort save.

...landing two solid blows, and knocking him out.

Get Off My Property, You Gosh Darn Kids, Round 2:

V(-44; +6)
Pasha (-)
Jukuza (-20; Unconscious; Dying 1; Fort save x2)
James (-2; Drained 1)
Ylen (-)

Party is up!

"Jukuza!" Worried, Pasha uses all her strength to heal Jukuza and the party, hoping to damage the Cyclops as well.

Three-action Heal (30 ft emanation): 1d8 ⇒ 4

James being fully healed except for the drained condition swings three times
hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 dmg: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
hit: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 5 = 8 dmg: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
hit: 1d20 + 7 - 10 ⇒ (1) + 7 - 10 = -2

Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Currently Drained 1, -1 on Constitution Checks and -1 Max HP.

Jukuza, brought from the brink of death by the heal, moves to stand up (Action 1) and try to take on the big boss once again. He assumes his Dragon Stance (Action 2) and will make one more flurry of kicks at the cyclops. (Action 3)

Flurry of Dragon Tail: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Flurry of Dragon Tail: 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 8 - 5 = 12

Damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Ylen stays in the back and tries to find a good shot on the cyclops

Action1: Reload Crossbow
Action2: Devise Stratagem 1d20 ⇒ 9
Action3 Strike 9 + 7 = 16 for 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (2) = 6

Pasha heals Jukuza back to consciousness.

James then smashes the undead cyclops into fragmented chunks, which disturbingly continue moving for a few seconds, before the light in its eyes fades, and they fall inanimate.

Combat over.

Upon the shattered remains of the cyclops, the party finds a silver and obsidian torc worth 12 gp.

Heading back to the surface...

As the sun sits low on the horizon, the sound of a great disturbance comes from the edge of the base camp. A mysterious pillar of energy erupts skyward from an area near the quartermaster’s warehouse, filling the sky with crackling black lightning. Sapphire, the member of the Decemvirate, can be seen inside the pillar, grappling with a nebulous, shadowy figure. It’s unclear whether the creature is attacking Sapphire, or if the Decemvirate member is restraining the shadowy creature. As you watch, Sapphire’s eyes lock with yours, and they nod grimly. “Stand back!” they shout, pulling a small item from their belt.

The pillar of energy suddenly implodes, collapsing into a single point of intense negative space before exploding outward, sending Pathfinders and tents flying away from the epicenter of the blast. When the dust and smoke clear, Sapphire is gone. An empty suit of leather armor; a battered set of traveling clothes; and a scorched, sapphire-studded mask are all that remain.

Jorsal and Shrike rush forward and take charge of the situation, immediately recovering Sapphire’s Decemvirate helm and other gear. Other Pathfinders help to clear the area of debris and begin restoring the camp to some semblance of order. Jorsal sends the party to the medical tent to be checked over. After an hour or so, he returns, visibly shaken but tight-lipped about the cause of the pillar or what happened to the
Decemvirate member.

Jorsal listens absentmindedly to your stories. After hearing your report, Jorsal mumbles a “good job” before leaving you and going off to find the other venture-captains.

...and that is a wrap, also setting up the 'meta plot' for the low-tier groups this season :-)