[Gameday IX] GM PaleDim's PFS# 06-12 Scions of the Sky Key, Part 1 (Inactive)

Game Master PaleDim

After a quick inspection Ki Chin moves to take the two weapon before holding it out to the others. "Let us not leave such fine weapons here to rot or worse, be used against us later. Are either of you proficient in these weapons?" he asked the group.

Gaskar screams out suddenly as he is pulled by the foot up in the air. He dangles there for a moment before realizing exactly where he is.

Using his wits, he'll try to untangle himself.

CMB: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Sereia moves to help cut Gaskar down with her dagger. If she can reach him.

"Careful, Ki Chin. If this bridge is trapped, the statues might move. Best check before you reach for a blade."

Sereia uses detect magic on the statues. Then she carefully inspects the armed statues from afar, looking for joints or anything that would indicate the statues mechanically move.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Pinesong climbs up high onto something (a tree?) so he can cut down Gaskar with a dagger.

Croak approaches the southwest statue and looks at it close.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Then she tries to take the weapon.

Sereia hands off her dagger to Pinesong, who can easily shimmy up the nearby trees and use it. With a climb speed, no climb check required!

Pinesong cuts at the rope with the dagger, and winces as it comes down to the final threads. They snap before he can finish, letting Gaskar tumble and clatter onto the bridge's surface below.

At first, he starts to twist in the air a bit to shift into a rolling land...

acrobatics, DC15: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

but unfortunately ends up slamming his knee into the stone instead.

Fall damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Sereia approaches the statues with Croak, confirming that there's nothing magical about them nor do they have moving parts. Just plain old statues. Croak can take weapons off of them easily. She looks back and forth to see if anybody is watching. Nope. Free weapons.

NOTE Feel free to insert whatever healing you would like before this next scene activates.

As you proceed through the valley, the presence and influence of the kobolds becomes increasingly clear. From the re-purposed art to sprung traps to occasional glimpses of patrols far off through the trees. The kobolds have claimed this place entirely and defaced many of the dwarven monuments and statues, decorating them with bone and feather fetishes or covering faded frescos with rudimentary kobold pictographs. Much of this kobold art depicts a ferocious golden dragon with wings outspread. Though the kobolds seem to have attempted to ruin as much writing as they could find, you are still able to find carvings on the outside of the occasional ruin that match the style of the one in Venture-Captain Sharrowsmith's office. You finally reach what appears to be a defaced altar.

What remains of the ruins’s heart may have once been a shrine. Demolished walls encircle an ancient dais, atop which a shattered anvil-shaped altar lies defaced with dried blood, chalk markings, and other detritus. The bones of dozens of humanoid creatures are scattered about the building, along with the larger skeletal remains of what may be wyverns or drakes that are marred with deep claw marks. Behind the altar, a large stairwell stained with the blood of countless creatures descends into some dark vault below.

The group finds some cover in the nearby bushes, and you begin to survey the scene. Several kobolds are in the temple proper, painting seven captives with red and white patterns with a single yellow wing upon each human's forehead. Others are nearby, singing and chanting Draconic paeans to their golden god. Most captives appear to be in or near the stairwell.

What do the intrepid heroes do?

Map updated! You're currently in the bushes 5 feet off of the map.

Knowledge checks!

Gaskar hits his head and is unconcious. He is at 0 HP right now.

Ki Chin follows quietly behind Mei, his familiar as the group encounters more and more signs of kobold. Recognizing the carvings as similar to the one in Sharrowsmith's office he stops and points the carvings out to the others. "It looks like we are on the right track at least."

Crouching in the bushes Ki Chin takes in the grizzly scene and trying to find the missing venture-captain. "Those bones look to have been scratched by powerful claws. Let us hope those claw marks come from the kobolds. Either way we cannot let the kobolds make their offering." the magus says as he tries to move as quietly as he can.
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Lomo winces when Gaskar falls. "Uh... I don't think he's getting up... Pinesong?" He'll heal you he says.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Sense Motive 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Sense Motive 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

As they travel, Lomo picks up one of the bone and feather fetishes, gives it a good look, and sticks it in his mouth. He chomps on it during the journey, until all that remains is the feather. He's picking the teeth with the feather's tip as they come upon the kobolds.

"Hey." he whispers to his companions. "You think we can trade them for the captives? Anyone got something to trade?"

Lomo looks around in his bags. "...I've got... money."

@Players: I'd like to step out and try to bribe them or something. It'll probably fail, but before I do, why don't the others sneak around to be near the captives in the jungle. If Lomo's bribery fails he'll be a big distraction and hopefully everyone else can get to the captives easier. Thoughts?

A plan forms. I'll wait for others to post, make their own skill checks, and weigh in before presuming how this will resolve :).

Croak looks in her bag. She gasps and clutches her beloved stuffed rabbits close. "Not my prized possessions!" she whispers in shock. "They're priceless!" She holds out her sack of money. "Take my gold!"

Then she quietly sneaks around the ruins so she can be there to save the captives when the time comes.

Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

While she sneaks around she looks around, in case of trouble or more kobolds!

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Can I go to the back (west) side and climb up the wall (but stay on the outside of the wall, not go on top or anything? Only if it looks clear though. I want to be able to peek overtop and climb over it easy later? I put an arrow where I mean.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Pinesong looks shocked. "They're definitely about to sacrifice those people!" he whispers. "We have to help them now! I'll go around the back with Croak. You get ready to be a distraction, Lomo. Maybe they'll let you bribe them, but I think they're going to try to stab you."

Pinesong also wants to sneak around, but he'll be in the north west corner in the bushes so if he gets spotted Croak won't.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Knowing Sereia's more likely to cause a ruckus than sneak around, Sereia stays with Lomo. "I'll stay here in case this goes poorly."

The grippli and vanara sneak off, attempting to close in on the ceremony. Croak scales the Western wall, but stops just shy of climbing to the top. Nobody seems to notice her.

Just as Pinesong reaches the Northwest bushes, just outside of the temple proper, he trips and falls into them! It is, decidedly, not quiet.

One of the kobolds comes out from the North edge of the temple and casually approaches the bushes. It stops, squints and looks into them seeing Pinesong. It yells something in Draconic, waving its spear in the air in a vaguely threatening manner.

It seems to stop and watch Pinesong expectantly for some manner of response.

Did anyone heal Gaskar or is he still laying on the ground back at the bridge, unconscious?

The group found two potions of cure light wounds a short time ago. Anybody could have administered one or both to Gaskar before you all moved on. Someone in the party decide to do it and whether it's both.

Potion for Gaskar: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Ki Chin fed Gaskar the potion after the group took the weapons.

Ki Chin nods when Lomo suggested his plan and takes position opposite the Grippli as he tries to stay quiet and avoid notice.
Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Sorry, Gaskar! I meant to and forgot to do it! You probably should drink both potions, though, since you are our melee fighter and aren't at full.

Healing Gaskar (2nd potion): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 (Gaskar is at full HP)

"OOO! OOO! EEEE!" Pinesong exclaims, as he beats his chest, waggles his bum, and waves his arms around, looking like a territorial monkey. Then he climbs up into the tree and swings off through the trees for a bit. He stops a few trees distant, climbs up higher, and settles down in the boughs like he's going to take a nap and totally ignore those kobolds he doesn't care about. He makes sure his new 'nest' has a good view of the kobolds.

Bluff (to pretend I'm not watching them from my new nest, but I actually am): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Thanks Ki Chin and Pinesong!

Gaskar feels great and stretches his muscles after the potions!

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Gaskar watches Pinesong fall into the kobold group. He'll hang back and watch what the others in the group do.

Earlier...

Ki Chin and Pinesong administer the previously found potions to Gaskar, and their frontliner is patched up and ready to take hits on their behalf again! :)

---------------
Now, in a tree...

The kobold watches Pinesong climb away, narrowing its eyes in suspicion and glaring at him the whole time. It waits several seconds that the Vanara is out of sight in the higher branches before turning to head back into the temple proper.

Let's say Pinesong is one move action up the tree (your climb speed).

Ki Chin approaches the temple as well, following Croak's approach. He seems to keep stepping on a lot of noisy twigs and leaves on the ground. He's not confident he'll arrive unnoticed...

Ki Chin hears the kobolds snap to attention and start barking clearly agitated Draconic.

Suddenly at the break in the crumbling wall, Ki Chin is face to face with a stunned kobold who immediately yells out to the others.

It shifts on its feat, clearly preparing to stab at Ki Chin with its spear. The others tighten their grips on their spears and begin to approach their kobold brother.

Round 1
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Yellow
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong
--------
Blue
Red
Green

Lomo, Croak, Sereia, Gaskar are up! Map is updated! Characters who hadn't approached are placed at the South edge of the map. Pets and familiars are on the map too, they can go on your initiative count.

Gaskar rushes up towards the kobolds with his flail aloft. He tries to be sneaky in his approach.

Heavy Flail attack, flat-footed, non-lethal (bludgeoner): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Gaskar runs up behind one of the kobolds, as they'd been paying attention to the break in the wall where one spotted Lin Ki Chin. Just then they all turn to spot him and the others entering through the South break in the wall.

The kobold is slow to react, but it's dodgy enough where it stands that Gaskar's flail just glances off of its shoulder. miss

Lomo, Croak, Sereia are still up!

Sereia hurries around the corner and up beside Gaskar, intoning a burbling invocation. She casts out her arms and a cone of brightly coloured light surrounds the three nearest kobolds.

Color spray on blue, green, and yellow. Will DC 14.

Lomo hisses and bares this claws, the rushes into the room and slashes the yellow kobold.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Slashing Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Croak sneaks over the wall and tries to free the captives!

(Are they tied up? Or can I just lead them away? What do I need to roll for you?)

The kobolds in the center of the temple find themselves suddenly awash of color and vague, intrusive sensation.

All three of these kobolds' eye roll up into their heads as they drop to the ground unconscious. Nice move Sereia :)

With his target unconscious, Lomo finds that landing his claws is as easy as taking candy from a baby's cheek-pouch.

Croak continues over the wall to get a look at the capture miners. They are indeed tied, up, very frightened. Also, she hears another wave of kobolds on the way up the stairs! It won't be long now and she doesn't think she could get any of them untied before the reinforcements arrive!

Croak we'll say that going on over the wall was a move action, so you still have standard and swift actions remaining.

Round 1
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak (1 standard and 1 swift action if you have it)
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Yellow (-1; unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong
--------
Blue (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Red
Green (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)

Croak is up with a standard action (and swift if available). Lin Ki Chin and Pinesong are up with full turns.

With a kiai Ki Chin slashes at Red, the Tian-min word for dead magically appearing on it's chest. At the end of his downward slash the magus attempts to follow up with a horizontal slash
Spellstrike: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 7 - 2 = 25
Confirm crit: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 7 - 2 = 25
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Regular Strike: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 2 = 13
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Total damage is 12

Usually you roll for crit damage, not just double the result. However, it's a moot point because kobolds don't have *that* many hp :)

The kobold looks at Ki Chin in shock, as the word affix to its body and its life is ended. It drops to the ground, permanently unconscious.

A calm falls up on the temple... for now.

We are still in initiative. Pinesong is up and Croak still has a standard action. You may attack the unconscious kobolds or reposition yourselves.

Pinesong hurries over to the unconscious kobolds, knowing they'll wake up and stab people soon. As he walks he draws his wooden stake.

"Don't worry! We'll save you soon!" Croak tells the captives. Then she hurries over to the top of the wall and hides in the leaves, knowing more kobolds will come out soon.

Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

With the group hovering over the unconscious bodies, expecting that the end is near, they start to hear additional voices coming from the stairs and from the trees surrounding the temple.

Two more kobolds rush up the stairs, and four more out of the surrounding trees! They immediately look at the unconscious bodies of their brothers that lay on the ground and cast incensed glares at the Pathfinders. They grip their spears to approach.

Round 2
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Dashed Yellow
Yellow (-1; unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Dashed Blue
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong
--------
Blue (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Red
Green (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Dashed Green
Dashed Orange
Dashed Red
Dashed Purple

Lomo, Croak, Sereia, and Gaskar are up!

Gaskar runs forth towards the kobolds coming up the stairs. He'll grunt as he brings down his flail.

Heavy Flail, non-lethal, flat-footed(?): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Gaskar rushes up and immediately takes down one of those that came up the stairs. The rest of the kobolds look on in shock and their resolve deepens.

Dashed Yellow down; Lomo, Croak, and Sereia are still up

Croak waves her arms around and shoots a bunch of vines at the blue kobold, lashing and squeezing it really good!

Ranged Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 1 = 16
Magic Slashing Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10

Sereia casts out her arms, sending a magic missile flying at the...

Dotted blue if it's standing. Otherwise at dotted green.

Force Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Hissing, Lomo rushes over to the one on the stairs and slashes at him with his claws.

Claw: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Slashing Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

I'm assuming Croak means dashed blue, one of the kobolds that's conscious. Please correct me if that's not what you meant.

Lomo slashes at the remaining kobold at the top of the stairs, causing it to hiss at him. It raises its spear to strike back, and just as it's in the air an arcane blast hits it from the side. As it drops to the ground, Lomo looks over to see a proud grippli waving with a smoking webbed paw.

dashed blue down

Sereia then sends an arcane force dart over the battlefield at the first kobold entering from the trees. It's plowed in the chest and begins labored breathing while it scowls at the magus.

Round 2
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Yellow (-1; unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong
--------
Blue (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Green (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Dashed Green (-4)
Dashed Orange
Dashed Red
Dashed Purple

Lin Ki Chin and Pinesong are up!

As more kobolds reveal themselves Ki Chin takes a peak from his cover and sees Dashed Green out in the open. The magus decides to move a little closer leaves his cover, Mei right behind him, and sends a bolt of acid at Dashed Green.
Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Acid Splash: 1d3 ⇒ 1

The lead entering kobold looks determined to rush the battle field for some vengeance, injured as he looks. Just as he's about to step into the field, Ki Chin's orb of acid slams into his chest. It didn't seem like the most direct hit to its skin, but it's telling how close this one was to the edge, and now falls apart. It's labored breathing becomes rapid wheezing, as it drops to one knee and finally falls over.

Dashed green down

All in the line behind him clatter the butts of their spears into the ground and hiss and yell short expletives in Draconic.

Round 2
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Yellow (-1; unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong
--------
Blue (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Green (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Dashed Orange
Dashed Red
Dashed Purple

Pinesong is still up!

Pinesong pulls out and uses a scroll! He wiggles his fingers and raises his hands in the air, and all of a sudden the plants around the kobolds wiggle their leaves and vines and petals and wrap around the kobolds legs!

Casting entangle. They're in green over there so I assume there's plants in that area. And we're on brown dirt, so I assume there's no plants around us. He'll still try to aim it so it mostly hits the jungle and the area all around the green kobold he can see without getting too close to us. I tried to place an area thing on the map but I don't know how well he can see into the jungle.

Yup! Quite fair to assume there's lots of jungle back there. This should work just right.

As the vine begin to grasp upward, the remaining kobolds become concerned, and begin lifting up their feet to avoid being grappled.

However, in failing to get moving quickly two of them become entangled in the vines. Those two, very determined, trudge through the vines marching towards Pinesong!

The other, moves freely and quicker, getting within jabbing distance.

The spear just gets into Pinesong's fur, drawing a small amount of blood. Just enough to remind him that these kobolds are dangerous!

Just then they all look to the East, with a look of relief on their faces.

Suddenly a more... serious looking kobold appears at the Eastern edge of the temple. It seems to survey the battlefield, both glaring at his unconscious soldiers and then nodding to the others.

Round 3
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Yellow (-1; unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong (-1)
--------
Blue (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Green (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Black
Dashed Orange
Dashed Red
Dashed Purple

The whole party is up! is up!

Gaskar watches the serious looking kobold move up the stairs. Without thinking, he'll move in and swing his flail, hoping to knock it out before it attacks.

Heavy Flail Attack, Non-Lethal, Flat-footed?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2

And the weight of his flail off-balances him, missing the kobold.

Gaskar watches the serious looking kobold move up the stairs. Without thinking, he'll move in and swing his flail, hoping to knock it out before it attacks.

Heavy Flail Attack, Non-Lethal, Flat-footed?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 6

And the weight of his flail off-balances him, missing the kobold

Careful to stay outside the area of the vines Ki Chin moves closer to Pinesong and his katana flashes for a decapitating strike at Dashed Purple.
Katana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Confirm: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
if it confirms the damage is 20

Now close enough to some enemies Mei suddenly grows into her battle form and moves pass her magus snarling at the kobolds.

Gaskar watches the serious looking kobold move up the stairs. Without thinking, he'll move in and swing his flail, hoping to knock it out before it attacks.

[dice=Heavy Flail Attack, Non-Lethal, Flat-footed?] 1d20+4
[dice=Damage] 1d10+6
[dice=Sneak Attack] 1d6

And the weight of his flail off-balances him, missing the kobold

Gaskar, those are the captive dwarven miners, they've been there the whole time. Serious kobold entered at stage right from the forest :) I suspect you need both move actions to get over there.

Oops. Don't want to attack those! Yes, I'll wander that way.

Double move over there. At least I got my nat 1 out of the way!

Gosh, let's see. Does that confirm for a pedestrian kobold? I'm not so sure... looks it up. Oooookay, just barely :P

Ki Chin strides forward with grace and honor, making the nearby kobold struggling in the vines even more nervous. It gives him a pitiable look, but it isn't enough. Most of the rest of the combatants look away just in time to abstract the gruesome execution for themselves.

Dashed purple down, obviously.

Round 3
Bold may act

Lomo
Croak
Sereia
Gaskar
--------
Yellow (-1; unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
--------
Lin Ki Chin
Pinesong (-1)
--------
Blue (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Green (unconscious, blinded, and stunned)
Black
Dashed Orange
Dashed Red

Lomo, Croak, Sereia, and Pinesong are up!

Serious Kobold glares at Gaskar, and even spits in his direction has he approaches.

Sereia moves up alongside Pinesong and thrusts her trident at the orange kobold.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6