A narrow, forty-foot-long stairwell opens into a vast chamber stretching over a hundred feet from end to end.
Vornsk Stealth :1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38
Spread throughout the vault are a series of massive columns, each rising twenty feet from the ground, leaving ten feet of open space between their beveled capitals and the domed ceiling above. Each column is covered from plinth to capital with shelves sized for books and scrolls alike.
From somewhere in the darkness ahead comes the scrape of stone and a flutter of wings, then two large creatures fly into the lightless room. They have falcon's head and great wings upon the body of a lion.
kn arcana to identify. The others are 20 ft away from Vornsk. What do you do? We are in a surprise round so please post only a move or standard action.
N Fem Kitsune Mesmerist(6) / Picaroon(1) | Init+5 | HP= 45 | AC=17/23 | CMD=17 | Fort +4, Ref +13, Will +11 | Levitation Buffer Installed | Charsheet
Alisia followed Vornsk sneaky and behind about 30-40 feet. The mesmerist is tired a bit and reacts deffencively to a danger. Her movements produce a tail.
Mirror images :1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Male N/G Human Cleric (Ecclesitheurge)/11 | HP: 117/117, ER 10 fire | AC/FF/Tch: 13/13/9 | CMD: 15 | F/R/W: +14/5/16 +14/5/16 | Init: +1 +1 | Speed 30 ft | Init:+1 | Diplo+21, Heal+11, Kn Arc/His/Nat/Nob/Pln+6, KnRel+16, Ling+6, Perc+12, SMot+21, SCft+7 | Active Conditions: mage armor, hunters blessing (?;?), ant haul
Not sure if you meant that only Vornsk should take a surprise round action or whether we all should. Also not sure of our relative positions and whether a bless spell can actually get everyone or whether Guy can see Vornsk or the enemy or what. Guy will want to cast bless but not if he can't get Vornsk in the spell.
Tiefling, Occultist 9, hp 66 Perc +12 AC 19 t: 19 f: 12(25% distortion)! CMD 23 F: 7, R: 9, W: 6
Kn (arcana):1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Vornsk will want to know about defenses (weaknesses, resistances, immuniTies,DR). But mostly wants to know if they are hostile.
If I can't tell I will default to the 'not hostile' option.
if not hostile:
cast major image of our host Ophopara. Have her step out into the open.
The least intelligent of the common sphinxes, hieracosphinxes are a cowardly, cruel-hearted lot. All are male. They despise the larger and cleverer androsphinxes and criosphinxes. Toward gynosphinxes they hold a twisted mix of a lust and hate, simultaneously envying their beauty and power while craving them as mates. Hieracosphinxes attack other sphinxes whenever they have them at a disadvantage. Male sphinxes of other species they tear to shreds or drive away, whereas they prefer to leave gynosphinxes ravaged but alive. The other species of sphinx likewise hold nothing but disdain for hieracosphinxes, and typically attack these vile beasts on sight.
Hieracosphinxes guard their territory ruthlessly against weaker intruders, seldom giving warning before they attack. They have no use for banter and riddles, making most efforts at diplomacy rather ineffective, but can be convinced to call off their attacks by convincing shows of force coupled with information on the location of weaker prey or a gynosphinx. Though poor fliers, they still prefer to fight from the air, the better to escape if the combat turns against them.
A hieracosphinx can pounce light a lion.
The shrill shriek of a hieracosphinx deafens non-sphinxes within a close range.
Tiefling, Occultist 9, hp 66 Perc +12 AC 19 t: 19 f: 12(25% distortion)! CMD 23 F: 7, R: 9, W: 6
Vornsk covers herself in tendrils of shadows & when they blow away she is also gone. Cast invisibility as a standard action.
"Te jungle breats!" she shouts in warning. "Hiercosp'inx" The Tien woman may never have uttered that word before and she only hopes she is pronouncing it correctly.
All except of Smarmy are up. You will need to move at least 20 ft to get to the map. Roll kn arcana when you can see the enemy. Please indicate your light source. They are 40 ft in the air.
Male N/G Human Cleric (Ecclesitheurge)/11 | HP: 117/117, ER 10 fire | AC/FF/Tch: 13/13/9 | CMD: 15 | F/R/W: +14/5/16 +14/5/16 | Init: +1 +1 | Speed 30 ft | Init:+1 | Diplo+21, Heal+11, Kn Arc/His/Nat/Nob/Pln+6, KnRel+16, Ling+6, Perc+12, SMot+21, SCft+7 | Active Conditions: mage armor, hunters blessing (?;?), ant haul
Guy does his bless thing before Vornsk goes high tailing off. If the place was dark before this he would have had a light spell going. If it is just the new room that is dark, then he has no light source of his own. In any case he is practicing his own form of invisibility - staying behind a nice safe and sturdy wall around the corner from the room with the Sphinx.
Not sure where that puts him. Depends on the stairs I expect. Do they double back? Are there walls around it or does the floor just open up. I put Guy in my best guess location, at the top of the stairs hiding around the corner.
N Fem Kitsune Mesmerist(6) / Picaroon(1) | Init+5 | HP= 45 | AC=17/23 | CMD=17 | Fort +4, Ref +13, Will +11 | Levitation Buffer Installed | Charsheet
Alisia anyway produce some Mirror Images as described above.
Earlier, she implanted Darkvision selfishly instead of Leviatation Buffer if there are some vision obstacles and no light.
Alisia enters the room and try to hide Stealth quickly:1d20 + 9 + 3 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 9 + 3 - 5 = 23 ... to take a moment and recognize whats happening.
Arcana:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
In case Alisia will be found and attacked. Not only Mirror images protect her, but she can also activate Levitation Buffer mesmerist trick as a free action in any time, or perform DOdging Panache as an immidiate adction
I am missing something here. How are people getting from A5 to A6? Does 20 feet of movement get you to A6 coming down the staircase? Xilt and Tzleztor will take their actions once I find out this missing information.
:)
Tiefling, Occultist 9, hp 66 Perc +12 AC 19 t: 19 f: 12(25% distortion)! CMD 23 F: 7, R: 9, W: 6
GM Nowruz wrote:
** spoiler omitted **
All except of Smarmy are up. You will need to move at least 20 ft to get to the map. Roll kn arcana when you can see the enemy. Please indicate your light source. They are 40 ft in the air.
Xilt and Tzleztor will delay until after the creatures go. They will remain out of sight and up the stairs with Guy and not enter the room yet. They also both have Darkvision and do not require a light source.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 (+2 if a spell or spell-like ability)
Smarmy, conveniently bringing up the rear, makes his way down the stairs with the others... only to be greated by a deafening shriek coming up from below.
Not sure what it was, but sure it's not friendly, he drinks the potion of invisibility he purloined from the assassins earlier.
Tiefling, Occultist 9, hp 66 Perc +12 AC 19 t: 19 f: 12(25% distortion)! CMD 23 F: 7, R: 9, W: 6
Deaf, distortion, sudden speed, spider climb, invisibility. Best I strike now. she whispers.
Vornks runs up the pillar like a cat. Reaching the top, she strikes at the orange-feathered lion, losing invisibility as she does and runs back down the pillar. Emerald eyes ablaze at the danger facing her.
"I hope I am not alone."
spring attack against the orange sphinx, hopefully flat footed. Hellcat Gauntlet:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26, piercing:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 plus bleed.
Male N Salt Mephit | Buffs: Endure Elements, Mage Armor, False Life (16/16), Ablative Barrier (50/50). | HP 41/41 Temp 16/16|DR 5/Magic|First 5 points of damage is converted to nonlethal|FH 2 Arid Env|AC 29 T 14 FF 26|CMB +5 CMD 18|F +4 R +5 W +7|Init +6|PER +14 DV 60' SM+1|40' Fly +18 Stealth+20|Improved Evasion,SR 16
Male N Salt Mephit | Buffs: Endure Elements, Mage Armor, False Life (16/16), Ablative Barrier (50/50). | HP 41/41 Temp 16/16|DR 5/Magic|First 5 points of damage is converted to nonlethal|FH 2 Arid Env|AC 29 T 14 FF 26|CMB +5 CMD 18|F +4 R +5 W +7|Init +6|PER +14 DV 60' SM+1|40' Fly +18 Stealth+20|Improved Evasion,SR 16
Deafened impacts spell casting with a verbal component but not spell-trigger items so that is good. :)
Both Xilt and Tzleztor are squeezing in the same square standing on the ground. If either of them comes under attack Xilt will cast Emergency Force Sphere as an immediate action. This acts more or less like a Wall of Force surrounding them. 5' hemi-sphere, 20 hardness, 90 hit points lasting 9 rounds.
Xilt continues to huddle with his familiar in case these flying lions decide to try to rend either one of them to pieces. He draws forth a mentamagic rod from his handy haversack and attempts to blind both of the Sphinxes with a glittery spell.
(Glitterdust, Persistent, Will DC 23 with Arcane point spent, roll twice and take the lowest score for all saves)
Both Xilt and Tzleztor are squeezing in the same square standing on the ground. If either of them comes under attack Xilt will cast Emergency Force Sphere as an immediate action. This acts more or less like a Wall of Force surrounding them. 5' hemi-sphere, 20 hardness, 90 hit points lasting 9 rounds
Male N Salt Mephit | Buffs: Endure Elements, Mage Armor, False Life (16/16), Ablative Barrier (50/50). | HP 41/41 Temp 16/16|DR 5/Magic|First 5 points of damage is converted to nonlethal|FH 2 Arid Env|AC 29 T 14 FF 26|CMB +5 CMD 18|F +4 R +5 W +7|Init +6|PER +14 DV 60' SM+1|40' Fly +18 Stealth+20|Improved Evasion,SR 16
The Mephit's ears are on the fritz. He shakes his head futilely trying to clear them. He grins and points his staff up at the two Sphinxes who are in a nice line. He tries to speak the word of power correctly as Xilt has taught him.
"Electro..."
UMD,target DC 20:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33
And the staff fires releasing the last of its energy for the day.
Lightninng Bolt, Reflex DC 15 for half:8d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 6, 5, 4, 3, 5, 1) = 27
Smarmy quietly slips into the room while the sphinxes are distracted tearing into Vornsk.
Stealth:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Of course, due to her positioning, everything is happening twenty feet over everyone elses heads.
He snorts at her lack of forsight.
Not much I can do with them that high in the air, and only a letter opener for a weapon... so will hide behind the stairwell, and wait for the situation to change.
N Fem Kitsune Mesmerist(6) / Picaroon(1) | Init+5 | HP= 45 | AC=17/23 | CMD=17 | Fort +4, Ref +13, Will +11 | Levitation Buffer Installed | Charsheet
Smarmy, thats why I used Mental Block! Nowruz, still required a Will save from the oraange Sphinx, DC 17 to avoid Mental Block spell.
Alisia remembers that she still wear Ring of Eloquance, which makes deafened effect less powerful, so she can hear some words even correctly. She also believe, that fire and lightning intensive enough to destroy flying creatures.
Alisia now Staring at green Sphinx, making him feel uncomfortable
-2 Will saves, recieving +3 damage from every succesful attack
Alisia then throw her Starkinfe at the green.
Range throwing attack:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 Probably I should calculate -2 to this because of range increment. Dmg, magic, piercing:1d4 - 2 + 3 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) - 2 + 3 + (5, 6) = 15
Will mental block:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15Sorry Alisia! That means that orange would not have been able to pounce but as those last two attacks did not hit anyway the result is the same. Thanks for pointing that out!
One of the Sphinxes is acting unbelievably clumsily even in your eyes.
Alisia's stares at the clumsy sphinx in the air and then hurls a starknife that sinks deep into the feathered body and draws blood!
Will red DC 23, min:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 271d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 Will orange DC 23, min:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 151d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Glitterdust is suddenly all around the beasts.
The orange feathered sphinx is now mentally blocked, blinded and is then hit by lightning!
The red one can somehow close its eyes in time but is burnt by the lightning's energy.
Reflex red DC 15:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25 Reflex orange DC 15:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Smarmy waits for an opportunity.
Round 2
Flying creature (orange), -62, bleed, blind persistent DC 23, mental block DC 17,
Flying creature (red), -59
Smarmy
Round 3
Alisia, 3 Mirror images, Levitation Buffer, Dodging Panache, deaf 5 rounds
Guy, 10 ft from map, deaf 3 rounds, DC 17 Sanctuary
Xilt, Emergency Force Sphere
Tzleztor, deaf 2 rounds
Vornsk, -34, deaf 6 rounds,
Male N/G Human Cleric (Ecclesitheurge)/11 | HP: 117/117, ER 10 fire | AC/FF/Tch: 13/13/9 | CMD: 15 | F/R/W: +14/5/16 +14/5/16 | Init: +1 +1 | Speed 30 ft | Init:+1 | Diplo+21, Heal+11, Kn Arc/His/Nat/Nob/Pln+6, KnRel+16, Ling+6, Perc+12, SMot+21, SCft+7 | Active Conditions: mage armor, hunters blessing (?;?), ant haul
Muttering a bravery mantra to himself, Guy finally rounds the corner to see what is going on. He gasps at how close the battle is and begins praying even harder that either they will not notice him or that the sanctuary spell will protect him. Not wanting to break his protective spell, he opts for a helpful ability rather than an offensive one and activates his Aura of Heroism. (All allies within 30' benefit from the heroism spell)
@GM Nowruz - Emergency Force Sphere did not trigger as neither Xilt nor Tzleztor were attacked so there was no need for it to go up. This is all stated in my previous post. :)
Tiefling, Occultist 9, hp 66 Perc +12 AC 19 t: 19 f: 12(25% distortion)! CMD 23 F: 7, R: 9, W: 6
Vornsk wrote:
... and runs back down the pillar. ...
I should be back at ground level. (phhffttt... who needs foresight? :) And distortion lasts until I make an attack. This means the third attack from Red was also a hit, putting V at 23/66 hp (down 43).
I really hope they do not have rend!
Vornsk rushes up the pillar to strike the lower of the two beasts then down the pillar, and under the stairs. Her stripped tail produces a wand as she gets there.
spring attack. hellcat gauntlet:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16, piercing:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 plus bleed. Free action to retrieve a wand.
If the higher of the two (orange) has a reach of 10 feet this will provoke an AoO, but I think it is blind. If it does AoO, mobility makes V's AC 23.
Please consider the buff depending on your position to Guy.
Vornsk wrote:
What have fireball and lightning done to the books and scrolls if anything?
The fire and lightning is somehow repelled by a very thin layer of force that completely protects all the pillar's content!
Xilt Sphinx wrote:
@GM Nowruz - Emergency Force Sphere did not trigger as neither Xilt nor Tzleztor were attacked so there was no need for it to go up. This is all stated in my previous post. :)
I know. :-) I am just putting it there so I do not forget to trigger it in case you are attacked.
Vornsk wrote:
Vornsk wrote:
... and runs back down the pillar. ...
I should be back at ground level.
I think that you only had enough movement to get to the 20 ft level after your attack, correct? If not then you were down the pillar and the orange is 10 ft up and the green is on ground level. This would be important for Smarmy to know Vornsk if your movement would really have been enough to get down completely.
She was using Spring Attack... but that only lets you move up to your movement... so 20' total, sounds right.
But who knows with Occultists, they have all sorts of tricks. Only class I've never had the courage to try out =)
More importantly, Heirocosphinx's have very poor flying skills, so hovering is not an automatic for them. So some might be coming down anyway.
Tiefling, Occultist 9, hp 66 Perc +12 AC 19 t: 19 f: 12(25% distortion)! CMD 23 F: 7, R: 9, W: 6
I did screw up a couple of things. Sudden speed is a focus power adding 30 feet to my land speed. Spider climb gives me a climb speed of 20 feet. I was figuring a movement of 60 feet when it should have been 20. Secondly, I was counting climb as half speed, when it should be quarter speed. In short I could get to them with a spring attack, but not away, and that means I could not spring attack the second time (you can't spring attack a target adjacent to you at the start of your turn).
My R3 actions would instead translate into a standard attack plus a move to the bottom of the pillar, which does provoke from one (or both). If that is the case, I could be dropped & will have to rely on mobility to survive! :) AC 23 (token updated to new/corrected location)
