GM ZD Escaping the Grave (Inactive)

Game Master Z...D...

GM, just for clarity's sake: your last update shows under Party Status that Ulena is dying 3 and wounded 1, but that is Aldonza, correct?

GM, just for clarity's sake: your last update shows under Party Status that Ulena is dying 3 and wounded 1, but that is Aldonza, correct?

Correct

Seeing Aldonza drop, Jak rushes to heal her again, trying to prevent any deaths within the group.

"That skeleton needs to go down."

◈◈ Heal on Aldonza
Heal: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Note: I have one Heal spell left.

Jak revitalizes Aldonza once more.

Larraz targets the undead again with a spell.

1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
fort: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Ulena may act

Party Status:
Ulena: 16/18 , wounded 1
Aldonza: 9/17; wounded 2
Cervantes: 12/18
Jak: 14/17
Rufous: 18/18

Botting Ulena

Ulena attempts to finish off the skeleton.

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 151d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 71d4 ⇒ 2
attack #2: 1d20 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 5 = 151d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 111d4 ⇒ 4
crit fish, attack #3: 1d20 + 6 - 10 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 10 = 141d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 61d4 ⇒ 3

The cleric launches a ray at Ulena.

attack: 1d20 ⇒ 3

The ray goes over head.

Rufous, Cervantes & Aldonza go.

Party Status:
Ulena: 16/18 , wounded 1
Aldonza: 9/17; wounded 2
Cervantes: 12/18
Jak: 14/17
Rufous: 18/18

Aldonza snaps awake again. A procession of emotions crosses her face: surprise, consternation, epiphany. She grabs the haft of her marotte, gets to her feet, and taps on the skeleton’s shoulder yet again.

”I get the feeling that you’re not enjoying my company”, she says, waving the haft menacingly. She shoots Ulena a quick wink.

Interact, Stand Up, Raise Shield (AC 19), Flanking

Cervantes will spend his first action casting ->Inspire Courage, as usual. All allies get +1 to their attack/damage rolls and +1 on saves against fear.

Then, Cervantes will once again attempt to ->Disarm the skeleton using his whip.

Disarm attack vs Skeleton's Reflex DC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

That's more like it! Assuming this was a success, the Skeleton gets -2 to all attacks with its weapon until the start of my next turn, and others get a +2 to their attempts to disarm the skeleton. Finally, Cervantes will attempt to ->Strike at the Cultist.

Strike vs Cultist's AC, MAP-5: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 Critical HIT!!
Non-lethal slashing damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 (16 points of slashing, non-lethal damage)

"Señorita Aldonza! This is your chance, I've got them under control. Go get your wounds tended to - Cervantes said, still a smirk on his face after having loosened the skeleton's grip on his sword and scoring a grievous direct hit with his whip on the cultist's face.

"Live to fight another day. Don't be like yours truly in his youth" - Cervantes says in a quieter tone, his face darkening somewhat

AON states the penalties are until the start of the creature's turn. AON. Either way, yes it was a success

Aldonza defiantly stands once more. The skeleton turns and strikes.

AOO: 1d20 ⇒ 121d8 ⇒ 6

The sword lays her open once more. Taking 10 damage

Ulena, once again, makes a retributive strike. Aldonza gains resistance 3 to that damage.

retributive strike: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 261d8 + 3 + 1d4 ⇒ (4) + 3 + (3) = 10 Critical strike

Ulena's glaive cuts through the skeleton's exposed spine. It drops to the ground in two separate pieces.

Aldonza finishes standing up and raises her shield.

Cervantes lashes at the weapon held by the cleric and then follows up against a body shot. The cleric doubles over in pain.

Party Status:
Ulena: 16/18 , wounded 1
Aldonza: 2/17; wounded 2
Cervantes: 12/18
Jak: 14/17
Rufous: 18/18

Going to call it here. The cleric had 1 hp left and no way to heal it. With his minion gone, he is not really a threat. He would've either fled, or surrendered if you cut off his escape path

Conclusion
After the PCs defeat Ralthiss and his undead allies, they must leave Goldenflame at once, as the gargantuan zombies seen on the horizon earlier, seem a lot closer than before. Sticking around any longer would surely end in disaster.

Their return trip to Caliphas is surprisingly mundane. The PCs don’t have any tasks other than to get home in one piece, so they can carefully maneuver the Gravelands to avoid both challenging terrain as well as any lingering patrols, taking the time they need with any cargo they have.

When the PCs arrive back at the Vodavani Lodge, they see Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss casting healing spells on and fussing over a few Pathfinders whom she and her team extracted during their mission into the Gravelands. She greets the PCs, solemnly listens to their debriefing of the slain Pathfinders they encountered, and eagerly welcomes any discoveries they uncovered. She asks that the PCs return any belongings of the Pathfinders they found so they could be delivered to the fallen’s families—notably the Pathfinders’ wayfinders. If the PCs brought back any of the bodies that were not Pathfinders and identify them as such, Evni accepts them nonetheless, promising that she will do her best to find if they have any surviving loved ones.

The documents and texts the PCs return are all of great use to the Society, but the statue in particular amazes Evni, to the point that she wonders out loud the effort required to transport such a thing across the Gravelands.

Regarding Larraz, Evni also offers to either return him back home to Katapesh or to look for more peaceful locations to reassign him. Larraz politely declines the invitation for further adventures, at least for now, wishing only to return home to his family and take a long break.

Relics Recovered
Goldenflame Chapel: Census records-Recovered
Flaming Wheel: Sign-Recovered
Flaming Wheel: Armor pieces
Main Hall: Painting
Classroom: Ceremonial sword
Study Area: Iomedaean religious text-Recovered
Dean’s Quarters: Statue (counts as two relics)-Recovered

Pathfinder Bodies Identified Since you made the diplomacy check with Larraz, he helps you identify his fallen comrades as long as you brought the bodies back.

Bryrigar Hassen-Located in the Offices of Goldenflame College
Gibb Potsmaher-Located in Goldenflame Church

Primary Success Condition
If the PCs recover at least five of the relics from Goldenflame and the college, they each earn 2 Fame and 2 Reputation for any faction associated with their currently slotted faction boon. For the purpose of fulfilling the primary objectives, the statue of Jingh from
area B9 counts as two relics.-Success

Secondary Success Condition
If the PCs correctly identify two of the Pathfinders and return with their remains, they each gain the Team Player boon on their Chronicle sheet, earn 2 Fame and 2 Reputation for any faction associated with their currently slotted faction boon.

Faction Notes
Envoys’ Alliance: If the PCs fulfill the secondary objective and return with Larraz alive, the Envoys’ Alliance is pleased with the PCs’ efforts. Each PC earns 2 additional Reputation with the Envoys’ Alliance faction, in addition to any other Reputation earned as a result of completing this scenario.

Aldonza sways after being hit, thinking Here we go again, but keeps her feet this time. She nods to Ulena, and spits a bloody gob on the skeleton.

Turning to Cervantes, she gives him a red smile. ”We all have our parts to play, Señor”, she says. ”You performed admirably” She curtsies low, picking up her sword in the process.

”The first round is on me!”, she announces, sheathing it with a snap.