#4–13: Fortress of the Nail - GM Nowruz (Inactive)

Game Master noral

Both prisoners back away.

"As I already said. I still can serve the Society. And the only thing I am potentially hiding is that I still have my stash of treasures hidden away and don't want to share everything with the Society. Now let me out of here please!! she pleads.

* * *

The armiger is less amused.

"I do not have a problem with seeing you explode. Take your chances." he says and folds his arms.

You can make sense motive checks if you like.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Sense Motive Mythryndyr: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Tsuan will relay anything she senses, and then go pick up the figurine, readying it.

Does anyone have CLW on their spell list? Tsuan has a wand of CLW, but she'll need to roll UMD to use it.

Paxal drops the hot poker and laughs.
Hahaha. Okay. I believe you both.
He turns to his companions.
I don't have any issues with letting them free. They said they would help us. I believe they will.

@Tsuan: I can take care of the wand for you. Go ahead and roll your healing.

"Good. Now that we're finally done hemming and hawing..."

Torku turns his back on the nearby cell, deftly twisting the key in the lock with his tail. "Such a shame I didn't see what happened," he says to the other Pathfinders with more glee than sourness in his expression. "Also a shame someone stole this invisibility potion from me." The tail now holds a potion vial next to the unlocked door.

He'll repeat the performance for the other cell as well unless someone else wants to take care of it.

"And schoolgirl! Don't go activating things you don't understand until everyone else is prepared. Or far away."

Given that we've heard it produces fire (and with Hell being like it is), Torku would want to cast resist energy (fire) before activating the portal.

Tsuan offers Malaz an apple in return for his help.

"Braeburns," she says. "Mai ho tiem."

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Rhykevance grumbles and looks the other way. "Whatever I would not do for the Mistress..." He then rubs his flame-reddened face a bit, pulls out a wand and proffers it to Malaz. "If you would? I do not trust myself with this."

@Malaz: I assume the offer also stands for Rhykevance.

1 charge off my CLW wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
and another: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

He grunts a thanks.

@Rhyk: Yep, activations all around!

Mazaz takes a bite, chews, and then nods approvingly. "Totemo sawayakadesu. Arigatōgozaimashita."

He then activates the curing magic stored within the dwarf's wand.

For future reference, Myth has a level of Ranger so he can also operate a Wand of CLW...

Myth nods. "Agreed then, let's free 'em...see if those keys work on their cells, Paxal..."

If the keys will not open the cells, Myth will take a look at the locks and then try to pick 'em...

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Disable Device: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34

Paxal pops open the cell doors.

By the way. I found this cloak that could be Zarta's in the cell. Would anyone be so kind if they could detect magic on it?

The key works and opens the cells.

Sascha sheepishly looks at Torku, takes the oil and suddenly becomes invisible.

”I won’t forget this!! I hope to see you soon!“

And with that she leaves.

-

Markus is also unbelievably glad.

”Good! Thanks! Okay! If you use the trigger word ‚duthgfukcswln‘ then you can open the portal! Farewell!!“

He also uses the oil that Torku provided and not do silently leaves the room.

Malaz looks at the writing on the figurine again. Did he just give us the activation word we already knew, and probably a phonetic approximation at that?

Malaz looks at the writing on the figurine again. Did he just give us the activation word we already knew, and probably a phonetic approximation at that?

Exactly, same activation word. ;-)

"Now that everyone's done Liberty's Edging, are we ready to Dark Archive this figurine?"

Speaking the word on the bottom of the statue causes the painting on the wall to transform into a flaming portal. The flames are superficial and neither give off heat nor damage creatures or objects touching them.

—

HELL AWAITS YOU

You feel a tingling sensation... then heat!

You do not know what it is but somehow you have the feeling that breathing is more difficult.

Hell is not a welcoming place, and its first layer, Avernus, is no exception.

You emerge from the portal into a place seething with infernal heat and echoing with the snarls of hellish hounds.

The cavern-kennels of Losarkur, Beastlord of Avernus, reek of horror. A long hall separates two rows of cages that are barred with thick, cracked bones; within each cage at least one pair of red eyes glows ominously. Spaced throughout the cavern are pillars of jagged stone that plunge into small, round pools of molten, steaming lava, which provide the faint light that pervades this nightmarish haunt.

Looking down the hall you see a wide chamber that lacks the cages and columns of the rest of the kennel, instead featuring wide, rounded walls rising up to a height of forty feet.

Hanging from the vaulted ceiling, about twenty feet above the ground, are three iron gibbets; the middle one contains the hunched form of a humanoid woman, her hair and skin matted with dried blood.

Though she is hard to recognize in her current state, it can only be the paracountess Zarta Dralneen.

Please also read the hell planar traits in the handout!

Myth shakes off the eerie feeling of being in Hell...drawing his bow, he takes a careful look around the place as he quietly approaches the paracountess...

Stealth: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (14) + 22 = 36
Perception: 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 12 - 4 = 28

Zarta! What in the Nine Hells did they do to you?
Paxal takes a few steps towards the cage holding the paracountess. He stops when he sees Myth sneaking ahead.
There must be a winch somewhere to lower the cage.
He glances about the room looking for a mechanism that will lower the cage.
We'll get you out of there soon, Zarta.

It can't be this easy. There've got to be guards or a torturer or something. Best to be ready. Uncertain how his usual tactic would work, he decides on a slightly different option.

Spending a point of focus to add the HOLY weapon property to my ax. Just not sure if 'outsiders' are outsiders on their native plane, so no Bane.

Tsuan will draw her +1 wakizashi and apply an oil of align weapon (good, 3 min).

The pools of molten, steaming lava are emanating an unbelievable heat!

And the echoing of the snarls of hellish hounds is very loud.

Myth can hide along the wall and the others prepare.

Paxal receives no response from the woman in the cage but Myth can discern that it is definitely Zarta!

You do not see or hear anything that could be a threat.

Initiative

Mythryndyr

Tsuan
Rhykevance
Paxal
Torku

Hound

Malaz

Malaz, you have not taken the action that you posted, yet. You can of course change your action when it is your turn.
Paxal, you can of course still take an action beyond talking.
BOLD IS UP!

”Wonderful.” Torku taps his drawn rapier to his arm. ”I don’t suppose we can petition to have Zarta’s ‘sale’ to Hell invalidated due to the technicality of her not being legal property of the Hellknights, can we? No? Then we should be prepared to fight.”

Casting shield and moving to front. It worked well last time, so Torku will try to draw attention and tank some hits.

Torku, you can move forward but you realize that the lava around the pillars is so hot that any square adjacent to a pillar can be dangerous to move through.
So if anybody moves through these squares, please tell me. :-)

Token moved - Torku’s got fire resistance active, so hopefully this doesn’t hurt too much.

Fire damage : 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8

Torku's magical resistance is strong enough to prevent any burns when he steps near the molten lava around the pillars!

Rhykevance looks up at the cage, blinking away a red fog he feels has settled over his mind. "That is the Mistress. Can we tell if she is not an illusion? I trust nothing in this place."

Axe in hand, he carefully moves forward, bolstering himself with a spell and avoiding the lava. The hemisphere of his shielding spell floats beside him, a nearly imperceptible waver in the air. Or perhaps it's the heat.

Moving forward and casting bear's endurance on myself.

Paxal has bow in hand and arrows at the ready. He waits for his teammates' actions.

”I don’t suppose we can petition to have Zarta’s ‘sale’ to Hell invalidated due to the technicality of her not being legal property of the Hellknights, can we?”

"Etiquette does not render one defenseless. I'm guessing the denizens of actual Hell are going to be less reasonable than the maralictor was, but we should ask politely first anyway."

Suddenly, you all see a creature running around the corner!

It resembles a powerfully built wolf the size of a large draft horse, with a burning body and fiery red eyes.

When the wolfhound stops, it growls and spits fire on Rhykevance and Torku!

Fire damage, DC 21 reflex half ; recharge d4: 10d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 6, 4, 2, 6, 6, 5, 5) = 401d4 ⇒ 2

-

Initiative - round 1

Malaz

Initiative - round 2

Mythryndyr
Tsuan
Rhykevance
Paxal
Torku

Hound

BOLD ARE UP!

"Good doggie ... ?" Tsuan asks politely.

Tsuan will vanish and then move in, tumbling through in case it can see invisibility. She will pass through 2 squares adjacent to pillars, and will stop where she is if she takes damage from the lava, otherwise, she'll move through until she's in a better flanking position.

Acrobatics, Boots: 1d20 + 14 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 14 + 5 = 26

Malaz spends a moment to imbue is weapon with divine energy.

Will now spend a point of mental focus to add the Holy weapon property for one minute.

Planes: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Resistances please

No resistances but immune to fire.

Reflex vs DC 21: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Knowledge (planes) vs DC 19: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32 (DR, Weaknesses, etc.)

”S+#+!” Torku pats out the flames licking his clothes, glaring up at the oversized dog. ”A Nessian warhound. Of course.” Holding his blade in front of his face for a moment, he tries to think of an enchantment that’ll make this thing howl in agony. As if of its own mind, the tiefling’s tail plucks a wand from his belt and holds it ready.

Standard action to use Legacy Weapon, but I’d like to wait to pick which enhancement until the results of the Recall Knowledge check are revealed. Move action to draw wand of infernal healing.

@Torku: vulnerability to cold but no DR.

To cold, you say?

Frost clings to the tiefling’s blade as though it had just been drawn from a frozen lake in the dead of winter. ”Oh, can you not handle the cold?” he sneers. ”Rhykevance, you can do the same, correct?”

Giving the rapier the Frost Burst enhancement. Also taking a 5 ft step to get off the lava - it shouldn’t get through his resistance, but best not to tempt fate.

After seeing a gout of flame spew from the hound's mouth and engulf half of the chamber, he takes a step forward and lets loose two arrows at the giant hound. They fly between the columns towards their target.

+1 adaptive comp. longbow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
+1 adaptive comp. longbow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

One of Paxil’s arrows sinks into the hound’s chest!!

"Good doggie ... ?" Tsuan asks politely.

Tsuan will vanish and then move in, tumbling through in case it can see invisibility. She will pass through 2 squares adjacent to pillars, and will stop where she is if she takes damage from the lava, otherwise, she'll move through until she's in a better flanking position.

** spoiler omitted **

When Tsuan steps near one of the pillars with the lava, she burns severely!

fire damage : 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7

Tsuan, I put you in the square that I assumed you did enter. If you stay there you’ll continue to burn. Please indicate your position if you decide to move out or walk forward nonetheless.

Tsuan will keep moving, 3 squares east and one southeast from the position you put her. She will jump across the next square east (10' jump, auto-succeed) if that's allowed to see if she can avoid the damage. Otherwise, she'll just move across and presumably take another 2d6 damage.

Sorry for the confusion, I meant that she'll stay at the position I put her originally (to the northeast of the creature), rather than moving further east (into a better flanking position but presumably getting burned by the next set of pillars).

Rather than drawing a second wakizashi, Tsuan will draw a wand of cure light wounds in her off-hand.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Rhykevance reels from the conflagration and slaps at his smoking beard. "Cold? I can do that, and many tricks besides, if I live to cast them!" He weaves a spell and suddenly the ponderous dwarf does not look quite so ponderous, with newfound agility that affects some of the rest of you as well. He flourishes his axe, which is suddenly chill and frozen, steaming in the heat of Hell. He stalks closer to the devil hound.

Casting haste. It looks like I can get Tsuan, Torku, and Malaz. Mythryndyr as well, if he moves to within 30 feet of Tsuan. Swift action to put frost on the waraxe from arcane pool.

Myth moves 5’ and fires thrice at the hellish hound...

To Hit: Base/Dex, Magic, Weapon Focus, PBS, Precise Shot, Deadeye Bowman, Rapid Shot, Haste
Damage: Magic, Strength, PBS

Magic Longbow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 15

Magic Longbow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 28
Magic/Cold Iron Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 2 + 1 = 9

Magic Longbow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 32
Confirm: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 20
Confirm (Folio Re-roll): 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 - 2 + 1 = 28
Magic/Cold Iron/Critical Damage: 3d8 + 3 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 4, 4) + 3 + 6 + 3 = 24

Let’s discuss the lava damage in discussion. Let us assume that you only get fire damage if you end your turn on a square with the lava. So no 7 damage to Tsuan.

Tsuan moves forward and tries to prevent an attack of opportunity by tumbling but the hound is too fast and unfortunately her parry is unsuccessful! The wolfhound can bite off a large chung of flesh from Tsuan's right thigh and simultaneously burns her!

1 panache spent. Sorry for what’s coming. :-(

AoO vs Tsuan bite +20 (2d6+12/19–20 plus 2d6 fire) : 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 20 = 362d6 + 12 + 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) + 12 + (5, 3) = 31

Myth‘s precise shots hits the wolfhound’s flank and throat where the last shot leads to blood spraying all over the place.

Rhykevance can move forward and is not hit by an attack of opportunity as the wolfhound is so focused on Tsuan.

* * *

Primary attack vs Tsuan bite +20 (2d6+12/19–20 plus 2d6 fire) : 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 382d6 + 12 + 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) + 12 + (6, 4) = 33

When the wolfhound sees that Tsuan is wounded it licks its lips and again bites her - this time it tears into her abdomen and Tsuan is so overwhelmed by the blood loss that she drops to the ground unconscious!

Sorry, no dodging panache or parry could have prevented that attack from hitting.

* * *

Initiative - round 2

Malaz

Initiative - round 3

Mythryndyr
Tsuan, -11/53 hp, dying, stabilization roll needed
Rhykevance, 35/59 hp
Paxal
Torku, 35/45 hp, fire resistance 10

Hound, -44

BOLD ARE UP!

Wasn’t Tsuan invisible? Or does this thing have see invisibility or something similar? Not that Torku really wants to take damage, but he’s at least got the fire protection.

Torku swears again and steps closer, jabbing twice at the hound in quick succession. ”Just die, damn it!”

Rapier, Haste: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 1 = 28
Piercing damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 (Rolling cold damage separately for ease of tracking due to Weakness)
Cold damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Rapier, Haste: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 11 + 1 = 31
Piercing damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Cold damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Crit Confirmation: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 1 = 13 Nooooo!
Folio Reroll, GM Stars: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 1 + 3 = 27
Crit damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Cold damage: 1d10 ⇒ 10

F***! Completely forgot Invisibility!! Rhykevance I am so sorry for the mess up but then the above AoO hits you! :-( And the scenario says that he isolates enemies so that I have to attack you agin.

Tsuan moves forward with her invisibility and can position herself in a flank!

The wolfhound sees Rhykevance approaching and can bite off a large chunk of flesh from Rhykevance's right thigh and simultaneously burns him!

AoO vs Rhykevance bite +20 (2d6+12/19–20 plus 2d6 fire) : 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 322d6 + 12 + 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) + 12 + (1, 4) = 23

The wolfhound sees that Rhykevance is wounded and licks its lips and bites him again - this time it tears into Rhykevance's abdomen and Rhykevance is severely wounded!

Primary attack vs Rhykevance bite +20 (2d6+12/19–20 plus 2d6 fire) : 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 282d6 + 12 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) + 12 + (3, 4) = 24

* * *

Torku sees the dwarf fall and suddenly goes crazy!

In his hasted form he uses his Rapier to pierce the chest of the beat twice and his second thrust explodes with cold energy that almost freezes the wolfhound's heart of fire!

But the best is not dead, yet!

Initiative - round 2

Malaz

Initiative - round 3

Mythryndyr
Tsuan, 53/53 hp
Rhykevance, -12/59 hp, dying, stabilization roll needed
Paxal
Torku, 35/45 hp, fire resistance 10

Hound, -92

BOLD ARE UP!

Rhykevance goes down with a resounding clang.

Stabilization: 1d20 - 10 ⇒ (10) - 10 = 0

Malaz moves up to fill the void left by the fallen dwarf. With hasted accuracy, he swings his ax in a horizontal arc.

Ax of Bad Dog! {PA/Haste/Holy}: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 1 = 24
Damage: 3d6 + 16 + 2d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 6) + 16 + (4, 3) = 38

Movement provokes

Tsuan notes Rhyk near death. She rolls next to him and attempts to tap him with her wand of CLW (this will be tough with the CHA penalty).

UMD, CHA penalty, DC 20: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 8 - 4 = 6

I don't have a reroll. :(

Also, Tsuan takes lava damage for sure.

AoO vs Malaz bite +20 (2d6+12/19–20 plus 2d6 fire) : 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 382d6 + 12 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) + 12 + (1, 2) = 20

The nessian hound cuts deep into Malaz' arm when he approaches but Malaz uses his hasted movement to chop into the hound's back and it sinks to the ground!

Combat over.