AC 13 (17 Mage Armor) T 13/FF 10 | CMB +0 CMD 14 | HP 30(30) | Init +9 | Fort +4 Ref +5 Will +5 | Perception +8 | Speed 30 ft. | Light
Memorized Spells:
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light, Ray of Frost, Read Magic L1: Burning Hands, Color Spray, Enlarge Person, Grease
Xusius hikes up his robe high and wades through the water until he reaches the point on the map mumbling in a horrible accent about wretched nasty, filthy water and ruined robes.
Out of the water, both Ledt and Sylvester take the opportunity to regain their own feet.
As with every other place in this magical spire, the shadows seem to jump as soon as they're in your peripheral vision, and the angles and distances of the walls, floor, and ceiling seem to constantly shift as soon as they're out of sight, though they always seem right when you look directly. You note nothing of significant interest here on the other side of the banyan roots, other than than a short pair of steps that lead to a short hallway; a sturdy door stands closed at the end.
Male N Gnome Sorcerer 7 Buffs: | HP 72/72| AC 15 Incorp T 12 T 12 FF 14 | CMB -1 CMD 10| F +10 R +5 W +6, +2 vs Illusion| INIT +7| PER +16 Low Light SM -1| Speed 20' |Resist Fire 5|
Ledt smiles, not concealing his pride "You see, we small ones have to do all the job"
"As I said, in no way I plan to drown trying to swim in water" Ledt looks towards After "You, shoulder wide man, let me climb at your back, I do not plan to soak my clothes in this leech infested place"
The halfling climbs on the man's back, pushing strongly down his trousers to propel himself up "Yeah, there is actually a good view from here. I can even appreciate Iladora's hair is quite cute. Have you considered asking her for a date After? She seems to need some help with that poison, this is your chance"
Ledt evokes four dancing lights that dance forward while he scans the area with detect magic "The left door seems like a good option, my short-legged mate"
As has been standard for this group of Pathfinders, the weakest member of the party approaches the door and attempts to open it.
Strength:1d20 - 3 ⇒ (1) - 3 = -2
The door seems to almost push Ledt backwards, and the halfling falls to his feet. Getting up, he brushes off his trousers and gives it another go.
Strength:1d20 - 3 ⇒ (10) - 3 = 7
The door doesn't budge, but Ledt keeps his feet this time. As the other Pathfinders stand by watching, he tries one more time.
Strength:1d20 - 3 ⇒ (15) - 3 = 12
Finally, with a groan, the door slowly opens.
Ledt, Sylvester, and any other PC that moves into view:
The door reveals a cathedral-like hall with a vaulted ceiling supported by eight square pillars. The ceiling is 20 feet high near the walls and rises to 30 feet at the apex. Dominating the middle of the hall is a huge mound of undulating gray-green flesh covered with weeping scarlet boils. The entire is roughly 20 feet in diameter and 10 feet tall, and it bears hundreds of jagged, poorly-healed scars. It stinks of a weeks-old corpse.
GM Screen
Spoiler:
Perception:1d20 ⇒ 19
A huge number of creatures are clustered around this central mass; they seem to be feeding on it. A number of them lift their heads as you open the door, but don't seem immediately interested; they drop their heads back down to continue feeding.
Ledt grumpily pushes the door until it concedes under his small arms.
The halfling covers his nostrils due to the horrible reek and sends his dancing lights forward to see the source of if. Observing the feast he frowns despised "It seems we found a centuries long lasting repast people..."
Not knowing what the creatures are, but not wanting to find out too late, Ledt starts to chain arcane words and movements casting web centered on the rotten mass of meat.
A many-layered mass of strong, sticky strands sprawl into existence, these strands trapping those caught in them.
Ref DC 17 to avoid getting grappled, no SR
Portrait | CORE Female Human Ranger 5 | AC: 20/14/17 (+4 Mobility) | HP: 44/44| Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3 | CMB +9 (+2 sunder), CMD 21 (+2 vs sunder) | Init +2 | Perc +9 (+2 urban terrain, +4 vs undead, +2 vs evil outsiders))
Knowledge (religion):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Knowledge (religion):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 +2 to each if they're undead.
Iladora hides a smile as she watches the weakest member of the group struggle in vain against the door. She walks up to the door to help. "Why sure, I'll--" She cuts off when Ledt finally manages to push it open to reveal a mass of creatures. Her smile vanishes.
I'll wait for results of my Knowledges to post further actions. I assume I can ask a few questions about the first group, so I'd like to know 1) what DR they have if any, 2) any specific weaknesses, and 3) what special attacks they have if any. (Not sure how many I get but I'm sure it's not more than three.)
Male N Gnome Sorcerer 7 Buffs: | HP 72/72| AC 15 Incorp T 12 T 12 FF 14 | CMB -1 CMD 10| F +10 R +5 W +6, +2 vs Illusion| INIT +7| PER +16 Low Light SM -1| Speed 20' |Resist Fire 5|
Ledt acts swiftly as Bertha advances into the room and Sylvester retreats with a different plan. Conjuring a mass of sticky webbing, Ledt pins many of the creatures to the pillars, walls, and the mass they were feeding from.
Web is a crazy good spell here! I adjusted the size of the area of effect, as the spell "must be anchored to two or more solid and diametrically opposed points or else the web collapses upon itself and disappears." The front section of the web disappears, but everything that was between the walls and/or pillars is effective!
GM Screen:
Reflex DC 17, orange ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 18 Reflex DC 17, yellow ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 6 Reflex DC 17, green ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 2 Reflex DC 17, cyan ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 1 Reflex DC 17, pink dashed:1d20 ⇒ 16
Iladora easily identifies the largest number of creatures as ghouls, though she can't quite pin down what the others are. She knows that, while ghouls lack any damage resistance, they do have some amount of resistance to channeling (+2 channel resistance). She knows of no specific weaknesses, and she knows that their bite is quite dangerous, with the potential to cause paralysis and ghoul fever, a disease that can turn the infected into another ghoul if it dies with the disease active.
Akter still has a round 1 action remaining. The creatures don't notice you--even with the appearance of the web--and continue feeding this round, so everyone also has their round 2 actions. Akter, please take actions for both rounds.
Portrait | CORE Female Human Ranger 5 | AC: 20/14/17 (+4 Mobility) | HP: 44/44| Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3 | CMB +9 (+2 sunder), CMD 21 (+2 vs sunder) | Init +2 | Perc +9 (+2 urban terrain, +4 vs undead, +2 vs evil outsiders))
Round 1 (cont.): Ghouls, Iladora thinks as she pulls her sword from its sheath. And I don't recognize those others. They seem vaguely familiar, like something from a recent dream, but she can't place them.
(Move into the room.)
Round 2:
Readied action:
Greatsword vs first one in threatened area, Power Attack, favored enemy:1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 5 + 2 = 26 Damage:2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 2) + 6 + 2 = 13
Darting into the room, Akter recognizes the other undead as festrogs; while he doesn't remember much about their abilities, he can tell that these are stronger than normal (Advanced template). That doesn't stop him from firing a pair of arrows unerringly at the closest, killing it.
Iladora prepares for the coming battle, readying a mighty swing if any come close.
This humanoid creature has long, sharp teeth, and its pallid flesh is stretched tightly over its starved frame.
Ghouls are undead that haunt graveyards and eat corpses. Legends hold that the first ghouls were either cannibalistic humans whose unnatural hunger dragged them back from death or humans who in life fed on the rotting remains of their kin and died (and were reborn) from the foul disease—the true source of these undead scavengers is unclear.
Ghouls lurk on the edges of civilization (in or near cemeteries or in city sewers) where they can find ample supplies of their favorite food. Though they prefer rotting bodies and often bury their victims for a while to improve their taste, they eat fresh kills if they are hungry enough. Though most surface ghouls live primitively, rumors speak of ghoul cities deep underground led by priests who worship ancient cruel gods or strange demon lords of hunger. These “civilized” ghouls are no less horrific in their eating habits, and in fact the concept of a well-laid ghoul banquet table is perhaps even more horrifying than the concept of taking a meal fresh from the coffin.
No DR; Channel resistance +2 No weaknesses Bite attack causes ghoul fever; bite and claw attacks both cause paralysis
Advanced Festrog description:
This hideously malformed, hairless, pustule-covered corpse moves and snarls more like an undead hound than an undead man.
A festrog is an undead abomination spawned when a creature is killed by a massive release of negative energy (perhaps due to planar bleeding, the destruction of a potent artifact, or even certain magical attacks by powerful undead), and then mutilated by an outside force, such as the scavenging of wild animals. Sometimes called dog-ghouls for their ability to run on all fours, the name often causes opponents to misinterpret this creature’s abilities and grossly underestimate its intelligence, for the festrog is in fact a rather canny monstrosity.
Festrogs inhabit remote areas near places where they were slain. It’s not uncommon for a tribe of festrogs to share territories with ghouls. Most festrogs gather in small bands, based on whatever loose affiliations they might recall from when they were alive, and choose dwellings in sunless areas easily defended with group tactics. Like ghouls, they tend to skulk about graveyards, though they prefer ones with tombs and mausoleums so they can hide during the day. They hunt nocturnally in packs, preferring open areas like plains, farmlands, or open forests where they can track down prey with few places for it to run or hide. These packs wander seminomadically, often traveling miles beyond their dwellings in pursuit of mortal flesh.
He casts Web so that it uses the second and third sets of pillars as its anchors.
That description doesn't give me enough to go on to place it myself. I have a link to spell templates in my tagline here; please paste in a 20' radius template and show where you want it placed. Thanks!
He casts Web so that it uses the second and third sets of pillars as its anchors.
That description doesn't give me enough to go on to place it myself. I have a link to spell templates in my tagline here; please paste in a 20' radius template and show where you want it placed. Thanks!
Sorry, I made that post from memory. It turns out that description is good enough. I placed and cropped the template.
GM Screen:
Reflex DC 16, red ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 19 Reflex DC 16, blue ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 2 Reflex DC 16, purple ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 5 Reflex DC 16, pink ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 15 Reflex DC 16, red festrog:1d20 ⇒ 19 Reflex DC 16, green festrog:1d20 ⇒ 19 Reflex DC 16, blue festrog:1d20 ⇒ 9
Xusius follows up Ledt's web with another of his own, leaving most of the undead trapped! Ledt prepares to enlarge one of his allies, and Bertha joins Iladora in foreshadowing destruction.
Male N Gnome Sorcerer 7 Buffs: | HP 72/72| AC 15 Incorp T 12 T 12 FF 14 | CMB -1 CMD 10| F +10 R +5 W +6, +2 vs Illusion| INIT +7| PER +16 Low Light SM -1| Speed 20' |Resist Fire 5|
Sylvester shoots off a magic missile that zips through the strands of webbing to strike the festrog in front. The dashed creatures are festrogs; Sylvester doesn't have line of effect to any ghouls.
The ghouls seem to awaken from their feeding-induced stupor, turning their heads towards you and begin to stretch and pull at the webbing to free themselves.
GM Screen:
Combat maneuver to move vs. DC 16, red ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 19 Combat maneuver to move vs. DC 17, orange ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 10 Combat maneuver to escape grapple vs. DC 17, yellow ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 16 Combat maneuver to escape grapple vs. DC 17, green ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 17 Combat maneuver to escape grapple vs. DC 17, cyan ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 18 Combat maneuver to escape grapple vs. DC 16, blue ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 20 Combat maneuver to escape grapple vs. DC 16, purple ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 5 Combat maneuver to move vs. DC 16, pink ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 13 Combat maneuver to move vs. DC 16, red festrog:1d20 ⇒ 16 Combat maneuver to move vs. DC 16, green festrog:1d20 ⇒ 1 Combat maneuver to escape grapple vs. DC 16, blue festrog:1d20 ⇒ 8 Combat maneuver to move vs. DC 17, pink festrog:1d20 ⇒ 2
A few of the undead escape the webbing and begin moving towards the party; the same one that just took a hit from Sylvester's magic missile gets close enough to Bertha and catches her blade.
Bertha, in the future please pre-roll your readied attacks
Bertha drops it and Iladora follows through as it falls to the ground, ensuring that it lands dead.
Enlarge person will go off at the beginning of Ledt's initiative count; there's no reason with the present situation that it can't affect Iladora, who acts after Ledt, so she will be the target (unless she refuses). Iladora, you don't have to wait for Ledt to make your post; I've enlarged your token, please include the appropriate modifiers to your attack rolls per the spell. If you refuse the spell, reduce your token and let us know you don't want to be enlarged.
The other ugly things are festrogs... Undeads created when something is killed by a massive release of negative energy. They're quite cunning, don't underestimate them - and these seem particularly deadly. - he says.
Portrait | CORE Female Human Ranger 5 | AC: 20/14/17 (+4 Mobility) | HP: 44/44| Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3 | CMB +9 (+2 sunder), CMD 21 (+2 vs sunder) | Init +2 | Perc +9 (+2 urban terrain, +4 vs undead, +2 vs evil outsiders))
Sweet! I'll take it.
Iladora grows in size, and her large blade grows with her. Trusting Bertha to take care of the undead on her left, Iladora brings her fearsome sword down on her right.
Ledt smiles as his spell triggers and Iladora grows even bigger "See Akter, she is a great woman!"
The halfling moves around the corner while sparkles start to crackle all through his hair and right arm. Ledt raises his index finger pointing at the purple ghoul grappled in the web and a lightning ray sprawls from him in its direction.
ray+PB (touch, precise shot, cover from more than 5' of web, grappled):1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 1 = 15 Elemental Ray electrical damage+PB:1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5
Wouldn't a CL3 magic missile fire two missiles, not three?
Yes; I make the same mistake with my own PCs all the time. I'll subtract the extra missile from the damage.
Ledt launches an electrical ray at one of the ghouls, it almost shifts out of the way enough to avoid it, but the webbing restricts it too much, and the ray sizzles where it touches the ghoul. Ledt, if you want to remind me of things like cover and the grappled condition, please do so outside of the "[ dice=" statement. I don't mind the reminder (I encourage it, actually), but when it's in the statement like that I have to investigate to know whether you built it into the math or not. Thanks! Akter ends this ghoul's threat with a well-placed arrow. Purple is dead
Xusius and Iladora, using magic and strength respectively, combine their forces to ensure that another ghoul won't trouble anybody else again. Red is dead
Male N Gnome Sorcerer 7 Buffs: | HP 72/72| AC 15 Incorp T 12 T 12 FF 14 | CMB -1 CMD 10| F +10 R +5 W +6, +2 vs Illusion| INIT +7| PER +16 Low Light SM -1| Speed 20' |Resist Fire 5|
Bertha looks sideways at Iladora as she grows, and reflexively puffs out her own chest a bit trying to keep up. She moves forward 5' and readies to slice the next one to come close enough. Trying to be patient is clearly paining her, though.
Sylvester and Bertha both prepare for the undead to emerge from the two webs.
GM Screen:
Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 17, orange ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 7 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 17, yellow ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 17 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 16, yellow ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 1 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 17, green ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 16 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 16, green ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 14 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 17, cyan ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 6 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 16, blue ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 10 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, pink ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 7 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, green festrog:1d20 ⇒ 2 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, blue festrog:1d20 ⇒ 9 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 17, pink festrog:1d20 ⇒ 4
The ghouls and festrogs struggle against the webs. A few move forward within the webs only to get caught again; only one ghoul breaks free entirely, emerging behind a pillar to the west.
AC 13 (17 Mage Armor) T 13/FF 10 | CMB +0 CMD 14 | HP 30(30) | Init +9 | Fort +4 Ref +5 Will +5 | Perception +8 | Speed 30 ft. | Light
Memorized Spells:
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light, Ray of Frost, Read Magic L1: Burning Hands, Color Spray, Enlarge Person, Grease
Xusius moves up and fires another round of missiles from his CL5 Wand of Magic Missile at the Green Festrog. It is CL5, not CL3. I picked it up in 0-17 Peril of the Pirate Pact
Bertha's powerful swing immediately drops the ghoul emerging from the webs.
Xusius sends a flurry of magic missiles at the closest festrog. The missiles slam into it, but it doesn't fall.
Iladora swings at the closest ghoul, but her sword catches and is deflected by the webs, and she misses the undead. Akter's arrows suffer the same fate, getting caught up in the webs before reaching their target.
Male N Gnome Sorcerer 7 Buffs: | HP 72/72| AC 15 Incorp T 12 T 12 FF 14 | CMB -1 CMD 10| F +10 R +5 W +6, +2 vs Illusion| INIT +7| PER +16 Low Light SM -1| Speed 20' |Resist Fire 5|
Ledt sends a small bolt of electricity darting across and through the webs, damaging the ghoul closest to emerging from the webs. Sylvester tries to follow that up with acid, but fails to connect.
GM Screen:
Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 17, orange ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 9 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, yellow ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 7 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 17, cyan ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 6 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, blue ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 6 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, pink ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 20 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 16, pink ghoul:1d20 ⇒ 2
Only one of the ghoul's is able to make any progress forward; struggling against the strands of webbing, the pinkish ghoul is able to force its way forward another five feet before getting entangled in the sticky mass again. Iladora gets an attack of opportunity vs. the pink ghoul.
GM Screen:
Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, green festrog:1d20 ⇒ 20 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 16, blue festrog:1d20 ⇒ 17 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 16, blue festrog:1d20 ⇒ 12 Combat maneuver, break grapple DC 17, pink festrog:1d20 ⇒ 11 Combat maneuver, move through web DC 17, pink festrog:1d20 ⇒ 15
All three of the festrogs break free of the webs where they are. One emerges completely from the webs, darting up and around the nearby pillar to threaten both Iladora and Xusius. Another keeps the pillar between it and Bertha, nearly out of the webs, while the last festrog finally begins making progress forward from the back of the chamber, its forward progress finally hampered by an inadvertent blockade of ghouls.
Male CORE Human Ranger 3 | HP 24/28 | AC 20 TO 14 FF 16 | F +4 R +7 W +3 | CMD 19 | Init +4 | Perc +8
Akter does a step back, then shoots again on the same enemy. He's glad the enemy is now at the edge of the web, hoping his arrows won't suffer the same fate again.
AC 13 (17 Mage Armor) T 13/FF 10 | CMB +0 CMD 14 | HP 30(30) | Init +9 | Fort +4 Ref +5 Will +5 | Perception +8 | Speed 30 ft. | Light
Memorized Spells:
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light, Ray of Frost, Read Magic L1: Burning Hands, Color Spray, Enlarge Person, Grease
Xusius takes a five-foot step back as the festrog confronts him a bit closer than he would like while wishing he had enough magical power to cast Lightning Bolt at it and the others behind it. He instead casts Scorching Ray at the Green festrog.
Male N Gnome Sorcerer 7 Buffs: | HP 72/72| AC 15 Incorp T 12 T 12 FF 14 | CMB -1 CMD 10| F +10 R +5 W +6, +2 vs Illusion| INIT +7| PER +16 Low Light SM -1| Speed 20' |Resist Fire 5|
Sylvester scans the battlefield for a suitable target. He will use his wand of Magic Missiles if any of the three Undead near the front of the party are still animated and moving.
"The meat feast is over ugly abominations!" Ledt shouts at the creatures as he shots another electrical ray, this time to the same blue festrog shot by Akter. Or the pink ghoul with cover if the festrog is down ray+PB vs blue:1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19(touch, precise shot) Elemental Ray electrical damage+PB:1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 = 8
Iladora instinctively chops down the ghoul that approaches her easily, killing it, then Sylvester sends a pair of magic missiles at the festrog coming around the pillar to the west. Ledt finishes that festrog off with an electrical blast that sends it to the ground with a few twitches before it comes to a rest. Xusius ends the festrog threat that emerged near him with a well-aimed scorching ray.
That actually leaves Iladora and Akter with no targets for their actions; you both may change your actions if you like. Bertha is also still up.
20' of web provides total cover; this prevents targeting the blue ghoul. If Akter instead used a move action to get to either wall, he could make a standard-action attack against orange or cyan, either of which has only 10' of web in the way from that direction.
