[PFS2] 2-05 Balancing the Scales (GM Watery Soup) (Inactive)

Game Master Watery Soup

Bina wraps her mauve cloak tighter around her shoulders--not that it will do anything against the unnaturally hard rain--and tries to find a safe path for the group through the chaos.

I feel like Daraj probably nailed it but just in case:

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Pfft. I finally roll halfway decent and it's useless. Seems like my theme XD

The dwarf holds his shield over his head, muttering at the unnatural weather. He tries to spot a way through the chaos.

per: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Sorry, I don't think I mentioned this, but everyone needs to roll.

Daraj, Bina, and Khaul navigate their way through the crowd without harm.

Zelphari stands up and yells at the crowd. They disregard his words and trample him. He gets through, but with 1d6 ⇒ 2 bludgeoning damage.

Challenge #2 (bolded may act):

Bina (-1 hp)
Daraj (-1 hp)
Itka (-1 hp)
Khaul (-1 hp)
Travis (-1 hp)
Zelphari (-3 hp)

Listed skills: Perception, Intimidation, Diplomacy.

"Hmp. Oh, move aside for an old woman." Itka querulously tries to convince the panicked crowd to make way for her.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

It doesn't seem to work, though whether it's due to how she asked or the fact that her words are drowned out by the howling weather anomaly is up for debate. "Hmp. Kids these days! I swear! HMP!"

"People, people! Panic not, for you just cause more destruction than you avoid! Please, be kind, and don't tread on us wee folk!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

The crowd tramples Itka, but Travis manages to garner some sympathy.

Itka Bludgeoning: 1d6 ⇒ 4

---

Powerful winds blow from the Blakros Museum’s entrance. Athletics check to muscle through the wind, Nature check to anticipate the wind’s
surges, or Absalom Lore or Society check to plan a path that utilizes local features as windbreaks.

Challenge #3 (bolded may act):

Bina (-1 hp)
Daraj (-1 hp)
Itka (-5 hp)
Khaul (-1 hp)
Travis (-1 hp)
Zelphari (-3 hp)

Forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Ignoring the bruises as much as he can, Zelphari hunkers down and pushes his way through the wind.

athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

"This route should help us avoid the worst of the storm."

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Khaul hunkers down behind his shield, patting it affectionately as he tries to muscle his way forward into the fierce winds.
"Stand behind me. I'll break the winds just as I did the skeletons bones."
athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Bina wraps her cloak tighter and lowers her head against the powerful winds, tromping slowly toward their destination.

Athletics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

"Stand behind me. I'll break the winds just as I did the skeletons bones."

"Hmp. Not sure I want to be standing behind you if you'll be breaking wind." Grouchy from the beating she's taking, Itka glances around and tries to find some potentially less smelly windbreaks. When she gets a moment, she grabs a potion and chugs it down.

Society: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Minor healing potion: 1d8 ⇒ 8
Since she was down 9 HP from before

Khaul cuts through the wind like a soft cheese.

Daraj, Zelphari, and Bina follow closely in the silent area behind Khaul, but Itka refuses and ends up in the deadly zone. Itka takes 1 bludgeoning damage!

Botting Travis - it's only been 12 hours, but because Khaul crit succeeded, Travis can't crit fail, so only 1 hp is at stake.

Travis Society: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Travis takes 1 bludgeoning damage

---

Lightning strikes unerringly outside the museum’s doors and windows in a steady stream. To enter the building, any character will take 2d6 electricity damage with a DC 15 basic Reflex save.

Bina Electricity: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9
Daraj Electricity: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7
Itka Electricity: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
Khaul Electricity: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5
Travis Electricity: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7
Zelphari Electricity: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

Challenge #4 (bolded may act):

Bina (-1 hp; -9 hp basic Reflex)
Daraj (-1 hp; -7 hp basic Reflex)
Itka (-7 hp; -8 hp basic Reflex) -9 to start, +8 from healing potion, -6 so far, please correct if wrong
Khaul (-1 hp; -5 hp basic Reflex)
Travis (-2 hp; -7 hp basic Reflex)
Zelphari (-3 hp; -7 hp basic Reflex)[/b]

When the Pathfinders enter the Blakros Museum, the patrons are nowhere to be found, no witnesses to tell the tale of what happened. What is immediately clear is that something upstairs is making a racket. The sound is coming from the cyclopean exhibit on the museum’s second floor, accessible by two wide stairwells.

Let me know if you're going to stay and heal, and let me know when you're ready to move upstairs.

Khaul flinches, and then settles under his shield as he makes a run for the museum.

ref: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

His metal shield that is. Hair smoking he surveys his somewhat batted form and sniffs at the scent of toasted dwarf.

"If ye be complainin about me smell, now would be a fair time to do so." he admits.

Gesturing to the stairs he adds "Sooner we get up there, the sooner we can sink a pint or two."

One day I will remember that I do not automatically post as my character in these.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Daraj has participated in enough dangerous experiments that he can mostly avoid the harmful energies.

He pulls a small vial out of his belt. "I'm mostly in good shape, but if someone needs healing, I have one of these. And can make more, though time may be a bit short for brewing."

minor elixir of life

Anyone able / willing to throw out a 3-action heal? If not, he'll pop his minor healing potion.

Reflex DC15: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Rather surprising to himself, Zelphari senses the lightning approaching, perhaps due to his draconic blood, and he dodges the worst of it.

He grips tight his guisarme, looking at his teammates to ascertain if they are ready before leading the way.

"A nice mug of ice cold ale would do just fine..."

Travis is our healer, and he seems to be focusing on RL right now. It may be potion and elixir time.

Smart enough to know that much of her recent battering is her own darned fault, but too stubborn to admit it, Itka huffs her customary "Hmp!" and barrels through the lightening and into the Museum.

Basic Reflex DC 15: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
So that's 4 points of electrical damage. Now Itka's down a total of 6 hp.

Hmp. At least I managed to dodge some of it. ...Hmp. After pausing for a moment to get her bearings, she immediately begins striding toward the stairs to follow the noise, her cane thumping hollowly in the large space.

Khaul cuts through the wind like a soft cheese.

Ded. XD

Reflex DC 15: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Almost as if she saw the lightning coming, Bina casually sidesteps a blast of electricity, then blinks and turns to face the wide, circular scorch mark on the cobblestones. She looks just as surprised as everyone else that she dodged literal lightning.

"... Huh."

Once inside, she shakes some of the water off her then squeezes out her cloak. She's still a bit wounded from their earlier endeavors, but nothing she hasn't handled before. "Drink up if you got 'em," she says. "Sounds like our quarry is somewhere inside, which means we're probably gonna have to fight." She draws her short sword and peers around the area while the others prepare themselves.

Slide is still blacked out. What's the lighting situation inside the museum? Are there torches lit or do we need to provide our own light?

Bina comes out unscathed. Itka, Zelphari, and Daraj dodge part of it, but Khaul takes the blast in the face.

It's bright light throughout the museum and there's no grand map of the museum - just the room of interest.

Challenge #4 (bolded may act):

Bina (-1 hp)
Daraj (-4 hp)
Itka (-18 hp)
Khaul (-6 hp)
Travis (-2 hp; -7 hp basic Reflex)
Zelphari (-6 hp)

Yes, apologies to all. RL issues have taken all of my time this week - work has been wondering where I am as well! If ever I don't respond right away, I am always willing to use a 3-action heal on the group like this.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

"OK, let's be careful in here. I hear plenty of horror stories about this place."

As the group prepares to move out, Travis spends some time concentrating in divine prayer, and the group feels the healing powers of Chaldira!

3-action heal: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Seeing that Itka is still looking pretty beat up, Travis again prayers, concentrating on just those wounds.

2 action heal, target Itka: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

I believe that leaves Itka down only 1, and myself down 3, but everyone else is now full. I am now out of Heal spells, however.

"Me thanks be with ya laddie. I've not seen a priest of Torag repair a shield better than you been repairing us. Well done."

So said, the dwarf stalks forward toward the sound.s

That actually leaves Bina still down 1, since she went into the challenges at 22/28, but that's still much, much better!

Bina gives a little shiver as the healing energy pours over her. She'll never get used to the sensation of her flesh stitching back together of her own accord, but she's hardly going to complain. "Thanks!" she says to the fellow halfling with a grin.

See Slide 6.

The exhibit hall is well-lit by lamps hanging from the 20-foot-high ceiling and consists of three adjoining display areas. The east area is flanked by the stairwells and showcases Iobarian plants. The central room is partially enclosed by walls enchanted to look like fitted stonework, with entrances flanked by 15-foot-tall statues of cyclops priests and warriors. The west area is centered around a platform that holds a black obelisk.

Just as the Pathfinders arrive, the obelisk is pulled from its plinth and clutched in the arms of a robed cyclops with a gleaming red eye. In a pulse of black energy, the merged figure disappears with their prize.

Lightning crashes through the skylight and strikes the floor in the center of the exhibit, leaving a smoldering symbol burnt in the floor and three strange creatures: a gray bear with crackling fur (Black outline, top picture) and two tiny, cackling trolls with horns and lolling, spiked tongues (Red and Orange outlines, bottom picture).

Environment: Creatures that enter a space with glass must succeed at a DC 15 Acrobatics check or take 1d4 piercing damage. Creatures knocked prone in a space with glass take this damage automatically.

Round 1: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-1 hp)
Travis (-3 hp)
Zelphari (-0 hp)
Bear
Red Troll
Orange Troll
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-1 hp)

"I was told there were things that are not fireproof here. Are these them?"

◆ Stride

◆ Draw weapon

◆ Strike

Lesser Alchemist's Fire vs. Yellow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Fire Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3 plus 1 persistent plus 1 splash

Travis moves to get a better view of the situation, but tries to stay out of the way. Seeing the large creatures, the halfling subconsciously raises a shield of force to help block any immediate attack. Are these undead?

Action 1 - Stride, Action 2 - Cantrip Shield, Action 3 - Recalling Knowledge

Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Would like to confirm that glass squares are those with the sparkling pieces, while the rest are like water?

Zelphari moves through the party, stepping right to the edge of the broken glass before swinging his guisarme down about the nearest troll-like creature.

vs orange: +1 Guisarme: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 slashing: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Stride (2), Strike

I put a yellow box around the glass pieces. Correct, the sparkling ones, the rest of the floor is just wet.

---

The bear is a Beast (Arcana / Nature), and the trolls are Fiends (Religion). Recall Knowledge is a secret check, but I'll let it slide this time.

---

Daraj lobs a bottle of fire, which hits Yellow.

Travis shields himself and then loses himself in thought for a few seconds.

Zelphari moves up and Strikes, although he's careful watching where he's walking, and swings wide.

Round 1: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-1 hp)
Travis (-3 hp)
Zelphari (-0 hp)
Bear
Red Troll
Orange Troll (-4 hp, 1 persistent fire)
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-0 hp)

"Fire! Good idea. Them trolls will keep healing themselves unless we make sure to damage them with fire or acid."

"Welp," she grumbles with a sigh, "time to work for a living."

She dashes into the room with the fiends in it, stepping as nimbly as she can through the glass shards, and pirouettes in the shards, deftly avoiding the largest pieces in the process, the light glinting off her blade and reflecting in a wild, shimmering, mesmerizing display, before lashing out with her blade at the little troll Daraj had already struck with fire, trying to put it down before it can shake off the flames and regenerate.

♦ Stride 25 ft into glass. Acrobatics DC 15: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
♦ Fascinating Performance: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
♦ Strike vs Orange: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 P Dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

If the Perform check beats Orange's Will DC, Bina gains Panache even if the creature isn't fascinated. If she got Panache, the damage is 2 higher.

Forgot Daraj's splash, and also that the trolls appear to take more damage from the fire than usual - weakness fire!

Bina Harlem Shakes onto the glass, and then stabs Orange, who falls while it continues to burn.

The bear moves out of the glass.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

It roars! Bina and Zelphari, please make a DC 17 Fortitude save.

Sonic: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

The remaining troll moves up to Zelphari.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Piercing: 1d4 ⇒ 3

He flicks his barbed tongue twice.

Tongue: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Piercing: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Tongue, agile: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 4 = 10
Piercing: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Round 1: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-1 hp)
Travis (-3 hp)
Zelphari (-0 hp)
Bear (-1 hp, fascinated)
Red Troll (-4 hp, -weakness x1, fascinated, regeneration deactivated)
Orange Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x1, 1 persistent fire)
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-0 hp)

Khaul stomps forward. "Ya all gona get hurt if you don't wait for yer shieldmate." he fumes as he surges forward.
Double move

Still, he makes it to the edge of battle and takes a swing at the troll.

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
B damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Fortitude DC17: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

The ex-mercenary is badly shaken by the bone-shaking roar.

Khaul moves forward and swings, but can't connect.

Oops, forgot to put the sonic blast in the tracker.

Round 1: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-1 hp; -7 hp [Fort save])
Travis (-3 hp)
Zelphari (-7 hp)
Bear (-1 hp, fascinated)
Red Troll (-4 hp, -weakness x1, fascinated, regeneration deactivated)
Orange Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x1, 1 persistent fire)
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-0 hp)

Fort DC 17: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Bina fails to see what all the fuss is about. It's not even that loud of a roar. Kinda tingles, but that's it.

Finally getting some good rolls! It's been a minute XD

Last up the stairs, huffing and puffing as she heaves her heavy cane before her, Itka takes one look at the tableau and grunts: "Hmp. Crowded." Recalling an earlier visit to the Museum, she knows that the exhibit is open on the other side. Stumping along, she heads around so she can get line of sight on whatever is making such a rukus, mentally grumbling all the while. Hmp. Tight quarters. Team's all clustered, blocking the view. Preserve the artifacts. Ugh. Feels like a waste. Hmp.

◆ Stride, ◆ Stride, ◆ Stride

Itka takes the scenic route and Bina shrugs off the noise.

Round 2: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-1 hp)
Travis (-3 hp)
Zelphari (-7 hp)
Bear (-1 hp, fascinated)
Red Troll (-4 hp, -weakness x1, fascinated, regeneration deactivated)
Orange Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x1, 1 persistent fire)
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-0 hp)

Fire seems to be working, but the area's a bit cluttered.

"Permission to potentially burn you folks a little? I can make mor elixirs later to fix it!"

"I've had worse burns at the forge laddie than you are likely to give me." mutters Khaul.

To blind the voting (and not have anyone embarassed to say no), please PM me your permission or non-permission to be splashed. I'll say what the results are without revealing who voted what.

"Do what needs to be done!" Zelphari calls out.

He then starts muttering the words of a spell, and very quickly, the guisarme in his hands take on an unearthly tint, crackling with arcane energy.

Cast Magic Weapon.

He then swings at troll in front of him. (Unless it is down, in which case he would attack the bear which is in range.)

+1 striking guisarme: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 slashing: 2d10 + 3 ⇒ (6, 4) + 3 = 13

"Yes, fine!" Bina huffs. "Just kill its regen, I can take a few burns!"

GM, was the 15 Performance check enough to beat that troll's Will DC? I need to know so I know if I currently have Panache. It didn't actually need to be fascinated by the Performance, I just needed to beat its Will DC.

Yes, 15 beat its Will DC.

Bina steps to the side to flank with Zelphari and stabs at the troll with her shortsword.

♦ Step. Acrobatics DC 15 to avoid glass: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
♦ Shortsword vs Red: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 P Dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
♦ Shortsword vs Red, MAP, Agile: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 4 = 11 P Dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Oof! Nothing in the double digits. Well, they can't all be spectacular rounds I guess. :P

Delaying Travis.

Daraj throws a bomb at Red, immolating it. It crumbles. Redirecting second shot to Black. The second flask misses, but still splashes the bear a little.

Zelphari swings at the bear, but misses.

Rerouting Bina to Stride to flanking the bear. Bina takes 1d4 ⇒ 1 piercing damage on her feet, but hits with one slash of her shortsword thanks to flanking with Khaul.

The bear rears up on its hind legs and swipes at 1d2 ⇒ 1 Bina.

Claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
Slashing: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 plus Knockdown

Bina is knocked prone! It wheels around and bites at Khaul.

Bite, MAP: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 11 - 5 = 8
Piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 plus Electricity: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Round 2/3: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-1 hp; -6 hp [Khaul: reaction?], prone)
Zelphari (-7 hp)
Bear (-6 hp)
Red Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x2)
Orange Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x1, 1 persistent fire)
Travis (-3 hp)
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-0 hp)

Realizing he is low on reagents, Daraj joins the melee... sort of.

◆ Stride

◆ Draw longspear

◆ Strike

Longspear vs. Bear: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Hmp. Bears in museums should be stuffed." With harsh, horrible words, Itka gestures cruelly at the bear. Deep red and black shards of light and shadow appear around it, lancing into its body. With another crude sound, a pulsing black needle coalesces, with a deep blood-red thread connecting it to Bina, and jabs into its forehead.

DC 18 will save for Phantom Pain

DC 18 Basic Will save for Needle of Vengeance. Unless it critically succeeds, it'll take damage each time it attacks Bina. (1 damage on a success, 2 on failure, 4 on crit fail)

◆◆ Cast a spell, ◆ Cast a spell

Travis moves so that he can see the bear, but stays out of the melee that ensues.

Deciding his best bet is to help the others from afar, he casts divine lance, although getting a clean shot is tough.

◆ Stride, ◆◆ Cast a spell

Spell Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Damage, Good: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Remember my champions reaction. If the bear his Bina she has her damage reduced by three and bear is enfeebled 2

Calling the bears attention to himself, Khaul raises his shield and then strikes at the surrounded enemy.

attack vs FF: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
B damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

second attack vs FF: 1d20 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 5 = 11
B damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

But the dwarves hammer seems off balance in his strange museum.

The bear's claws dig into Bina's flesh, and she finds the room spinning wildly in a whirlwind of glass and pain. "Well that's embarrassing," she groans. No time to wallow in shame, though. With a kick of her feet, Bina is back up and stabbing at the bear.

♦ Stand.
♦ Strike vs Black: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 P Dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
♦ Strike (Confident Finisher): 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 4 = 5 P Dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Precision Damage on 2nd Attack: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5

Even if Bina misses on the 2nd attack, so long as it's not a critical miss, she still deals half that 2d6 damage to the bear.

Of course it was. First time I ever got a Confident Finisher off and it's a crit miss. /facepalm

Thanks, Khaul. I just needed a confirmation you're using it (vs saving your reaction for shield block or something).

Daraj moves up and strikes, but misses.

Itka casts two spells.

Will vs Phantom Pain: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Bear takes 4 negative and 1d4 persistent negative - the 1d4 is rerolled every round on the bear's turn, it will be 2 damage for the first round.

Will vs Needle of Vengeance: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Hmm, reading the spell, I think I roll Will when I make the attack, not now. But the first roll will be a crit fail.

Travis shoots a lance of good. It seems to aim true ... but it passes right through the bear. The bear is not evil, and doesn't take good damage.

Khaul raises his shield and then whiffs twice.

Bina stabs the bear, and then, overconfident, tries to finish it and misses entirely.

Round 3: Bolded may act!

Daraj (-0 hp)
Bina (-4 hp)
Zelphari (-7 hp)
Bear (-17 hp, 1d4 persistent negative, sickened 1, enfeebled 2)
Red Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x2)
Orange Troll (-10 hp, -weakness x1, 1 persistent fire)
Travis (-3 hp)
Khaul (-0 hp)
Itka (-0 hp)

I'll normally use either guardians reaction or shield block on the first person who is hurt (party or me) after my turn, to mitigate some of the damage. If we end up in a Big Boss fight, or there is an especially squishy member caught in HTH, I might modify that default behavior, but happy for you to assume that unless I specify otherwise.