Protectors of Golarion (Wrath of the Righteous AP)

Game Master Sensen

I miss being able to heal allies and harm undead with the same channel. :( Oh well, it's a Cha save for some illogical reason, so the vermlek would probably make its save.

Sorry, I actually forgot about that, Thesius. They are using SLAs, but I'd probably rule that it would go off anyways. I'll adjust for that when I post.

Verene: It remained out of sight for everyone except Elliot & Azira, unfortunately.

Azira: Uh, I have no idea. Probably just a math mistake on my part.

No worries, just wanted to make sure I was acting off what happened. Short reply this time to keep us moving. I'll check back in tomorrow.

Since Elliot is away on vacation until 8/5, will you be botting him, GM?

Please do if it speeds things up, as my posting time on vacation is very limited yes :)

Oops, I forgot. I'll get to it today.

Two 1s on attack in a row? WHY.

Sorry Meri, that's rough. :(

On the brand provoking thing, I thought for touch spells, charges were held if you missed? As Elliot casted it last turn and rolled a natural one. He delivers the spell through his weapon via spellstrike but if that misses, it should still be in his sword i suppose?

Oh yes, I see what you're saying Elliot. Brand does a single point of damage (on a failed Fort save), so there is a reason to hold the charge if it misses.

As a group we rolled a surprising number of 1's that round, but Merixia's were definitely the most unlikely.

This specific enemy is highly resistant to both cold and necrotic, so (sadly) Elliot's main damaging magic move here is brand :')

Edit: though, looking back on it, I probably should have done spell combat here for the double melee hit. Azira might have been able to move sufficiently for a flank by herself given her good speed.

I would very much avoid negative damage here, given that it heals from that. But you're doing that, so it's good. :P

I’ll be on vacation from this coming Sunday through the following Saturday. I should have reliable internet at the hotel and plan to post from my phone everyday (if there’s something to post to/about), but if I fall behind at all please feel free to bot me. Also, I may need help moving my token during that time.

edit: I just realized that I never posted a second shopping trip when we came back to the Heart… is it alright if I grab a few holy waters and a 1st level potion or 2 retroactively?

Ohh, I didn't realize Azira's actual HP level when I posted the Channel Energy rolls. Whoops. Should have used one Channel and one charge from the healstick for Elliot. *headdesk* Bit late now, unfortunately.

Could always ask for a retcon on the healing method? With 11 of us in the assault it feels like a waste to use channel healing on just one person. We'll probabably really need those channels later.

Azira: Yeah, that's fine.

Elliot's right, you can retcon those healing choices as you want - I'll hold off on updating your stats spoiler block until you make it known which one you're going for.

No hits on detect magic / detect fiendish presence, GM?

Thank you! I’ll spend 200g on 4 more holy waters and 2 potions: divine favor and shield of faith.

Thanks so much, GM! Elliot should be good to go now.

DC 30 is a pretty tough check. The chimes just let the user roll at +11 vs the lock's DC, meaning we have only a 10% chance of succeeding per use, and they only have a total of 10 uses before breaking and becoming worthless. It would be totally possible to use them all up on this one lock and still not get through it.

Especially with heroism up and with guidance from Merixia, I think Thesius actually has a better chance per attempt of unlocking the lock than the chimes do. So statistically, having him do it should be fastest.

However, we haven't heard from him since Tuesday. Anyone know if his player is on vacation or something?

Yeah, DC 30 is pretty high when we both have no key and the chimes replace your normal check at a +11.

If we have no other option though I suggest Thesius tries the check? Or is there something nearby that can serve as a battering ram? Like... a bench, or part of a destroyed building? While our strength is pretty low on average (Thesius and Meri excluded) the Children we have with us, and probably Irabeth too, are pretty beefy. Put the five of them, Meri, Thesius and Irabeth behind one and they might break the lock?

Sorry for the wait. I'll be getting up a post today. I need to review my sheet as I may have some extra options for how to go about it as well.

I expect the door of a building designed as a fort is pretty hard to break down, but it's worth asking what our options there look like — how sturdy the door is and if there's anything battering-ram-adjacent.

I did also think of this: Verene specifically can burn uses of Prescience instead of uses of the chime. Just stand there with her eyes closed waiting for the universe to say, "Now." If she gets that all-important 19 or 20 on the Prescience roll, then she can activate the chime and use that roll along with the +11 bonus for the caster level check vs. lock DC. But again, the chance is so low I could easily burn every Prescience for today and still not get it. So I'd prefer not to.

Hey, welcome back Thesius! No worries, glad to hear from you.

Merixia would definitely have cast guidance on Thesius once he started trying to pick the lock, and kept casting for every try. If our DM will let us retcon that, attempt #7 would have succeeded.

Or we can go with taking 20, whichever you prefer and DM approves.

Sorry, Verene - no readings on the detecting spells - the stone of the Garrison probably blocks it out. I'm going to say that the doors are quite sturdy, as they are for a garrison building - breaking them down would probably be possible, but without anything battering ram-adjacent, it'd be a long time before you're through.

I don't have a preference with regards to the Disable Device rolls - either or will work for me.

Got it, GM.

Oh also, we should still have about 2 minutes remaining on Merixia's bless, right? She cast it right at the end of last combat, it got all of us, and it lasts 4 minutes.

Yes, indeed.

There are currently no enemies in view, but there will be momentarily - it's why I wanted you to have your preparations going, because they're expecting you, but you have the advantage of when they come into view, you'll have been ready.

I'm not sure that Elliot can change into either an ifrit or a small elemental, as both are outsiders. Doesn't alter self specify humanoids? It's not a huge deal, I don't think, but something to keep in mind.

If nobody else posts after a few hours, I'll assume they just ready an attack for the first enemy they see - possibly charging if need be.

Honestly I'm a bit afraid to make any assumptions on what he can and cannot change into given how being an outsider seems to mess with effects such as reduce person. As such I went with the most thematic ones for an emberkin. In the humanoids list there is also a Lava Child which might pass for small, but if anyone knows of a small humanoid Elliot could alter into with good benefits then please let me know.

Well, I've got a ready action set up to cast spiritual weapon.

To make it simple, I'll say Verene's ready action to use burst of radiance will trigger the first time she can get four or more enemies with it. If that situation does not happen before we roll initiative and it gets to her turn, the readied action will be lost, but she will keep the spell. I'm fine with that. She wouldn't spend her most dangerous spell for the day on just a few foes.

@Elliot: the (reduce/enlarge/hold/dominate) person line of spells are only tricky because their targets must be humanoid. There is no such targeting requirement on alter self. Its only restriction is on what you turn into with it, not what you start as. A massive dragon could use it to turn into an elf or a halfling. (But rules as written, the dragon could not use it to turn into an aasimar.) The dragon would lose its darkvision, blindsense, flight speed, and so on, and its base speed would change to match the new form, as described in the section of the rules about polymorph spells specifically. But hilariously, if it became an elf with alter self, it would actually gain a +2 bonus to Strength over its normal Strength score, because any changes in size from polymorph spells don't change your ability scores except in the specific ways given by the individual spell descriptions.

That said, most Small humanoids have a speed of 20, which was annoying to me when Verene became a svirfneblin. I looked up some common, Small humanoids that have darkvision and a speed of 30 before we set out on the current mission, so that wouldn't happen again, and came up with only: goblin, grippli, and kobold. There are a few others that are from official material but seem like the knowledge of them should be rarer: charau-ka, the dark folk (creeper, dancer, empath, slayer), kijimuna, monkey goblin, skulk. Lava children are Medium.

Hope that helps you decide, Elliot.

Oof. Sorry about the delay on my post today, I'll get it up shortly.

Sorry about that, the site just collapsed as I was trying to post. I'll get to it today, promise.

I don’t have the link handy but I believe Verene might have been incorrect on one point. The vast majority of her post on alter self was spot on (and should, hopefully, be helpful for anyone using the scale), but a huge dragon doesn’t get stronger from becoming a medium humanoid. There’s a chart for stat adjustments when a creature that starts off bigger than medium or smaller than small is subject to a polymorph effect. It shouldn’t effect any of the PCs at all, but if Verene ever uses a polymorph spell on her familiar it would certainly make a difference (and if we ever fight a dragon polymorphed into an elf it should help).

Also, sorry I’ve been slow to post. The wi-fi at the hotel is an unsecured network and whatever default security is on my phone immediately began telling me not to use it, so I’ve been trying to get by with just cell data and that’s been tricky up in the mountains. I should have a post up in a minute or two but if you’re waiting on me at all the rest of the week please feel free to bot me.

edit: here’s the link, the stuff about starting size is in the last paragraph and the chart follows.

Oh, you're totally right Azira. I missed this chart that applies to significant size changes from polymorph effects. Okay, that's not quite as silly as I thought. Hope you have a good time on your trip!

And no worries, GM. I noticed yesterday afternoon that the site was having trouble too.

That was pretty effective, and I am certainly okay with essentially skipping past a combat with a bunch of low-level enemies this way. But now I'm a bit worried that Verene burned her best spell too early on what appear to have been some mooks, and will struggle later. Oops. Meanwhile Verene is worried that She Is Become Death, Destroyer of Worlds. But that's all right, she'll get over herself.

They were personally evil, or it wouldn't have hurt them. They were soldiers who knowingly joined the side that wants to torture and destroy all intelligent life for fun. Don't panic about becoming just like Hulrun. Don't think about how you're just an ordinary person who definitely should not have this kind of power. Just do the next thing.

Merixia, watching evil tieflings fry: *stars in eyes* Oh my gods, she is SO cool! I wonder if there's a divine equivalent of that spell...

It is a cleric spell as well! Merixia could certainly prepare it whenever she next prays for spells.

Well, now that she has Wis 18, direct damage spells will be a bit more effective. Hmm...

Yeah, that was an excellent spell, but they were also pretty weak. I don't think it would've been quite as effective had they had more HP.

I definitely did not expect it to totally take down any enemies, as the direct damage is not huge on paper. I was hoping for a mass disable through the blinding effect. But she rolled well on the 4d4, they were apparently pretty low-HP, and there is no save for half damage, which is significant. Verene getting to quietly agonize about turning into a Burner is just a bonus. :)

Yeah, these were pretty measly as threats go. One of them was supposed to warn other guards, according to the AP, but, uh, I think the writers forgot the vermleks had telepathy.

I'm not actually sure what Elliot is referring to here. Is this about the fountain with Arthek's body, that we all cleaned up the day before yesterday in-game? Azira did glow at the fountain and we took it as a sign of Iomedae's favor, but she was the only one who did and I don't think it had any mechanical effect we know of. That was the same day as the Tower of Estrod, but a different outing (the one to Nyserian Manor.) I think that's the only time we've seen any kind of 'sign' from a god except after cleaning up the underground Torag shrine way back at the very beginning.

Yeah, that was it. I took that to be a hint of sorts? Though perhaps i am mistaken. Thinking on it objectively it does sound weird that iomedae would only grant favor to those cleaning desecrations over trying to stop the cultist evil plan and saving everyone in the city and perhaps the worldwound. But that was the only time we saw an instance of actual divine favor? So i guess that's how her mind works, seeing all the fighting as budiness as usual and only botheting with those doing something more? I dont know. Maybe i am reading too deeply into a flavor piece written for Azira's earlier decision to clean the fountain wben we technically had the same deadline/time limit.

There is a mechanic for divine notice in this particular dungeon. I forget what exact benefits it gives, but it exists.

Well, it seems like your instinct was good, Elliot. In-character, however, Verene wouldn't know about any of that, is deeply skeptical that Iomedae is going to take notice or help out in any way, and still wants to move on, at least until the shortest-term spells have worn off. She will certainly participate in any efforts we decide to make as a group, now or later, if only for Azira's sake.

Oops, made a mistake in my last post. Should have been "east/eastern," not "south/southern."

I've wanted to make that kind of entrance for so long!

Drat, I had it in my head that Varel was the black-lined First Child, but he has been the white-lined one all this time. Okay, just for my reference:

Barok (Black-Lined)
Lorn (Orange-Lined)
Jan (Light Blue-Lined)
Hedge (Grey-Blue Lined)
Varel (White-Lined)

Eesh, we are rolling pretty badly as a group. And Lorn got to act on Merixia's turn as well, yes?