[GDX] PFS(2) 2-00: King in Thorns (Tier 1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master Blake's Tiger

Laeron knows an opportunity when he sees it, and will attack with that opportunity!

Attack of opportunity: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Slashing damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Reflex save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Too disturbed by the situation, Laeron is unable to strike true.

Bosch almost made it. I'll put him back in his original order and count that last one as last turn.

I'm also going to assume that Ulrich meant the elemental, not the frog, given his description of his rationale.

The colorful frog leaps out of the way of the rock. Laeron's swing at the passing elemental fails to impede it in the least.

Despite being covered in mud, Ulrich manages to land a solid strike against the elemental. He suddenly recalls something in the books that they had read in preparation for this expedition: the elementals are from the paraelemental plane of mud and are vulnerable to fire (weakness fire 5).

The green and black frog hops off of the rock and over to Quickblade. The frog bites his boot with its tiny mouth and, while it does the human no harm, it leaves a deep impression in the boot.

Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Red (-16 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Mudwretch Blue (10 ft difficult terrain aura; grabbing puppet)
Ulrich (-8 hp)
Spear Frog Green
Anschluss (-16 hp)
Nant (-9 hp & Basic Fortitude DC 18 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
> Puppet (grabbed)
Spear Frog Yellow
Quickblade
Laeron (Basic Reflex DC 18 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Bosch

Fort, Nant: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Nant waves his marionette control bar around angrily. While doing so, the puppetmaster spellcasts electricity: the crackling jolts are almost like bright threads coming out of the control bar.

Electricity damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
(Basic Ref save, DC 17.)

◆◆ Act Together: Nant gets a two-action activity and Needlework gets one action; ◆◆ (Nant) Cast a Spell: Electric Arc, targeting the two frogs. ◆ (Needlework) Strike, ◆ (Needlework) Strike.

Nant's puppet, meanwhile, is engaged in a one-on-one fight with the wretched mud creature. In the same rhythm that Nant shakes the control bar to spellcast, Needlework dances its violent dance, pressing against the elemental's tight hold.

Fist: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Bludgeoning: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Needle: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 4 = 6
Piercing: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Nant summons electricity to try to fry the frogs. The green and black frog takes a nasty burn. The yellow and black frog almost--but not quite--escapes the blast entirely. Meanwhile, his puppet punches its foe in the face to decent effect, but the needle fails to sink in very deeply at all.

The yellow frog hops to Bosh and bites at his boot twice (17 for 5 hp & 19 for 1 hp; a Fortitude vs. poison save for each hit)

Bosh: It would be very helpful to PbP flow if you could place your character's AC and HP either in the header line with ancestry and gender or at least in the profile. Thanks.

Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Red (-16 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Mudwretch Blue (-7 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura; grabbing puppet)
Ulrich (-8 hp)
Spear Frog Green (-8 hp)
Nant (-17 hp)
> Puppet (grabbed)
Spear Frog Yellow (-4 hp)
Anschluss (-16 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (Basic Reflex DC 18 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Bosh

Quickblade reloads his crossbow and shoots at the mudwretch. Seeing the tiny frog, he kicks at it.

◆ Interact (reload crossbow)
◆ Shoot at Red
◆ Kick the frog (unarmed attack)

Crossbow vs Red: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Precision: 1d8 ⇒ 3
Crossbow Ace Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Unarmed Attack@Green, flat-footed: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 4 = 13
Unarmed damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Laeron did his reflex save with the post where I went through the attack of opportunity. It was a success, took 4 damage off to put Laeron at 26/30 HP

Laeron changes the grip on his sword, holding the large blade now in two hands. He swings hard at the elemental next to him with a Power Attack.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Slashing Damage: 2d12 + 3 ⇒ (6, 4) + 3 = 13

Fortitude1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Fortitude2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Bosh drinks his Lesser Bestial Mutagen, growing fangs, and claws and becoming more feral in appearance. He then attacks the spear frog with his claws claw attack1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 191d4 ⇒ 2 and attacks again with his claws claw attack2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 131d4 ⇒ 4

Correction: the puppet's fist did full damage.

The tiny frog bites hard on Bosh's boot but only leaves a deep groove. It hops at his leg and nips this leg above his boot, leaving just a tiny scratch. The wound burns. However, the gnome resists the poison. When Bosh stabs back, he cuts the tiny frog's leg. Unfortunately, he exposes himself to the toxic skin and, this time, fails to resist the poison.

Quickblade sinks a crossbow bolt into the elemental's head for what it's worth. He almost squashes the frog, but the tiny animal is pretty quick.

Laeron brings his sword down upon the elemental and carves a fearsome split through the creature's torso. Unfortunately, while seriously wounded, it clings to life.

Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Red (-34 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Mudwretch Blue (-10 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura; grabbing puppet)
Ulrich (-8 hp)
Spear Frog Green (-8 hp)
Nant (-17 hp)
> Puppet (grabbed)
Spear Frog Yellow (-4 hp)
Anschluss (-16 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-4 hp)
Bosh (-2 hp; Poison Stage 1: Fortitude DC 15 vs. poison at beginning of next turn)

Annoyed that his spiked chain appears to be ineffective, Anschluss will step, and then command a rock to hit Red.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 maybe vs cover?
Bludgeoning: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 plus Precision: 1d8 ⇒ 1

The rock refuses to budge, and shall incur the wrath of Zon-Kuthon.

Zon-Kuthon savors his devotee's suffering.

The mudwretch next to Laeron slams its wet hand into the fighter's face and wraps its slimy fingers around his neck, nearly lifting the man off of the ground as it attempts to choke the life out of him.

Mud continues to flow over the puppet as the other elemental attempts to crush the construct.

If the Puppet/Nant fail two Fortitude saves or Critically Fail any of the first two saves, the mudwretch will advance.

Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Red (-34 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Mudwretch Blue (-10 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura; grabbing puppet)
Ulrich (-8 hp)
Spear Frog Green (-8 hp)
Nant (-17 hp)
> Puppet (grabbed) (Three Basic Fortitude DC 18 vs. 3 damage each, coincidentally)
Spear Frog Yellow (-4 hp)
Anschluss (-16 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-12 hp; Basic Fortitude DC 18 vs. 3 damage)
Bosh (-2 hp; Poison Stage 1: Fortitude DC 15 vs. poison at beginning of next turn)

Fort, Needlework: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Fort, Needlework: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Fort, Needlework: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
(Scrapbaskets.)

Nant: Anschluss gave you an extra Hero Point, so you have two. If you use one to reroll the 1st or 2nd failed save, that turns one of them into a Success (using the 3rd save roll as the reroll) and puts you at 2 hp with one more Fortitude save to go (with a Hero Point still available for that last sail in case it fails).

(I considered rerolling, but decided against it for a few reasons, one of which was that technically I roll those one at a time and don't even know the DC. But if you're cool with it, I'll reroll, since it's tactically the superior option.)

Fort, Needlework, Hero Point reroll: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Nant channels his resolve and manages to keep his puppet--and himself--in the fight.

Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Red (-34 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Mudwretch Blue (-10 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura; grabbing puppet)
Ulrich (-8 hp)
Spear Frog Green (-8 hp)
Nant (-22 hp)
> Puppet (grabbed)
Spear Frog Yellow (-4 hp)
Anschluss (-16 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-12 hp; Basic Fortitude DC 18 vs. 3 damage)
Bosh (-2 hp; Poison Stage 1: Fortitude DC 15 vs. poison at beginning of next turn)

Let us use Aid Token and all get 2d8 health!

Ulrich looks at the Mudwretch fighting the fighter. And he looks for an opening for him
Strategem@red: 1d20 ⇒ 18

He moves towards the water and feints attack with his kurki just to punch the create at its knee

Punch using strategem@red: 18 + 7 = 25
Damage, bludgeoning, non-lethal, strategic strike: 1d4 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 1 + (6) = 11
"Laeron bash the creature, don't cut him!" Shared strategem, making red flat-footed to Laeron

Strategem, move, strike,

Ulrich slams his fist into the midsection of the elemental, and the creature melts into a puddle, dribbling down his arm and around his feet.

Suddenly and fortuitously, a nearby Pathfinder engaged with their own foes releases a wave of divine energy over you, restoring some of your vitality.

The green and black frog keeps chewing ineffectually at Quickblade's boot.

Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Blue (-10 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura; grabbing puppet)
Ulrich
Spear Frog Green (-8 hp)
Nant (-14 hp)
> Puppet (grabbed)
Spear Frog Yellow (-4 hp)
Anschluss (-8 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-4 hp; Basic Fortitude DC 18 vs. 3 damage)
Bosh (Poison Stage 1: Fortitude DC 15 vs. poison at beginning of next turn)

Nant, for no apparent reason, looks visibly exhausted and looks ready to collapse unconscious. Just then, a fellow Pathfinder healer's healing magic washes over him. "Hah! Just as planned!" the goblin celebrates. Having regained his mental rhythm, the puppetmaster yanks his control bar away from the puppet's direction.

◆◆◆ Act Together: Needlework gets one action, and Nant gets a three-action activity; ◆ (Needlework) Strike. ◆◆◆ (Nant) Unmanifest Eidolon.

(I'm 99% sure this sequencing is possible in the rules, but I guess the way Act Together is worded leaves 1% room of doubt. Basically I just want to unmanifest the eidolon, and get one last punch in if possible.)

As if its master was pulling invisible strings, Needlework is being pulled backwards. The puppet makes one final attempt to damage the mud creature, and then disappears, banished from the Material Plane.

Fist: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Bludgeoning: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

I believe you could have also manifested him right next to you from his prior position. No?

The puppet lands a solid blow on the remaining elemental as its master begins the chant to send it back. A moment after the blow lands, the puppet disappears and leaves the elemental holding empty air.

The yellow and black frog hops around between Bosh's legs and chewing uselessly on his boots.

Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Blue (-19 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Ulrich
Spear Frog Green (-8 hp)
Nant (-14 hp)
> Puppet (unmanifested)
Spear Frog Yellow (-4 hp)
Anschluss (-8 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-4 hp; Basic Fortitude DC 18 vs. 3 damage)
Bosh (bestial mutagen; Poison Stage 1: Fortitude DC 15 vs. poison)

Glaring at the frog (Green) that has been hounding him, Quickblade drops his crossbow and draws one of his shortswords. Growling, he stabs the frog.

◆ Designate Green as Prey
◇ Drop Crossbow
◆ Interact (draw shortsword)
◆ Stabify the frog

Shortsword attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Damage, Shortsword: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Precision Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Fortitude save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"Not this time! Laeron resists the elemental's attack. He blinks, and then the elemental next to him is gone, defeated by allies.

Laeron changes the grip on his sword free action release to go from two hands to one on the Bastard Sword , and with his free hand begins to make some arcane gestures.

"Now is the time for all good fighting Pathfinders to cast electric arc." And he does, targeting the remaining mud elemental and green frog (or yellow, if Quickblade has finished the green one).

Electric Arc basic Reflex DC 17: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Then Laeron will approach the remaining mudwretch, taking a blocking position to intercept the elemental if it approaches the others.

Anschluss will designate Green as his prey, move up, and attack.

Spiked Chain: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Slashing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 plus Precision: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Quickblade skewers the frog at his feet. Anschluss swipes the frog harassing Bosh into oblivion with his spiked chain. Laeron blasts a chunk out of the elemental's shoulder with his conjured lightning.

Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Blue (-26 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Ulrich
Nant (-14 hp)
> Puppet (unmanifested)
Anschluss (-8 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron
Bosh (bestial mutagen; Poison Stage 1: Fortitude DC 15 vs. poison)

Bosh-bot Fortitude: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Bosh's body fights off the poison.

Laeron proves too tempting of a target, and the elemental steps toward him. It swings a muddy fist, clobbers him, and wraps its soggy tendrils around him.

Encounter! Round 4. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Blue (-26 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Bosh (bestial mutagen)
Ulrich
Nant (-14 hp)
> Puppet (unmanifested)
Anschluss (-8 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-5 hp)

Having been told to use a blunt weapon, Laeron keeps his Bastard Sword in one hand and punches the mud elemental with his gauntlet-wearing open hand.

Gauntlet Power Attack!!!: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
bludgeoning damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 1) + 3 = 6

Then Laeron will get his guard up, raising the buckler on his forearm.

Quickblade glares at the remaining mud creature, fixing it in his mind. He sheathes his shortsword and picks up his crossbow.

◆ Hunt Prey (Blue)
◆◆ Interact x2 (pick up crossbow, sheathe shortsword)

Strategem: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Ulrich drops his kukri and grabs a bow. He takes one arrow and draws the bowstring to his cheek. He waits for the right moment and releases the arrow

Attack@mud creature, using strategem: 18 + 7 = 25
Damage, piercing, strategic strike: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Strategem, take out bow, shoot

Laeron slams his fist into the dense midsection of the mud para-elemental. Quickblade changes tactics. Ulrich changes tactics, too, but demonstrates the superiority of the conventional bow by firing an arrow into the elemental. Much of its inertia is lost passing through the muddy outer coating, though.

Encounter! Round 4. Bold may act.

Environment: Squares with Rock, Tree, or Water terrain (and any square within 10 ft of a mudwretch) is Difficult Terrain.

Mudwretch Blue (-27 hp; 10 ft difficult terrain aura)
Bosh (bestial mutagen)
Ulrich
Nant (-14 hp)
> Puppet (unmanifested)
Anschluss (-8 hp)
Quickblade
Laeron (-5 hp)

(Do I have line of sight to the enemy? The map indicates that there's some sort of foliage between us.)

Yes

Now without a puppet to control, Nant's full attention is on the remaining enemy. "That's the fool who fell for my puppet's trap!"

He starts spellcasting, and a flaming ball resembling a ball of yarn shoots out of the puppeteer's control bar, hurling across the air at the mud monster.

Spell attack, produce flame: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Fire damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

◆ Cast a Spell: Shield; ◆◆ Cast a Spell: Produce Flame.

Bosh moves toward the Mudwretch and attacks with his claws. Claw attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 191d4 ⇒ 2

Anschluss will Hunt Blue as prey ◆, and then command the rocks to attack the enemies of Zon-Kuthon ◆◆.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 vs cover?
Bludgeoning: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 plus Precision: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Nant tosses his ball of flame into the para-elemental. The mud releases steam when struck by the flames. Once the steam clears, the earth that composes its body is dry and cracked. Its movements become slower and more clumsy. Bosh moves up and shatters the quickly baked clay with a single swipe of his claws.

End Encounter

You have some time to tend to your wounds, refocus, etc.

Bosh will use Revivifying Mutagen to end the Mutagen early and heal some of his wounds. healing: 1d6 ⇒ 1

From scanning character sheets, Laeron has the party high of +5 Medicine, with Anschluss and Ulrich having +4. We can Treat Wounds for 10 minutes on Nant, Anschluss, and Laeron in parallel (with, presumably, Anschluss and Laeron getting the +4s) or in series fo 30 minutes (and everyone can have +5).

From scanning character sheets, Laeron has the party high of +5 Medicine, with Anschluss and Ulrich having +4. We can Treat Wounds for 10 minutes on Nant, Anschluss, and Laeron in parallel (with, presumably, Anschluss and Laeron getting the +4s) or in series fo 30 minutes (and everyone can have +5).

Great plan, here is my roll to treat wounds for Nant

Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Healing for Nant: 2d8 ⇒ (7, 6) = 13

Status

Bosh
Ulrich
Quickblade
Nant (-1 hp)
> Puppet (unmanifested)
Laeron (-5 hp)
Anschluss (-8 hp)

Quickblade pulls out his healer's kit and starts to treat Anschluss' wounds.

Medicine: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (6, 7) = 13

Anschluss will treat Laeron, then.

Medicine, DC 15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

"Oh, right, no carving chunks out of peoples' arms unless we're in Nidal."

Medicine, DC 15, Hero Point Reroll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Anschluss still isn't very good at it. He berates Laeron for being weak, but that doesn't seem to help, either.

Quickblade heads over to Laeron and Anchluss and tries to treat their wounds.

Laeron, Medicine: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 8) = 16

Anchluss, Medicine: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Let's try that again, shall we

Anchluss, Medicine, HP: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

Much better

"This is how it's done, Anchluss. You need to focus more."

A cleric dwarf told Quickblade the same thing once...

We may not have enough time to retry Laeron's check - it's a one hour cooldown before we can reattempt, and I don't know what "some time" means in the GM's post. Anschluss was full after the first Treat Wounds, so no need to re-attempt on him (or use a Hero Point to reroll).

We may not have enough time to retry Laeron's check - it's a one hour cooldown before we can reattempt, and I don't know what "some time" means in the GM's post. Anschluss was full after the first Treat Wounds, so no need to re-attempt on him (or use a Hero Point to reroll).

Argh. Forgot I already did Anschluss previously. And I keep forgetting that the Treat Wounds cooldown applies to *all* Treat Wounds, and not just yours (unlike Battle Medicine)

Ulrich looks at Anschluss and Quickblad squabling over how to treat wounds.

"Maybe Laeron can drink one of those potions that we got? "

I am fine to give Laeron 1 minor healing potion (1d8) and keep going.

He hangs his bow and cleans his kukri from the mud and dirt.

You have a generous House GM who has ruled you can have up to 2 hours between encounters (last time I ran it, the House GM ruled 10 minutes (which I think is what the scenario suggests)). Quickblade can have his Hero Point back that he used re-rolling the redundant Medicine check on Anschluss.

Having tended your wounds, you continue onwards.

“Have you stopped for a meal yet?” asks Valais Durant. “It’s important to keep up your strength. It’s close relatively, but still far. And looking even further, for that matter. The Thorned Monarch has added all kinds of hazards to the route we mapped out ahead of time. Why don’t you see if you can find a safer path?”

Each PC must attempt a check to overcome the hazards in this encounter because there are consequences for critical failures.

Trails that had previously been charted are now choked with undergrowth. You are going to need to find new paths or clear out the briars and tangles from the old paths.

Suggested skills:
Athletics to force your way through.
Acrobatics to slip through.
Nature or Survival to recognize plants easier to clear away and to avoid those that might be injurious.
Casting a particularly appropriate non-cantrip spell is an automatic success.

Quickblade tries hacking his way through.

Athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

I'm going to hero point that if it fails

Ulrich would designate the portal and Thorned Monarch as his leads Not that I can use it now.

He looks at the undergrowth and tries to use his natural agility to overcome them.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

He tries to slip past, but his clothes get entangled in the branches.

"Maybe I need to use my kukri to cut the branches!" and he begins to slash his way through

If that is a crit fail, than I will reroll

Laeron attempts to use brute force to get through the obstacles.

Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Laeron thinks: Anschluss thinks I’m weak, I guess I could go a bit more intense on my daily physical training.

Will not reroll unless it is a critical failure.

Bosh attempts to finesse his way through. acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18