[Gameday X, PFS1 Core] #4-24, Glories of the Past Pt. 2 - The Price of Friendship (Inactive)

Game Master Aldizog

Finding a goat is no problem.

A goat is 1 gp; oxen would be 15 gp each, yaks 24 gp each, a Huge cage 60 gp, and heavy wagons 100 gp each. I can add this up and take it out of the mission gold if you want.

The Cinderlands are part of the Storval Plateau, so there is a possibility of finding a Storval Aurochs (these would be Aurochs with the Advanced and Giant templates).

Trying to track down first some aurochs and then the bulette would add more time to your excursion, though it is a possibility.

Deluge has a pack goat, which is why he mentioned it. He is also a druid so summoning animals is a thing he can do. Getting them to work with a wagon is another thing altogether, but I think there are spells for that too. Basically, if we had a day to get new spells and we wanted to be really cheap, Deluge could probably line up some animals to haul the bullete. But that was mostly just role-play as I don't think that approach makes a lot of sense. 15 gold is not all that much. But it is amusing how the scenario is nickle and diming us to death and, if I was the character, I might start getting annoyed and try to find ways of stopping the hemoraging.

I thought you wanted a goat as bait for the Wild Empathy approach, which is one of the basically free ways of getting the Bulette to Urglin. But you have options.

What, and deny our front-liners the privilege of bludgeoning something to unconsciousness? Seems rather unsporting.

This is a core game, the cheaper the better. No further comments as I played this in Standard mode.

Rogar is willing to forego such privliges if we have an easier and safer way of handling the Bullete.

I promise that there will be violence in this scenario.
Also, even if Deluge attempts Wild Empathy, there are two considerations: first, it requires 1 minute to make the attempt (so the bulette might need to be pummeled into submission first), and second, he might fail.

So... do you want to get a cage, two wagons, and draft animals? Or just count on the bulette moving back to Urglin under its own power?

I doubt it will be moving under it's own power. Lets figure out the cost of the cage and animals.

Agreed!

A cage, two wagons, and four oxen are 320 gp.

The party finds the necessary items and heads into the Cinderlands of the Storval Plateau.

How long?: 5d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 4, 4) = 16

Deluge Survival, Take 10: 10 + 17 = 27
James Aid: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Kyra Aid Another: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
A result of a 31 means 4 hours off that time, so it will be 12 hours until you find the creature... but you don't know that.

Deluge leads the way. James is at home in the wilderness and is able to offer some assistance, even if he is off his game a bit. Deluge can only take so many amateurs offering their insights, so he tunes out most of what Rogar, Two Blades, and Fethril have to say. He does listen to Kyra, who has some useful observations from time to time.

Okay, as much as we all might want to spend days playing Pathfinder: Oregon Trail, I'm going to roll a bunch of checks and narrate most of this. Seems the best way to keep it moving.

Hour 1!: 1d12 ⇒ 7 Duststorm
01-10 bad: 1d100 ⇒ 4 Duststorms have a 10% chance of being accompanied by windstorm-force winds.
Uh-oh. Hmmm.
Deluge Survival: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

An hour into your journey, a ferocious dust storm picks up. The dust scours your skin and claws at your eyes; Deluge soon realizes that it is going to get worse.

He quickly leads you and your animals to some rudimentary shelter between a couple of large boulders. Using the wagons and the boulders to block the worst of the wind, you and the animals take refuge inside. Cloaks and blankets are draped over gaps to try to keep the dust to a minimum.

Even so, in the process of setting up your refuge you all take 9d3 ⇒ (2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 1) = 18 points of nonlethal damage, although Deluge gets you to shelter before you are in danger of suffocation.

The silt and dust pile up outside, and to some degree inside your shelter. When it finally subsides after an hour, the silt outside has piled up 2d3 - 1 ⇒ (1, 3) - 1 = 3 feet high.

It is slow going at first, but you manage to get your oxen moving again.

Hour 2!: 1d12 ⇒ 11 You make good progress through the Cinderlands. You reach areas that the dust storm had not hit, and so are free of the thick layer of recent silt.

Hour 3!: 1d12 ⇒ 11 No natural disasters hit, and nothing attacks you. There is a foul smell, probably volcanic in nature.

Hour 4!: 1d12 ⇒ 7 Duststorm!
01-10 bad: 1d100 ⇒ 53 Another duststorm approaches. This one is annoying and irritating, and limits vision, but it does not force you to take shelter.

Hour 5!: 1d12 ⇒ 12 The sun beats down. The landscape is desolate. But the land does not attack you. You eat your lunch and drink some water. All of your NL damage is healed by now.

Hour 6!: 1d12 ⇒ 6 More dust!
01-10 bad: 1d100 ⇒ 75
The dust gets everywhere. It is most uncomfortable. But then again, most of you have been run through with a sword in the past.

Hour 7!: 1d12 ⇒ 11 Nothing at all happens. You keep trudging through the Cinderlands, expecting another dust storm at any moment.

Hour 8!: 1d12 ⇒ 1 Emberstorm!
Deluge Survival: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18
Unlike the three dust storms you have faced, this storm carries with it hot embers from one of the Cinderlands' volcanoes! Deluge tries to get you out of the storm's path, but is clearly shaken by this turn of events and is a bit off in his prediction. You are exposed for a number of rounds equal to 30 minus a single (non-Aided) Survival check, so 12 rounds.
The embers deal 12d3 ⇒ (1, 3, 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3) = 28 non-lethal damage and 12 points of fire damage to each of you; your skin blisters and burns, and pain shoots through your lungs with every breath.

Your oxen bellow in pain and collapse - Deluge can tell they still live, at least. You do manage to keep the wagons and your gear from bursting into flames.

The storm quickly passes; if not for Deluge's warning, you could have been exposed for much longer.

You have marched for a full day (8 hours, though it feels like more) and have been scorched by the wrath of the Cinderlands. Do you press on (forced march) to try to find your quarry, or rest for the night?
Do you heal up before resting?

The healing is simple enough, That's why we have wands. The pressing on could be more of an issue. A lesser known use of Lesser Restoration is removing fatigue. But Kyra only has 1 scroll of it. She could memorize it a few times in the morning. Rogar has a scroll with a few copies of the spell.

The healing is simple enough, That's why we have wands.

You also have a lot of Channeling between Kyra and Fethril, which is "use it or lose it" and can easily take care of the 12 fire damage. Pressing on at night does carry the risk of fatigue as you note, as well as James, Two Blades, and Deluge being less able to see.

Agreed, burning through channels before using up finite resources like a wand.

Kyra will cast channel energy twice around everyone healing: 8d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 3, 6, 6, 3, 3, 6) = 35 Also got to cover the nonlethal a little, incase we get attacked in the middle of the night.

We have 2 days. I'm not sure if sleeping will increase the overall amount of time we spend searching or not. Those weather conditions are brutal.

"Thanks. We sleeping tonight?"

Two Blades joined the weary group as the wounded creatures and they got patched up. "I think we should rest. With only one of us able to see in the dark, we might end up getting lost or fall into a hole. If we use torches and such to see, enemies will spot us a long way off." he suggested.

Deluge trembles a bit from tiredness and trying to keep his goat alive (let's say he burned through a couple of changes from his wand doing so as I can't imagine a goat having many HP). Due to the stress, his goat is not producing any milk which annoys Deluge more than the wounds.

"A rest would be welcome, if we can find a decent place to shelter. What a nasty place this is!"

@Kyra, healing of lethal damage also heals an equivalent amount of non-lethal at the same time, so everybody is full.

Deluge is able to find a shallow cave - not much more than an overhang - under which the party can find shelter. Again, the wagons are used to form a bit of a wall, and openings are covered with cloth.

The night features more dust storms and the occasional cinders flying into the blanket barriers, but those on watch are able to douse the flames.

You set out the next morning. Feel free to specify any long-lasting buffs you would cast; Endure Elements is not strictly necessary but would make you a bit more comfortable.

Event?: 1d12 ⇒ 5

Ominous clouds are on the horizon, and are headed your way. You see flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. With no immediate shelter nearby, you have to press on. Rain pelts down. A bolt of lightning streaks down and
BOOM!
You are enveloped in a flash of blue fire!
The lightning must have ignited a seep of volcanic gas.
8d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 1, 2, 5, 4, 4, 1) = 27
Goat and four oxen Reflex: 5d20 ⇒ (12, 9, 9, 5, 11) = 46
The goat is incinerated instantly. The four oxen are badly burned and dying.
The wagons are on fire, and all of you are burned as well.
27 Fire damage, Reflex DC 25 for half.

You can act quickly to save the wagons (Create Water or Survival checks), and to save the oxen (Channel Energy, most likely).

Yeah, these events are pretty tough.

reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Deluge is stunned at the demise of his goat and stands there highlighted in the nimbus created by the lightning, his muscles spasming uncontrollably.

"OH NO!"

Seeing his goat is beyond repair, he pulls out a wand of CLW and taps the most injured looking ox as soon as him muscles calm down.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Looks like the author felt the need to drain lots of resources in this adventure. Hopefully, he or she provided a little extra in the chronicle rewards.

reflex save DC 25: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Rogar rushes to help put out the fires.

aid survival untrained: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

"Why is this the best option to find the entrance?"

reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Kyra will channel energy around everyone and the animals healing: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 2, 4) = 11

James takes the full brunt of the explosion. After patting himself out quickly he hurries to the wagons to save them.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Reflex vs DC 25: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

The thurge quickly dispatches the fire as he repeatedly summons gallons of water onto the wagon.

Reflex (DC 25): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Two Blades started to feel the hairs on his head stand up and quickly jumped out of the path of the lightning bolt before it hit the gas pocket, avoiding being harmed by the explosion of fire.

Doing what he could, he joined Kane in treating the injured.
Channel positive: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Channel positive: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Looks like those that got hit are down 8. Maybe a channel from Fenthril so we can save the big channels from Kane if needed.

Any further healing? You are all down 8, aside from one ox who is only down 4 and Two Blades who is uninjured.

Any channel energy from Kyra Just thought we were in rounds because of the fire and possiblity of it spreading healing: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4, 1) = 12

If no further channels are done, Deluge employs a wand of CLW on himself.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Kyra did another channel for 12. We should all be fully healed.

Hour 10!: 1d12 ⇒ 4
This is a local phenomenon called Sarenrae's Tresses. The wind picks up, carrying not only dust and grit, but carrying hairlike strands of glass fibers. These strands rip through your group, shredding your skin.
And, for some reason, armor provides no protection, nor is there a save.
The winds are so strong and so sudden that you do not have the chance to find shelter.

Duration: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Damage: 10d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 1, 3, 2, 5, 5, 4, 5, 2) = 34
Because this is 2d6 per round for 5 rounds, you could keep the oxen conscious with Channel Energy. They have 22 HP and Con 17 so would still be alive, if just barely, even without that.

The storm subsides, leaving you all bloody and badly wounded.

34 damage to everybody.

Wow. Talk about a nasty environment.

Deluge casts goodberry and adds to his store of 7 berries while he waits to see what the healers do.

2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

giving him 12 goodberries in reserve.

"Man, the Orcs can have this place as far as I'm concerned. I pity the druid posted here."

Channel energy number 3 from Kyra healing: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 6, 1) = 17 This one would occur right after round 3.
Channel energy number 4 from Kyra healing: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 6, 5) = 15 occurs after round 5.
Channel energy number 5 just so we are at full and the oxen don't die healing: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 5, 2) = 15

Hour 11: 1d12 ⇒ 7
Is it bad?: 1d100 ⇒ 70
Another dust storm descends on you, but it is merely an irritation. You press on.

Hour 12: 1d12 ⇒ 8
The next part of your trip through this hellish landscape is uneventful, until...

Please place yourselves in the red box on this slide. We won't worry about the oxen for now.

Everybody except James sees a rapidly-moving disturbance in the ash about 60' away, as the dorsal fin of a bulette creates a wake coming towards you.

The bulette is still under the ground.

Surprise Round!
Rogar
Fethril
James (surprised)
Bulette
Two Blades
Deluge
Kyra

"Scatter!"

Rogar has no desire to be trampled or have his feet gnawed off so he moves away and readies to grab the creature if it moves adjacent to him.

@Rogar, please include a spoilered readied action in your post.

Fethril begins casting an incantation very familiar to James.

Enlarge Person

The massive creature moves rapidly through the ground, then breaches the surface.

It snarls and prepares to leap to the attack. Single move.

Surprise Round! (Single actions only)
Rogar
Fethril
James
Bulette
Two Blades
Deluge
Kyra

Round 1
Rogar
Fethril

Upon the completion of his first spell, the thurge rattles off a brief prayer. "Nethys, grant us a portion of your wisdom and insight." He then steps away from the battle.

James is Enlarged. Casting Bless. +1 to hit and saves vs Fear

On my phone. Can someone scamper me some combination to the north and west 30' please?

Deluge quickly responds by casting Barkskin on James (+3 to natural armor) who is fortuitously right next to him. He too scampers away afterwards.

Kyra will cast bulls strength on James. +4 to your strength

Saying a quick prayer, Two Blades got ready to quickly close the distance.

Cast Longstrider 50"

@James, my mistake - you should have been bolded for Round 1.
James can act!

Botting James.

James rages, moves up, and strikes.

James stats: AC 20 (21 normally, -2 from Enlarge size/Dex, +3 from Barkskin, -2 Rage).
Attack +16/+11 for 2d6+13 (+12/+7 normally, +0 from Enlarge size/Str, +1 Bless, +1 from net +2 Str bonus from Bull's Strength, +2 Rage)
Raging HP 77+12 = 89

James attack, PA: 1d20 + 16 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 16 - 2 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (6, 1) + 13 + 6 = 26

The wound only enrages the bulette, which retaliates fiercely!
Bite: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Its powerful bite fails to pierce James's magically strengthened skin. (Barkskin just saved him from 2d8+9 damage there).

Claw: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 1) + 6 = 9

Claw: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Confirm?: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Crit Damage: 4d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 2, 5, 1) + 12 = 23

Both claws hit, one a particularly vicious slash.

Round 1
Two Blades
Deluge
Kyra

Round 2
Rogar
Fethril
James -32
Bulette -26

Swift action spend 1 ki to add +4 to my dodge bonus. AC 28 vs aoo counting mobility.

Rogar moves up behind the Bulette and tries to grab it.

Improved grab: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

"Maybe I should have thought this through..."

Assuming it tries to escape instead of ripping Rogar a new one the DC is 36.

Bite AOO: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30
Bite Damage: 2d8 + 9 ⇒ (8, 4) + 9 = 21

The bulette tears into Rogar as he approaches, but this does not stop the monk from grabbing it around the neck!

Kyra moves up and casts cure moderate wounds on James healing: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (4, 7) + 7 = 18

NL Sneak attack: 1d20 + 9 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 4 + 2 = 201d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 63d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 6) = 11
Quickly closing the distance, Two Blades drew his blades as he joined Rogar in pounding the Bulette. Rather than stabbing it, he smashed the rapier pommel in a tender spot.

"Please try not to kill it!" he hollered as he tried not to get stomped into the ground.

Everybody in PFS should have a sap. There are many, many scenarios when you need to deal NL damage, and avoiding that -4 is key. In fact, just buy multiple saps and be prepared to hand them out to others. I was in a particular scenario where another player got really mad at me for asking them to deal NL damage because they had no ability to do so, and I was effectively asking them to sit out the combat. So now I try to remember to carry extra saps of varying sizes.
Anyway, I see Two Blades has the +2 for flanking, although I think he missed the +1 for Bless. A 21 would still miss, except that the bulette is grappled, so it hits.

Deluge, Fethril, and James are up!

Bulette at 26 lethal, 17 NL damage, plus Grappled.

Feeling the pain and the healing James continues to try and knock out the creature.

Scythe Raging PA Enlarged 1st: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 2 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 11 Damage: 2d6 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2) + 13 + 6 = 22
Scythe Raging PA Enlarged 2nd: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 22 Damage: 2d6 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (4, 2) + 13 + 6 = 25

Sorry about the delay. I now know why everyone complains about having to post on phone. I recently got my 1st smart phone and HATE posting on it but it gives me the ability to read when I wouldn't otherwise and I forgot I was up.

Deluge casts again and begins to conjure a small earth elemental which is to appear BENEATH the behemoth in order to block off it's escape. But for now he has to be patient.

Fethril draws his wand and invokes an incantation from his spellbook. Two black orbs race toward the bulette's eyes.

Using my arcane bond to cast Blindness DC 16 Fort