[PFS1e] GM Deussu's #6-08 The Segang Expedition CORE (Inactive)

Game Master Deussu

Corgrim further calms the elephant, though the elephant still feels reluctant to stomp the remaining cobra.

Grigory gets ready, and Ferrus gets ready... but the cobra mother doesn't get close enough. It's furious, for its babies have nearly all been smashed. It slithers at its fastest pace back towards the group.

Round 4
[u]Link to the map[/u]
Bolded may act
Inspire Courage affects all allies!

Corba Nana .
Corgrim Taïlas .
Ferrus Henricus (ready action)
Grigory Reinhold .
Khorast .
Elephant (3 nonlethal)
Cobra mother (7 damage)
Iladora Unfallen .
Baby cobras (orange, red, turquoise)

"Hold!" Iladora calls to her nearby allies, keeping her sword at the ready in front of her.

Keeping my held action for if the snake comes into melee.

The last remaining baby cobra tries to have a taste of Khorast's big toe.
Yellow snake bite @ Khorast: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
It breaks its tiny teeth in the process.

The cobra mother is now within reach of ranged weapons, and those brave enough to charge.

Round 5
[u]Link to the map[/u]
Bolded may act
Inspire Courage affects all allies!

Corba Nana .
Corgrim Taïlas .
Ferrus Henricus (ready action)
Grigory Reinhold .
Khorast .
Elephant (3 nonlethal)
Cobra mother (7 damage)
Iladora Unfallen .
Baby cobras (orange, red, turquoise)

The half-orc paladin methodically tries to remove the last of the little snakes from the equation so he could join his companions in fighting the real threat. The hammer goes down.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Corba maintains her performance, moves up 2 squares and shoots again at the big cobra.

Light Crossbow + IC: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
Piercing + IC: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Ferrus stands behind Grigori and Iladora, almost serene, waiting for the big snake to come to them.

Keeping my ready action to cast Bit of Luck on Grigory when Cobra is in his meelee range
---
Ferrus has reach with his Glaive (Atk 1d20+0, Dmg 1d8+0)
If Ferrus is attacked he will activate Adoration Will save DC 15

Grigory grits his teeth and stands his ground, waiting for the split second when the giant snake comes close enough for a taste of cold iron.

Keeping readied attack action from before. Probably should have taken a shot with the longbow when I first moved up into this position and then switched weapons. Oh well.

Corba's bolt flies somewhere in the jungle.

Botting Corgrim
Corgrim tries his luck with a bow on top of an elephant.
Atk @ cobra: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 201d6 ⇒ 6
And hits the mother cobra!

Ferrus and Grigory get ready for a takedown!

And Khorast ends the legacy of cobras. The mother has all the reason to be furious.

The cobra charges towards the pathfinders! As it gets in range, Ferrus makes his prayer, Grigory takes a step forward and strikes!
Greataxe Power Attack Attempt 1: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 1 - 1 = 23
Greataxe Power Attack Attempt 2: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 - 1 = 9
Damage: 1d12 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 1 = 18

With a mighty cleave, the cobra is beheaded, its head disappearing to the wilderness! The porters are overjoyed to see the beast slain, saving the expedition from certain doom!

COMBAT OVER

The mahout returns from the jungle as the battle ends, and the nobles get down from the damage howdah. Baron Bomande looks at the porters, particularly the one dead laying on the trail. "It's a shame, really," he says with a somber tone, "they were trying to defend us and the elephant from the cobra, and one had to pay the price."

Count Matsanda climbs down as well, and seems nervous about the fight. "Thank you, Pathfinders, for calming the elephant. Who knows what would have happened if the ruckus would have gone even a second longer! The whole howdah could have fallen down, and, well, killed us both."

"Don't worry about your own sorry life! There's a real casualty here!" Rudyahm interrupts.

Falroun sighs and dusts his clothes. He seems reluctant to answer the baron, instead talking to the Pathfinders. "Please aid in restoring the expedition, so we can move on," he says calmly.

If there's something you'd like to do here, go ahead. Otherwise, we'll move to the next scene.

I thought the porter was eaten by the cobra? So maybe he's still alive inside?
If that's the case, Corba will look inside the beheaded body of the cobra for the porter.

Seeing that the Baron and Count are unharmed, Ferrus relaxes. "Thank you Shelyn for guiding us and protecting us", he says, a gentle hum is felt outward from him.
Channel energy positive: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Walking up to the porter's body, he settles his Glaive down and undresses his tunic, "We should at least bury him, and take news of his death to his family" He takes a shovel from one of the backpacks, and begins digging a grave.

Once done, with help he settles the porter in the hole, retrieving his necklace "A token for the family" and hands it to the other porters for safekeeping. They will know who to deliver it to.

Is there a mechanism in the game that would let Grigory attempt to extract venom from the dead cobra's fangs into a vial(s)? And I second Corba's idea of checking the snake's digestive tract for the swallowed porter.

"I know it wasn't a hunt, but this is a trophy I wouldn't mind takin' back," Grigory says as he nudges the mother cobra's decapitated head, his chest puffed out a bit more and chin a bit higher than a moment earlier. "Just gotta steer clear of them fangs. Look like they could still poison ya if you got clumsy an' poked yerself."

Khorast, after cleaning the snakes off his hammer, goes to dig the grave with Ferrus. "We should make a cairn. Something for his memory, and to keep the beasts out."

Harvesting venom has been detailed in Ultimate Wilderness, which I have never ever read. It's Survival check DC 15+CR (so 18 in this case), and you get one dose. Failing by 5 or more exposes the harvester for 1d3 doses of the same poison. Similarly, succeeding the DC by 5 yields one extra does, by 10 two doses etc.

And yeah, the porter died as he was eaten. In my mind I pictured it more as a 'chomp' type of eating, not swallowing the adult whole. That'd be a constrictor snake.

As the group prepares the late porter for his last journey, the rest mourn in silence, intermittently exhibiting their gratitude for the protection in their own, local language. The nobles oversee the situation while at the same time repairing the howdah with the mahout.

A few hours after the encounter with the snake, the expedition reaches a place where a small stream crosses the trail. Baron Rudyahm seems contemplative.

"This is the stream I and my friends were following when the tiger ambushed us five years ago," he starts, his eyes focused on the trail, "so this is where we should break off from the trail to find the tiger's territory." He looks expectantly at the Pathfinders, getting down from the howdah. He limps a little, but otherwise seems fine in the jungle terrain. Bomande readies his musket, and will carry it at all times.

Count Matsanda figures it's impossible to take the elephant and the porters to uncharted areas, declining to follow them. He opts to lead the rest of the expedition half a day's travel down the trail to a hunting lodge outpost, where they can wait in safety for the baron to finish his hunt.

Sorry, I didn't realise I could have shot the snake from the elephant. I supposed I was too busy calming it.

Corgrim get down from the elephant, now calmed

It's quite the view up here, but way more unconfortable than a horse. And the less said about the smell, the better.

"As promised, we will follow you and help you take revenge on the tiger." he says to the Baron.
"Count Matsanda, we will meet you once the deed is done. Worry not, we will protect the Baron to the best of our abilities"

Ferrus adjusts his backpack and proceeds to follow the Baron.

"I, too, will help with the best of my abilities!"

Corba Nana puts on a serious expression.

Bardic Performance used: 5/9 rounds

Not sure I'll take the risk for 1-2 doses of poison. Might need my anti-toxin for something other than a self-inflicted snakebite later.

Grigory thinks better of coming in close proximity to the snake's still gleaming fangs and instead carefully maneuvers the serpent's detached head into a sack for safer keeping.

He stands respectfully as the group honors the dead porter, tracing a spiral over his chest at several points in the ceremony where it seems appropriate, although he's largely clueless as to what the man's friends are saying.

Afterwards, as the group prepares to split at the stream, he takes the opportunity to give their benefactor a bit of a hard time.

The count's not gonna win much respect from his father-in-law by loungin' all safe and comfy at the lodge while the old man's out trudgin' through the jungle. Their relationship's not my problem, though, I guess.

"Mind holdin' onto this 'til we get back so I don't gotta lug it around?" Grigory asks Count Matasanda, holding the sack out expectantly. "Should be done tryin' ta bite now. Maybe one of them helpers can stuff it, or at least do somethin' ta keep it from stinkin' at the lodge 'til I can turn it into a proper trophy myself."

Upon seeing hesitation from the Count to take the sack containing the snake's head, he'll instead hand it to one of the porters.

"An' watch out fer spiders..." he mutters under his breath as he turns and walks toward the group preparing to follow the stream.

"I'm ready when you are, Baron. Let's find this tiger."

Count Matsanda bids farewell and good hunting to the Pathfinders and Baron Bomande. As they continue onwards on the trail, the rest push into the deep jungle.

After an hour of slow trekking through the uncharted jungle, full of thick undergrowth, buzzing insects, sounds of more or less distant animals, the jungle opens up into a wide grassy clearing bisected by a shallow, burbling stream. In the center of the clearing lies the partially eaten carcass of a [u]gaur[/u]. Its throat has been torn open, and the grass all around the dead bison is covered in dried, sticky blood.

Baron Rudyahm looks around with squinted eyes. "This is where we should set up our ambush for the tiger," he says as he kneels to inspect the gaur, "the kill's fresh, the tiger will likely return to finish its meal later in the night."

Bomande begins to instruct how to set up machans—a type of portable hunter's blind—in the trees around the clearing. He says they should be 20 feet up in the lower branches of the trees and camouflaged by branches and leaves. Since one machan can hold up to three humans, he suggests they build three machans around the gaur carcass.

Please describe your actions, if you search the area, or what preparations you make.

"And one more thing," Bomande says seriously, "once night falls, avoid descending lest you wish to come face to face with the angry tiger in the dark. And no external sources of light, they'll give away our presence."

Grigory surveys the ground surrounding the carcass for tiger tracks hoping to ascertain the direction the big cat headed after making the kill.

Survival (+ Track): 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 = 16

Then he nods in agreement with the Baron's plan and sets to work constructing the elevated hides.

"I see good enough in the dark it shouldn't be a problem. Before it gets dark, though, we should prob'ly figure out a way to let each other know if we see the tiger comin' that won't let 'im know we're here."

"Grigory, If it's okay, I will bunk with you. I am not lucky to have the gift of seeing in the dark like Grigory, but I have a light spell I can cast on a rock, and throw it to where we need the light, when needed. I do not possess means of attacking at a distance, but I will be right next to you."

Ferrus helps in setting up the machan. While unpacking, Ferrus notice that he brought a fishing line and hook

Perhaps this can be used to set an alarm

"I have this fishing line. I do not have a bell to make an alarm, but perhaps we can set a perimeter and tie it to a branch or to one of the tents to make some noise to alert us."

He offers the fishing line to whoever is better at trapping than he is.
After the machan is setup he climbs in and settles for the night. He offers first shift, while there is a little light, but will be useless once lights are out

"I'm good with a bow, but I can't see in darkness either." Anymore. "So unless we have a lot of moonlight tonight, I don't know how much help I'll be. But at least we won't be seen."

"I don't have a bell, but I got an idea about seein' where the tiger's at in the darkness. What if you use that light spell on yer fishin' line and we tie it ta one of my arrows? If I shoot the tiger right, he should have a string of light trailin' behind him for a little while at least. Longer if the arrow gets stuck and doesn't go clean through him."

Grigory does find some hoofprints in the area, which the Baron judges to be antelope tracks. "The antelopes must have fled the area," Bomande ponders, "they must've trampled any tiger tracks that were present."

Corba takes a look at the tracks as well, and recalls something she read a long time ago. These hoofprints are not really from an antelope, but from a leucrotta! The leucrotta is a mutant creature, a spawn of Lamashtu. Corba has the opportunity to learn two things about this rare beast, and I'll give the non-numeric information about it.

The baron seems suspicious, but doesn't object. "I'm sure what I saw was a tiger, so this must be another beast dwelling the jungle."

One last chance for preparations!

I'm more used to disable traps than make some, but you have to adapt to survive..

Craft traps: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Using his rope, Corgrim makes a noose, to catch te beast

"Good plan Grigory, I'll take first sleep with the fishing line handy and tied to an arrow. Wake me and I'll cast the spell as you aim. Hopefully this will work."

He accomodates himself in the tight quarters. Grigory will notice that the cleric, even though there is limited space, has his corner of the machan tightly organized, and his clothes send a pleasant aroma of tangerine.

"I am quite certain! These hoofprints are from leucrotta! Give me a second, I'll try to recall what's special about them."

@GM: Special attacks and immunities/resistances, please.

Grigory and Corgrim set up a trap around the carcass to provide an audible alarm if someone or something were to get close to it. Bell rings if anyone gets within 5 feet of the antelope corpse.

Corba remembers reading some odd foreign pamphlet about these creatures a long time ago, leucrottas' unique anatomy being a mix of a hyena, badger, and a stag, truly something unnatural forged only in Lamashtu's unholy menagerie. They are intelligent and cunning creatures, using deception to lure their prey into a more favorable position, and biting them with their exceptionally strong and wide mouth, with sharp, ridged bones instead of regular teeth.

The leucrotta possesses no special defenses, since as a predator it doesn't really need to be so wary of other wild life animals. In fact, the leucrotta is such an abomination it isn't even an animal, but a magical beast.

Baron Bomande takes a spot from the southeastern machan, getting ready for the night.

Please see [u]Slide 8[/u] for details. Place your token to one of the three machans. The machans are 20 feet up in the tree. Ascending the rope ladders to a machan requires a DC 10 Climb check, and climbing the tree without the ladder requires a DC 15 Climb check instead. When night falls, it's nigh completely dark, but the sky is cloudless and the moon provides dim light to the entire area.

already describe getting settled in the machan,
taking 10 on the climb check

Taking 10 to climb (total 15),in north machan

Can easily climb up by taking 10.

Iladora positions herself in the southwestern machan.

"Anybody sees this thing comin', make a whistle like a bird chirpin' so it don't sneak up on us unawares." Grigory suggests.

Take 10 gets Grigory up the ladder.

"Kinda cozy up here," Grigory jokes after taking a spot in the southwestern machan with Iladora and Ferrus. "If it comes out where I can get a shot, I'll have the arrow with the fishin' line tied to it nocked an' ready to go as soon as you cast that light spell, Ferrus."

Khorast looks up at the machan, sighs, and then begins to remove his armour. He then clambers up onto the southeastern machan.

Removing armour to be able to take 10, so AC only 12 until he gets it back on.

Forgot to mention that I'll have my longbow out.

"After we all are settled in the machans, we should pull up the rope ladders. No need to aid the creature if it decides to climb the tree..."

Taking 10 to climb (total 10) in southeastern machan.

Corba gets settled next to the Baron. She has her crossbow out, already loaded, but she is also prepared to cast a spell.

Corba can cast grease or sleep up to three times total.

@GM: Thanks, but I also asked about any special attacks. Does the "using deception to lure their prey into a more favorable position" part of the description cover that?

Yup, it's the only "special attack" the creature has.

The expedition stations themselves in the machans, ready for the tiger to appear. The gets dark very quickly at this latitude, and in the pitch black darkness the moon slowly ascends to the sky, illuminating the clearing. The jungle is still full of life, mostly with buzzing insects and nocturnal mammals and birds.

Waiting in the dark machan in total silence feels like an eternity, while in reality only after an hour into the night, a voice is heard, coming from the east.

"Baron! Rudyahm! Help me!" count Falroun screams in the dark, his voice accompanied by the rustling of the bushes. Baron Bomande springs into action, rushing down the ladder immediately. "Hold on, I'm coming!" he shouts back to Matsanda.

With accelerated climbing (-5 to climb to climb at half speed), Rudyahm reaches the ground.

On hearing the Count, Ferrus's first instinct is to grab his Glaive to leap out of the machan, but on hearing the Baron rushing down the ladder, he suddenly remembers he cannot see in the dark, and the strategy agreed upon with Grigory.

"You can see in the dark, I trust you not to hit the Count or the Baron, I'm going down to help" His hand pulse with divine energy, as the string ignites with light, illuminating the inside of the machan.

He then slides out and starts climbing down the ladder.

Cast Light on string attached to Grigory's arrow
Climb: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5
Climb down 20ft in 10 seconds
---
Ferrus has reach with his Glaive (Atk 1d20+0, Dmg 1d8+0)
If attacked activate Adoration Will save DC 15

"This is no good." Grigory mutters as he watches the baron and Ferrus both abandon the plan to blindly follow the Count's voice.

Either the Count wants to sabotage this hunting expedition or something strange is going on here.

He strains to see anything in the direction from which the distressed screams were coming, hoping his ability to see in dim light may give him a chance to warn the others about any dangers ahead of them.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

"Baron, wait! It might be a trap! Why would the Count come here now?"

Corba is unsure what to do - especially as she doesn’t have darkvision to see what's happening down there...

The clearing is bathed in dim light. So you can see something.

Corba tries to see if there is anything hiding in the clearing - especially to the east.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

That idiot, Iladora thinks ruefully, holding her bow in one hand so she can climb down with the other. Either the count has just ruined their carefully laid trap, or the baron just fell into one himself. Either way, someone is going to need her.

Can easily make a DC 10 accelerated climb down if I'm allowed to take 10. If not...
Accelerated downward climb: 1d20 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 5 = 21

Grigory sees something in the bushes to the east, but there's a big tree in the way, blocking view. Corba, however, has a much better view of that's lurking in the shrubbery. It's definitely not Count Matsanda, but what she expected; a leucrotta! Or, to be precise, a crocotta, a lesser beast.

And Bomande is running straight towards it!

As Bomande limps forward in the darkness, calling for count Falroun to pinpoint where he is, a dire, large beast leaps from the bushes and charges the baron!
Leucrotta charge & trip @ Baron: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 2 = 161d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 131d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
The startled gunslinger can't stop the predator from biting his already wounded leg and flipping him over to the ground!

Iladora is on the ground, others are in the machans.

Round 1
[u]Link to the map[/u]
Bolded may act
Dim light affects the area. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or low-light vision.

Leucrotta
Ferrus
Iladora
Corgrim
Grigory
Baron (13 damage, prone)
Corba
Khorast

As soon as Corba recognizes the beast, she shouts at the top of her lungs:

"Baron! Stop! It's a crocrotta!"

But too late - the Baron falls to the ground.
Enraged, Corba begins casting a spell. (just flavor, she will cast a spell on her turn)

Grigory sticks to the plan and looses the readied arrow in the direction of the creature, the point of light on the fishing line buzzing close behind.

Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Damn. Hope that'll at least help the others see what's goin' on.

"That's... not a tiger." she says, as much to her own surprise as to anyone in particular. Moving forward, Iladora looks for a clear shot.

Do I have line-of-effect to the thing if the stands are up in the trees?

Shoot Crocotta in Melee, Higher ground?: 1d20 + 4 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 4 - 4 + 1 = 20
dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Dim Light 21+ to hit: 1d100 ⇒ 5

Corgrim manages to shoot his arrow precisely... but the dim light hamper his aim, and the arrow only buries itself in the ground

At least I didn't hurt the guy.. Maybe I should change my tactics before it's too late.

Corgrim manages to shoot his arrow precisely... but the dim light hamper his aim, and the arrow only buries itself in the ground

@GM: Wouldn't Grigory's arrow (with the light spell) negate the dim light condition?

Ferrus had cast light on a fishing line attached to Grigory's arrow, as planned. Grigory then shoots the arrow towards the leucrotta, not hitting it but still close enough to provide light in the dark night.

In the new light, Iladora and Corgrim both try to land a shot with their arrows. Corgrim succeeds, hitting the beast with a tiny scratch.

Baron Bomande realizes a great beast has appeared and he is in grave danger. If he wants to get away, he needs to stand up first.
Leucrotta AoO bite @ Baron: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 191d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Rudyahm isn't much of a close combat fighter, trusting more in his musket he can't really use, and limps back towards the machan, drawing his musket on his way.

"Help me!" he cries, "draw its attention! I'll blow its brain out if I get the chance!"

Round 1
[u]Link to the map[/u]
Bolded may act
Dim light affects the area. Creatures within this area have concealment (20% miss chance in combat) from those without darkvision or low-light vision.
The white ring shows the area of light.

Leucrotta (2 damage)
Ferrus
Iladora
Corgrim
Grigory
Baron (22 damage)
Corba
Khorast

Corba casts grease. (Reflex DC 16)