Into the Abyss

Game Master Brolof

Readying action to fill them with cold iron if they make a move at us.
My fly speed is iirc quite a bit higher then Rahlmaats (60 vs 30) so I can provide airborne cover.

"I agree with the sphinx, we are overthinking this. They are either weapons or they are not. Allow me to be the vanguard, and determine which. Liliya, would you be kind enough to cover me?" Assuming the sniper agrees, Gathroc will fly right to the closest one to see if it attacks or explodes. I will either double move or use the run action to close the distance. Base fly speed is 60ft, I believe.

Roughly how far apart are each little device from the others?

Britta watches with curiosity and readies to cast a spell should she need to.

Rahlmuut's slow flight over is outpaced by Gathroc's rapid advance straight towards the nearest mechanism. Spaced roughly sixty feet apart on average, its effects become very clear as soon as Gathroc gets within that sixty feet. The cylinder glows a bright blue, the propellers stopping as it proceeds to shoot at the undead. Anyone even remotely familiar with magic can instantly tell what just happened. It turned itself into a Magic Missile, a very large one, that was targeting Gathroc.

Anyone got a way to block a Magic Missile, and can use it on Gathroc in the span of a single standard action? If not, he takes this much damage.

Massive Magic Missile: 5d6 + 10 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 6, 1) + 10 = 23

Anyone got a way to block a Magic Missile, and can use it on Gathroc in the span of a single standard action?

Not I, but he does have SR 25

Radamare narrows her eyes as she assesses whether Gathroc's innate spell resistance seems capable of hindering the attack. It seems likely that what proves true foe the undead hellknight will also be true for her.

A sigh comes from Britta. By the time it is about to hit him (Unless someone else casts magic missile to counterspell it), it is clear she has no intention of casting a spell yet and has settled on a shield spell. She watches with interest to see if he is strong enough to resist.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 32 ⇒ (5) + 32 = 37 (Can I get a feel to the caster level of this caster? Also whether or not this is standard magic missile high level or some other spell?)

"Hmmm... the question is, has the creator found a way to penetrate a shield spell, or will we just need one of us with such protection to serve as a minesweeper?" Rahlmaat muses aloud.

Rahlmaat has no way to make a personal-range spell affect someone else.

If it counts as "making a move at us", Liliyas readied action would trigger and she would shoot it with deadly aim and vs its touch AC for:

shoot + deadly aim: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (10) + 22 = 32
Damage: 1d10 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

If not, Liliya uses her standard action to cast shield, via her rifles spellcasting, on herself. This expends 1 of her 3 daily castings of shield.

In theory, I could "lend" people my rifle so they can use it to cast shield via it. In practice, its a very personal chaotic evil rifle that hungers for laughs and kills, it would probably disagree with that, and I do have the attached drawback regarding it so nah.

Caster Level Check: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Liliya shoots the magic missile as it flies, but her bullet has little effect on it as it goes. It hits Gathroc... and proceeds to fail against his natural magic resistance, bouncing off his armor. The spell effect ceases, and the small machine proceeds to start falling down towards the scrap heaps below.

I’m also trying to discern whether the spell’s source is still magic missile and whether or not a shield spell will negate it as it will for even powerful mages who cast MM

Easily shrugging off the spell attempting to attack him, the Graveknight attempts to snatch his assailant before it plummets to the ground far below.

If I take a move action, I think I can reach it before it falls? Should I roll something, or is it more or less automatic?

My position should be 30-60 feet below Gathroc, if he cant catch the falling debris I probably can, flying to where it is falling, double moving if neccessary, and then using my grasping cloak to get it as swift action.

may be easier for me because I can pick up stuff as a swift. Was intending to use it for weapon stealing shenangians after shooting someones weapon off with a full action, but it works for this as well.

Liliya easily catches the debris while it falls past her, before flying up to the rest of the party to show them. With it in hand, the specialists can get a better look at it. Which, not a lot at first glance is visibly apparent from what you originally saw. It's a metal tube welded shut at the bottom, with the rotor at the top being set up so that the mechanism was also inside the tube. To get a better look at how it worked, it'd require the use of magic... or simply cracking it open.

Investigating the tube, Liliya says:
I am relatively confident that I could unlock this container, but perhaps there are magical rituals which can accomplish this more safely?

Disable device 26, everyone probably move 15-30 feet away while I tinker with it.

"I believe the answer through this field is a simple shield spell. I imagine the possessor or creator utilizes this method to approach their home. I can clear the way without putting you at risk, Gathroc. While I'm sure your resistances are more than enough for most, some may get through, whereas, for me, none will. But first..." she goes invisible once more and then investigates the device. "I am observing it to see how it is made and what this does."

Britta will detect magic on the device that Liliya brought them. If that does not reveal enough, she will study it with an identify spell.

Taking 10 on Spellcraft for a 42.

After, she will take a moment to study a shield spell unless someone else wants to take charge. She is fine with whoever wishes to absorb all of this and get them through.

I can cast shield on myself via my weaponry, I do not believe that it is prudent to borrow it to Gathroc, as my weaponry is keyed to me, sentient, and ehmm, I do no think it would mesh with Mr. Gathroc, at all.
Differences in alignment could relate in him suffering temporary level drain or other such circumstances.

I could have shield, 18 Spell resistance and 18 tmp hp cushion from vampiric grasping myself and then getting healed by Radamare, we have no idea how likely the bots are to break it though. Also, I think shield only blocks 100 or so points of magic missle damage? Does anyone have spell resistance the spell? Put it on Gathroc and laugh.

Radamare has let her invisibility lapse for now, and she looks on silently. In truth her attention is not much on the device in their possession. Instead, she keeps watch for movement among the other machines or any other danger while others investigate the strange machine.

Shield blocks typical magic missiles for as long as its duration lasts. Pending whatever we may learn from opening it, I'm happy to try the shield-minesweeper approach. If we find that we need anything more than that for some reason, we could briefly pause and Rada could prepare a communal spell immunity spell in her open 5th level slot.

Or we can just go invisible. It needs a target.

"Well, by all means, if you feel up to it. Go for it."

She'd rather let Liliya deal with it and save her spells for more important things.

Using her Brass spider as a masterwork thief tool, Liliya gets at it:

disable device with masterwork thief tools: 1d20 + 26 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 26 + 2 = 31

If that does not work but also does not blow up in my face, I would probably just take 10 on the next attempt. With one aid another that would be a 40.

"Shall I press forward while you tinker with your toys?" Gathroc asks, as Liliya attempts to take apart the weird little drone.

"Well...you certainly proved you can take a hit, Gathroc. I don't know if you can take them all. We best wait and use this type of magic that completely nullifies any chance of it affecting us. Then, if we come to some new challenge, I'd gladly let you get smacked around, my friend." she chuckles, the last part, calling him her friend in standard undercommon greeting such as one would say in France in Liliya's experiences saying "mon ami", but is said more like a cliche than a true statement. "Besides, tinkering with these toys may give us insight on who we are going to find inside. Useful information that you may wish to overhear."

"I would rather keep moving," Rahlmaat grumbles. "This whole thing seems more like a combination of a distraction and an alarm system. Best to have one of us try shielding magic and then clear a path if it works. I'd try myself were it not for the question of whether they would target myself or my passengers."

Just accept my profane gift my dears and I can immidiatly inform you of any discovery I make! Telepathic communication across the whole plane, ability boosts, rerollable will saves! And all of this while protected by Blood Oath from any cunning shenanigans I may pull!
And either Radamare or Britta can presumably dispell it rather easily.
Liliya chuckles while she fiddles with the apparatus, clearly actually expecting anyone to actually take her up on her offer.

Just bantering along, lets pick up a debatable topic for it though