New Beginnings (Inactive)

Game Master Azih

I take a moment to catch my breath. It'll give me a precious moment to think - and I'm fairly sure my master feels a bit smug about outflying me. I'll race you one day old man! Darn. My precious moment was wasted daydreaming instead ... I don't regret it though.

"Mhm." I reach out towards the specimen. Think back to the tree we had ascended, any parasitical growths we've recently talked about. Since I'm asked about it, I'm sure I've heard about it. But also - since it is so high - I doubt I've seen it *in the wild* before. Perhaps dried in one of the beautiful glass jars?

Yes I should definitely try and recall my masters teachings.

Lore?: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Asta snarls and swings again, putting as much effort into it as she can muster. Ford was a fool if he thought some yelping would do anything to get the girl to lay back. There was little point in doing anything half-arsed, and that included beating up other cadets.

strike: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
damage?: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

@Lessah so you're going to add your intelligence to your lore check, I believe that's +2, plus your training in the Lore is another +2, which makes it a 23. Which is a critical success!

It's not a parisitic grown at all, this is a Restful Birch. Not only do you know that you know that the papery flakes coming off the bark can be consumed to reduce the need for sleep and that is even more effective if it's brewed into a tea! Good job you!

So what do you say and what do you do for the rest of your actions?

@Asta, ahh.. your second attack demonstrates another part of the Pathfinder 2 action economy, which is the Multiple attack penalty. While you're able to attack up to three times right from Level 1 (and even earlier!) each successive attack is less accurate. In most cases the second attack in a round gets a -5 and the third gets a -10. So here, your attack goes down to a lowly 2 which is a critical failure!

Which does nothing on a strike in most cases, sure some enemies might have special abillities that can trigger off a critical failure, but Ford certainly isn't one of those. You just miss real wide. How do you think your trainer reacts to the reckless attack, taking into account that you did do well until then and have your shield up as you should?

After that you're done with stage 2 and onto stage 3!

"I think ..." I briefly consider saying I might need it for his lectures. Might save that one for later though! "It's Restful Bark. We could brew wakefulness tea of it."

"We should harvest some I think."

Very good he claps as you figure it out. Yes, you should harvest some... get to it.. he sits down on a leaf and proceeds to prepare a pipe for a nice puff while you start the work.

You really suspect that he's stalling for time because his wings only grow to allow full flight a few times a day.

Usually it'd be survival to see how well you do your work, but I'd allow another Herablism Lore check for that if you wish.

Kurgash laughs, a seering rumbling that brings nervous laughter from the cadets, and a blush of embarrassment from Asta, that deepens to rage as she sees Ford join in. "Oi, Lass, yer got yer shield up and that is good, but don't be afraid to use it. Yer gonna gut yerself trying to swing through yer opponent like that."

Next time, Asta thinks, scowling at Ford. I'm gonna bust that nose something powerful."

Lore:Herbalism: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Sheet says +5 but it also thinks I'm level 1 instead of level 0, so that makes sense :)

"Mm." I frown in concentration and get my tools. The bronze knife used for scraping should be all right. Carefully I'll get to work. I've always been better at remembering then actually doing, so this is the real trial.

That's good enough to harvest a decent amount, especially since a small amount is enough for a sprite compared to how huge the birch is. You heft the shavings off of your pack and a little while off your teacher nods as they pack away their pipe and you set off back home. It's been a very good day overall you think.

@Karma

You grow up hardy and charming here in stage 4 of character creation. Perhaps not as good with the bow as you should be, to the despair of your tutors, but still you manage to keep on their good side and have plenty of friends to back you up and cover for you.

Being one with the land, however, is a part of your heritage and you're as capable as anyone else when it comes to knowing the lay of the land.

The great thing about what you have learned as you grew up is an assurance in your survival skills. Assurance is kind of the replacement of Take 10 in Pathfinder 2. There's no such thing as take 10 or take 20, but with the assurance skill feat in surivial it means that you can choose to automatically get a result of 10 + your proficiency which right now is 12. So sensing direction in territory familiar to you is not a problem at all.

You're sent out with your bow, a dagger and a club, and your wits to scout one of the directions your people will head towards as the season changes from the freezing winter to the chilly spring. How many people are with you in your scouting expedition?

This is also a great time to talk about Downtime! Downtime is one of the three 'modes' of play which equates to timescale really. Downtime is something that takes a day or more and as you move through the area, one of the things you are expected to do is either scout the area to determine if it's a good direction to head in or hunt/forage for food.

So you can either roll Lore to see what information you can glean, roll Survival to Subsist and gather food, or just take 12 on gathering food.

With the arrival of chill winds, I pull up my winter cloak and set my eyes southwards. There must be more game there, escaping the coming winter. I also notice I have outgrown my fur cloak since last winter. So the hunt better yield some new furs.

Beside me, there's four others in my scouting group: Alees, Ratake, Kenser, and Raul.

Alees is a long-time friend, eager to follow my lead in whatever I decide to do. Ratake and Kenser are rather simple, but in almost charming way. It doesn't take much effort to bend them to my will. But then there's Raul...

Raul really hates my guts, and the feeling is mutual. I don't know what the leaders were thinking putting us together.

During the expedition, I focus on easier prey - rabbits and such. I know I'm not the best hunter, so I'll rather talk the others to hunt the bigger game. If they succeed, we'll share the glory. And small as they are, even the rabbits keep us fed.

Survival, take 12 on gathering food: 10 + 2 = 12

Ahh, so Pathfinder 2 has a LOT of conditions, which can seem overwhelming, but really they're meant to describe those parts of an entity in the game that can change pretty quickly. So Five of the conditions describe how characters feel about you. They are:

Helpful: Willing to help you and responds favorably to your requests.
Friendly: Has a good attitude toward you, but won't necessarily stick their neck out to help you.
Indifferent: Doesn't care about you either way. (Most NPCs start out indifferent.)
Unfriendly: Dislikes you and doesn't want to help you.
Hostile: Actively works against you—and might attack you just because of their dislike.

let's say Alees is Helpful, Ratake and Kenser are Friendly, while Raul is unfriendly. Which probably makes Ratake and Kenser pretty uncomfortable when you two are around each other I'm thinking...

Let's skip Alees, and roll your Diplomacy three times to see how well you're able to convince the other three.

So, no training in diplomacy -> bonus is just the CHA boosts?

Diplomacy, Ratake: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Diplomacy, Kenser: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Diplomacy, Raul: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Ratake and Kenser are easy to get along with. They laugh at simple jokes, they appreciate when I share a cooked rabbit, and they're happy to do what they are told.

But Raul... I am usually quite silver-tongued, and manage to say what others want to hear. But something about this boy - I just can't control my temper. I swallow down every kind word I try to say, and spit out poisonous words instead.

How long we'll have to stay out here? We're going to kill each other if this goes on...

@Karma.

Ratake and Kener are easy to convince to do the heavy load of the hunting and, while Kener does not do a very good job, Ratake is able to bring down some large game which will keep the group fed for the expedition.

I'm not following your lead on anything Raul spits at you while Alees is off doing the job of scouting the area. You ain't good at hunting, you ain't good at scouting... what are you even good for? He kicks dirt onto one of your rabbits.

Do you do anything?

@Asta.

Martial training for the youth is one one of the few places where the different levels of Korvosan society come together. Afterwards the nobles who show promise can go to further their education in a military academy to become officers.

Those who aren't so highly born can get recruited into the guard, and that is what happens to Asta. Really it's one of the best possible outcomes for the young woman as the Korvosan Guard are really well regarded and offer a clear path of promotion to all of its recruits, regardless of birth.

You get a patrol and you get a partner, who's definitely far more competent than Ford. What do you know about them?

One night, near the Reefclaw run market near the Old Docks, you hear a distrubance and calls for help. Heading in that direction with haste you see a very large sailor, very clearly drunk, yelling curses at everyone near him and trying to get back into a pub. The pub door seems to be barricaded somehow but he's definitely doing a very good job of shoulder charging it and the shoddy portal is definitely going to splinter soon.

What do you do? You're about one move action away from him. If you are going to initiate hositilies then I am going to ask you to roll your Perception score. Yup Perception is the default initative roll in pathfinder.

"Well..." I say, giving myself a bit of time to think carefully of the next words. I'm squatting by the fire, so this forces me to look upwards if I want to look Raul into the eyes - and I do.

"What I am good at, is remembering what we should achieve on this little trip. And telling everyone what the should be doing so we get done more as a team. Only if you hadn't a head thick as a brick, and done as I've told you, we would be already on our way back to the tribe."

I look at the roasted rabbit, now half-covered in dirt. Shame, but it can still be salvaged. I rip off the leg from that caught most of the dirt, and get up myself.

"Besides, I keep the team fed, so you can focus on more important tasks. Here, that's your share." I hand Raul the dirt-covered piece of meat.

As I stand there, facing my nemesis, a sudden gust of wind blows my hood off my head, and the air around me literally feels electrifying.

@Karma, I think that deserves an Intimidation Roll!

Intimidation: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Words are not always needed for best results. Sometimes all it takes is a silent stare, the flickering fire casting deep shadows on my face.

Everyone watches, barely breathing, waiting for Raul's response.

Asta's first partner couldn't have cared less about... well, everything. Rellando "Snail" Makazio was talked like he moved, and moved and talked like he patrolled, and patrolled like his general life philosophy, which was to say... unhurried. It of course drove Asta up the metaphorical wall (and one physical wall, but that is a story for another time).

So it was no surprise to Asta that Snail simply shrugged in the general direction of the pub and sauntered down a nearby alleyway. Asta, however, had no intention of letting the drunken lout get away with his assault on the tavern's door.

"Oi!" she yelled, hand on her club, in as forceful a voice as the green recruit could muster, "Step down. NOW!"

intimidate?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 She's not first level, so she gets a -1 to this check if I understand correctly?

Karma. Okay so you're rolling against Raul's Will DC which is 10 + his Will score. If he follows the same rules as you but is a willful guy then he'd have a 14 wisdom for +2 and even if I give him trained in will saves (he's no Asta) that'd only get him another +2 so his Will save is +4 for a DC of 14 and... you succeed!

Raul is cowed, but unwilling to save face he drops the leg on the ground and just walks away. Ratake who was pointedly not looking at the two of you and Kenser who was openly staring at you, both let out a sigh of relief and get back to skinning the deer Ratake had been able to bring down. It's definitely another story for Asta when she comes back. And you're onto the next stage.

Asta. Let's see Intimidation is Charisma based so you should have +1 since you boosted Cha as you learned to be a guard, then you're Trained in Intimidation so that's level +2 for 2 right now. So 3 is right for now. At first level that'd be 4 though so Training would get you a prof bonus of 3

Asta, the drunk sailor actually ignores you COMPLETELY. Did he disregard you? Did he not even hear you? Either way he keeps bashing at the door. There's a crowd gathering too!

Snail's nowhere to be seen!

Hostility time? If so let's do a Perception roll!

Asta grits her teeth, rage rising within her. Looks like this doof could spend a night in the tank. Gripping her club, Asta steps forward...

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Per: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
As Asta steps forward and gets within 15 feet from him, it finally gets through to the sailor that someone is coming for him and he turns around with a sudden speed that catches Asta off guard (hah, pun).

There's a barrel next to the door that he hefts up over his head. He is a Very Large Man. And he shouts I'm gonna smash ya into paste and use yer head as me MOP!

Intimidation: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

If I'm right Asta your Will save is +4 from your uncanny acumen right? so the drunk sailor's intimidation attempt Doesn't hit your Will DC of 14! His intimidation attempt fails

He HEAVES the barrel at Asta though and it sails through the air and crashes right onto her!
Barrel bludgeoning damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9

Please make a BASIC reflex save. So BASIC saves are a shorthand for the classic saves in pathfinder 1 but with a degrees of success twist. The DC is 13, if you succeed you take half damage, if you critically succeed you take no damage, if you fail you take full damage, if you critically fail you take double damage!
Then it's your turn and you have three actions! Assuming he didn't know you out of course...

GM, I'm confused - where is the drunk's attack roll? If you're going with GM fiat, that's fine - I'm just trying to understand how the system works and if that is fiat or if I'm missing something mechanically?

The speed - and ferocity - with which the drunk responds catches the fledging guard completely by surprise - as does the barrel. Asta's bodied by the barrel and the world spins. She catches a brief glimpse of the shock on the faces of the crowd before...

reflex: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5 +2 if Asta is trained? Regardless, I do believe Asta has been knocked out!

Ok! So a few things. First you have a hero point that you can spend, second, here's a peek behind GMing the system. The game has in true pathfinder style a TON of resources to play around with. So you're fighting this guy:
https://2e.aonprd.com/NPCs.aspx?ID=913
And petty much every creature in the game has some sort of fun special ability for GMs to play with. So this guy used one action to try to Intimdate you (which targeted your strong save) and has the two action Heft Crate action that acts more like an AOE spell than anything (and targeted a weak save!) and smacked you in the head. Let's see if your hero point works out! Tell you what if you roll an 11 or 12, I'll let you act as trained in reflex saves just because that's more fun. (usually all the save proficiency training comes with the class).
Basically you're in the process of turning from a regular mook into a adventurer so you're not quite there yet, other than your absurd will save and your hero point.

Stage 5: Neophyte Adventurer!

@Lessah.

The wings sprouting from your back does give everyone an indication that you may be destined for greater things and you being able to excel in your Root Worker training seems to bear it out. However you just don't seem to be able to tap into the primal/fey energies of the world.

You get bundled off to the local magic user/shaman/witch or something or other who takes one look at you and cackles. You got the sharp eyes of a wizard right enough. Come, let's see if you got anything else of the talent.

She gets you a spellbook and shows you to her small libraray of magical tomes. A lightning bug trails after her constantly. Now I get my magic from Sparky here, and where he gets it from, the gods only know. You, on the other hand... she thumps one of the largest ones down. Need to get your magic through your thick skull if you want to have any at all...

And so you keep the witch's hut clean, help her make her potions for everyone, and read and read and read. You ruin a few spellbooks actually, which come out of your wages, but finally.... you're able to cast magic! From reading a spell from your spellbook into your head! It feels weird and tingly and good!

Bree nods, satisfied, when you're able to do it. Well there you are, now the rest's just you studyin'. Get out of here and leave me to my peace! She's grinning wide as she says it though and you know you'll always be welcome back.

Now that you're left to your own devices though, you just can't imagine yourself sitting in a room reading and researching the arcane all day. I mean you enjoy it and really want to master spells and the like *part* of the time. But there's too much fun stuff out in the real world to do as well, including throwing snowballs and firing arrows. So you grow up doing both and you start to figure that... hey.. maybe you can combine your two passions....

One day you've got your bow and your spellbook when a call comes out The beetles are at it again! We need to drive them off!. You sigh, every once in a while Beetles rampage through your community, breaking houses and chomping through farms. Everyone who can help is expected to to drive them away and rebuild and... you realize this is the perfect time to test out some theories you've been mulling over!

You flutter hop alongwith everyone else answering the call and soon enough you're seeing a few beetles chomping through one of the outer lying sprite homes. One of them, a particularly fearsome looking one with a metallic green sheen is clomping along on a branch towards you! It's about thirty feet away. What do you do?

"Sure I will Bree sure I will!" I grin and nod and do remember that I've already buggered her into inviting me for soup tomorrow. Kinda miss the musky warmth of the hut already though. But a hero had to make sacrifices and overcome tough challenges; like hard wanderbread or hauling their ass over to the human village for some quests. "I'll make us proud."

---

"You!!" My eyes narrow and expression turns fierce as I see the great green beast. This one rampaged all over Brees herbs last summer; ate a whole patch of strawberries it did. That was *my* plan! I readied my bow and arrow, taking care to get nothing tangled in the undergrowth, and pondered if I should roll initiative!?

Also look up the stats for a bow :p? And just shoot it ...

Edit: The bow to use seems to be a Shortbow, so that's a good first step at least :D It has the following stats:
Damage 1d6p Bulk 1 Hands 1+ Range 60' Reload 0 Traits - Deadly 1d10

Yup roll Perception for initiative. I think that means a +2?

Beetle initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

+3! That's what the sheet says at least; 1 from level and 2 from trained I guess

Initiative!: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Aha! The terrible ravager is too slow for my keen reflexes. Going first I nock an arrow and draw my bow. I'm sure my aim will be true! But it isn't all I have in store for the vicious creature; no not nearly enough. With my voice strong and clear I call for Fire to aid me. Burn evil beetle burn!!

Action: Spellstrike /w Produce Flame

To Hit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Damage? (bow; P): 1d6 ⇒ 4

Damage? (p fire; f): 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

With my arrow flying I cautiously Stride away from the beetle. After all, I had a bow and it had nasty mandibles I don't want to get near!

Let's do one more round.

The caution pays off, being 50 feet away from the beetle means it has to pretty much spend all of its actions this turn clambering to get to you, it's mandibles waving around menacingly as it looms over you. Getting this far in and further away from its fellow means its going to be pretty easy to surround when the other sprites take care of driving away the others. For now though, it's just you and it.

Another thing to remember, Attacks of Opportunity are rare, and only highly trained combatants get to have. This beetle very much is not one.

I blink away the sweat pouring down into my eyes. Darn. Bree had always said to be careful with fire magic - and I really didn't know where that flaming arrow went. The stinky beetle breath and clickety claws up so close didn't improve things. And I was supposed to be the hero? I-i got this! Yes, keep it together!

First! A Shield spell, put something of substance between myself and the beast. Then another shot; I still believed in the flaming bowshot. If I could just get both the magic and archery right ... A flaming arrow right down the belly of the beast!

Actions: 1 Shield, 2&3 spellstrike Produce Flame

To Hit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Damage? (bow; P): 1d6 ⇒ 2

Damage? (p fire; f): 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

"Yes!!" I cheer as the shot strikes true. Though ... Maybe I should have put more juice into it... Still better then last time!

Interesting! So, "monsters" tend to be somewhat simpler, with neat-o abilities that they can use specific to their theme?

OK, will spend Asta's hero point to see if she can dodge the barrel!

reflex save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Thankfully, the docker was drunk. The scene plays out in Asta's mind before the man even reaches for the barrel, ending with Asta getting knocked down and out. Thankfully, when it actually happens - drunks are soooooo predictable! - Asta steps to the side. The barrel crashes harmlessly behind her, and creaking, rolls a few feet into the street. The crowd oohs and ahhs.

OK, so now Asta takes her actions? I assume she can't intimidate again?

@Lessah,

Just a *little* bit more juice, would have probably killed the beetle, as it is it's just incredibly hurt by your fire arrow. It trembles... and then suddenly everything goes bright white as its abdomen bursts into light.

DC 17 Fortitude save or be dazzled.

Whether you're able to withstand the defensive move or not, as the glare fades, you see the beetle trying to fly away, it's 30 feet away in the air now and has gone behind the cover of a branch. You can still see it though.

Let's have one more round and call it a day. The beetle is 30 feet away, in cover.

@Asta, yup you got it. The hallmark of pathfinder 2 monsters are unique actions that interaction with the action economy in fun ways. Also yes, you used the Demoralize action essentially which can be used once every 10 minutes (from another very useful online source):
Pf2 easy tools Demoralize

Probably technically you should have rolled initiative before the Demoralize action and it would have happened after the barrel roll, but the rules are a guideline and would make less sense in this case. So yeah go ahead and take your three actions now.

Oh, I didn't understand we weren't in initiative, but it makes sense that the docker's action is like a surprise round action.

Asta snarls, her hand flexing around her club and reflexively drawing it, the woman's training taking over. Rage bubbles in the guard, erupting in a yell as a steam does from a kettle, as Asta sprints over slick cobblestones, intent on knocking the drunk into next week.

Move, strike, strike. Not sure if Asta has proficiency or not, so I've just added her STR modifier below.

strike: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
damage?: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

strike: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
damage?: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Oh oh oh! We're winning! I grin and glare at the beetle, the sweet taste of victory already on my lips. Just a simple shot and ... *BLINK* Oh that's bright, I should learn that!

Fortitude!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

But I had more tricks as well! I call upon my magic to guide the next shot. Concentrate. Visualize the target. Slather it in magnetic magic. And shoot!

Cast

Attack!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 Minus any glare penalties :)

Damage?: 1d6 ⇒ 3

@Asta, I think I might have confused matters a bit. Completely my bad. So what happened was.

1. You did an Intimidation check out of initiative, this was pretty much your 'surprise' action though something like that doesn't exist in the core rules.
2. You and the drunk rolled Perception for initiative. He beat you.
3. Round 1, he tried to intimidate you for one action and heaved a barrel at you for his special two round action.
4. You used a hero point to dodge and moved up to him and swung twice for your three rounds!

The first of Asta's hit connects solid and the drunk staggers, the second strike misses. He narrows his eyes and, from somewhere, draws out a full bottle of whiskey and downs it in one long gulp. Just as he goes to swing it at you, the door of the bar opens up behind him and a very large man grabs the drunk in a bearhug.

Thanks for the help, guard. The lout didn't take kindly to bein' cut off. he says.

You're doing the paperwork on this one, Red. Snail calls out from behind. Can't you leave well enough alone?

And that's the end of combat as the drunk sailor swears a blue storm and tries to kick out of the grapple unsuccessfully. And you can move on to the next stage as well!

@Lessah

So the dazzled condition means everything is concealed to you, which means your awesome magus ability completely negates that as well as the branch cover from the beetle.

Too bad your aim is off so the blazing meteoric arrow just wings off into the leaves and the beetle flees. Pretty soon all the other beetles are driven off as well.

@Karma

Life continues, Raul continues to be a thorn in your side, but everything else is as good as it can be.

One day your and Alees are scouting around the camp, nothing special, just routine. You're going over some fairly rocky ground with Alees in the front, swinging over large rust coloured boulders with ease. You're a bit slower as usual but as you jump off one of the boulders you land on a patch of ground that gives way right underneath you! It's a sinkhole! One large enough that your entire body goes through it. You yell as you fall.

You fall 10 feet and so it's a simple flat 5 damage than you take and you end up prone

As you lie there groaning, looking up a the small patch of light you fell through you suddenly hear the sound of skittering, you look around in the dim light and you can tell, to your horror, that you seem to have landed in an underground nest of spiders! They scattered away from you as you fell but now... they're getting ready to swarm you. And you can't find your bow or a dagger or anything!

Roll Perception for initiative please!

The spider swarm rolls

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

So if you beat that you get to go first. They're about 10 feet away.

So initiative is perception? That'll be +2 for trained and +1 for level(?). Am I lvl 1 now officially ?

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Damn, that hurts!
I probably sprained my ankle when I hit the ground. But judging from the skittering sound, that is the least of my worries right now. My orc blood lets me see well in the dark, but at this moment I am not sure if it is a blessing at all. It might have been more merciful to not see all those spiders.

"Alees! Do you have a torch? I could really use one, now!" I shout, hoping she'll hear me. Of course, I don't carry any torches, because I don't need one. Oh, the irony...

@Karma

Your voice echoes up, lonely to the patch of sunlight above. Alees was pretty far ahead of you when you fell...

In the meanwhile... the spiders swarm and converge over your prone form, clicking and hissing and biting like something out of a nightmare!

1d4 ⇒ 1

Your frantic thrashing seems to ward them off a fair bit but there are so many of them. If you'd been knocked out by the fall you're sure you would have been eaten alive. You. Have. To. Do. Something.

Basic Reflex save of DC14 please. If you pass you'll take 0 damage if you fail you'll take 1 damage and I'll need a DC14 Fort save...

Your turn. You're currently Prone and have 3 actions. You've taken either 5 or 6 hp of damage.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

They're everywhere... I try to twist and turn and swipe them off, but no help. There's spiders on my legs, spiders on my arm, spiders on my neck, and spiders on my head. And they bite and they bite, injecting their poison.

Fort save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

I get up, and cry in pain when putting weight on my ankle. Can't run, but there's not really any place to run to, anyway.
I look around, but there's no escape. The spiders are all around the sinkhole, so there is no safe spot. And climbing out would take time, and I doubt I could do it while being bitten by thousands of spiders.

What to do...

I am almost crying in despair, when I hear it. A faint crackling of fire, smell of smoke. Like flames whispering their secrets. But I see no light.

I try to locate the source. But the more I turn, the more sure I am the flames are within me. And I don't know how I do it, but I reach inside me. I close my eyes, ignore the spiders around me. The whispers are getting louder and louder, and then I see a spark in the darkness. The spark grows into a small flame, and then to a roaring bonfire. I reach for the fire, and the whispers have turned to a roar in my ears.

I touch the fire, and everything explodes in a divine revelation. I suddenly understand the secret flames - all the whispers I've heard.

As I open my eyes, the sinkhole is illuminated by warm glow. Glow of the flames that surround me. Now, I know a way out.

>Stand up
>>Cast Incendiary aura, cost 1 focus, curse increases to minor curse. (the aura doesn't do anything yet.)

@Karma
The spiders are unimpressed by the increased glow and continue to bite and swarm all over you.

1d4 ⇒ 1

Though they're just not able to find a lot of purchase..

DC 14 Reflex followed by DC 14 Fort please. Also it's your turn again.

Ref save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 I passed, so no need for fort save, right?

"AAARGH!! DAMN SPIDERS!" I scream, and swipe dozens of the little bastards off my arms. My anger channels into my hands, which lit into flames. And like elemental fury, I slash and punch with those fiery hands, trying to kill as many critters as possible.

>> Cast produce flame

Spell attack roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
fire damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

If the swarm takes damage, the incendiary aura causes it to catch fire, taking 2d4 persistent damage

Also, if casting a spell within a swarm has a penalty or failure change etc. I could try to take an action to move away (if at all possible).

2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2

The swarm IS impressed by the sudden fire magic washing over it though... dozens of the little creatures are fried to a crisp in the face of the fire. The remaining number flees away from the flames and retreat. You can still see them... but the visions of flames and smokes makes it harder to make them out.

Swarm is 60 feet away so concealed to you because of the curse

Meanwhile from above, through the fire and smoke you hear Alees call out Hey, you ok? What in the hells is going on down there? Fire?

One more action and we'll call it. What do you do?

Umm, I can't come up with anything on how to use the last action. Pass, or whatever :)

Damn, so much smoke. I can't see a thing...

I blink, trying to clear my head. Something odd happened... Where did that fire come from? At least the spiders are now gone, so I have some time to think.

Hearing Alees' voice is reassuring. Help is up there.

"I'm alive!" I call back. "Hurt my foot from the fall. And there's spiders in here. So if you have a rope, could you help me up?"

"And there was fire.. It was... " I pause. How to explain, as even I don't understand it. I still feel the warmth around me, and the spark within me. Somehow, I am the fire.

"Just help me up! I'll tell you later."

A rope is tossed down and as Alees braces and secures it. You start to climb

Let's have an Athletics roll to see how quickly you make it up just for the giggles

Up top you find yourself gasping for air and Alees touches you on the shoulder with concern before yanking it away Gods above and Below... you're burning up. We've got to get you home.

Ten minutes of sweating, heaving, and gasping later though... you do feel a lot better. The heat, the flames at the corners of your eyes, the smell of smoke... all recede.. but they're still there just barely at the reach of your senses.

Athletics: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19

My urge to get out of here easily overcomes my hurt and confusion, and I climb up the offered rope with surprising vigor.

"Why..." I pant, breathing heavy from the climb. "..there's... smoke everywhere.."

I was expecting sunlight on the surface, but everything is still obscured from the smoke. I see Alees, and the rocks nearby, but very quickly everything start to get obscured.

From Alees' confused look, I guess she doesn't see the smoke. What is going on...?

"Why I cannot see?" I cry, and start to sob.

I try to explain what happened in the sinkhole. But little of it makes any sense even to me. And Alees seems none the wiser, either.

Once I've finished my story, I feel I've calmed down, and my vision returns. My thoughts are clear. I need to contemplate on what happened, but I'm very sure I was touched by something divine.

And I know I can do magic.

Alees, incredibly worried, squats next to you until you've calmed down and says C'mon let's get you home... get Elder Raiwa to look at you. Can you walk?

"Yes, you're right. Seeing the Elder would be the wise. And don't worry, my legs will carry me."

There's pain, sure. But also a new vigor. I'm partly very exited by the strange powers, and partly scared of them. Hopefully Raiwa will shed some light to the situation.

@Asta, joining the Guard was the fulfillment of an ambition, being chosen as an inductee into the Grey Maiden was the fulfillment of a dream.

It's too bad like a week later the Queen was assassinated and the entire order thrown into chaos. The trainer of the unit you were attached to basically just disappeared and your fellow trainees, unnevered by the sudden hatred towards anyone associated with the recently deposed Queen stopped coming a day or two later. You're the only one who showed up on the third day hoping against hope that your dream isn't truly crushed.

You've been noticed though and two women and a man are loitering around waiting for you. They start to walk towards you, clutching a pitchfork, sickle, and shovel.

Oi, Your Witch Queen is dead. Gerrout of here or we'll send you to meet 'er!

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

That's their perception rolls for initiative. Roll your own perception (or something else if you can convince me) and let's get this started.

Let's say you have a standard shortsword and wooden shield and are wearing standard issue scale mail for the purpose of this combat. Some other suggestion is fine as well.

Oh and there's a -2 penalty for trying to do nonlethal attacks with a weapon that doesn't have that trait... if you choose to use that option of course lol.