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Seelah watches as the bear mauls Johnny, and she surges forward from her protective instincts kicking in.
Back away from him Beast!
She swings her sword hard while trying to shove her shield in-between the dwarf and the bear.
Reaction: Retributive Strike w/ Ranged Reprisal
After leaping into action, Seelah goes hard on the offensive. Leveling two strikes of her sword into the beast and then raising her shield against the snarling bear.
*Clang Clang* Come on hit me!
♦ Strike
♦ Strike
♦ Raise Shield (AC 25)
Johnny struggles in the bear's powerful grip. For a moment, it looks like he will break free, but the bear holds on tight.
Dudith steps forward and strikes at the bear. She finds its hide thick, and it resists her strike. She then raises her shield defensively.
Griss steps forward, power radiating off of his skin, and cracks the bear across its snout with a powerful blow. Blood flows out of the bear's nose. It gives the barbarian a fierce glare.
Encounter! Round 1. Bold may act.
Bear (-22)
Johnny (9/75 hp; Grabbed) (Two actions remain)
Griss
Kang
Knab
Dudith
--2--
Horatio
"Oh - that's a big bear"
Little Wekk goes dashing around the corner - smashing his top hat down on his head with one hand as he runs!
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Knab's eyes widen as he watches the bear crunch down on Johnny!
"Griss - can you shove the beast out of the way?"
Before running into it's clutches, he pauses here to consider what he knows about Bears (generally), what he observes about this bear (specifically), and too, what he knows about Dhampirs!
◇) Automatic Knowledge
◆) Recall Knowledge
◆) Battle Assessment
◆) ???
With careful observation during battle, you identify an enemy’s strengths and weaknesses. The GM rolls a secret Perception check for you against the Deception or Stealth DC (whichever is higher) of an enemy of your choice who is not concealed from you, hidden from you, or undetected by you, and who is engaged in combat. The GM might apply a penalty for the distance between you and the enemy. The enemy is then temporarily immune to your Battle Assessment for 1 day.
Critical Success > The GM chooses two of the following pieces of information about the enemy to tell you: which of the enemy’s weaknesses is highest, which of the enemy’s saving throws has the lowest modifier, one immunity the enemy has, or which of the enemy’s resistances is highest. If the event of a tie, the GM should pick one at random.
Success > The GM chooses one piece of information from the above list to tell you about the enemy.
Critical Failure > The GM gives you false information (the GM makes up the information).
Any Untrained Lore Skill (~) +8 (via Pathfinder Agent Dedication)
Arcana (**) +12 or 20 Assurance; Automatic Knowledge
Crafting (*) +10
Lore: Engineering (*) +10
Lore: Pathfinder (*) +10
Lore: Underworld (*) +10
Medicine (**`) +13
Nature (**) +12
Occult (**) +12
Religion (**) +12 or 20 Assurance; Automatic Knowledge
Society (*) +10
The soft buzzing of bees and the smell of grapes surrounds Horatio as Halcamora bestows her blessing.
Knab thinks on the situation.
The Maze of the Open Road leads to near infinite destinations. You suppose it is possible that a wild animal might wander into one of the other ends of the Maze and become trapped when it started to malfunction.
Once the cave bear has you in its grip, its attacks are even more devastating .
Cave bears are definitely more sturdy and stubborn than quick .
Encounter! Round 1. Bold may act.
Bear (-22)
Johnny (9/75 hp; Grabbed) (Two actions remain)
Griss
Kang
Knab (One action remains)
Dudith
--2--
Horatio (bless 5 ft)
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"Probably wandered through a portal at one of the stress points" the dwarf suggests "If it grabs hold of you, it is best you try to escape - do you see the extra joint in it's locking jaw?" pointing vaguely inside of it's mouth, where Johnny's head is "Does not look intelligent, if stubborn - I may try to make a break through it's legs..."
...he grabs one of his (ordinary) javelins from his back, clutching it in his gauntlet, just in case the Shove and Tumble plans don't pan out...
◆) Interact to Draw (Javelin)
Johnny struggles and struggles, but the bear's grip is simply too tight . Kang considers the situation .
The bear clamps down with its jaws on Johnny's skull. Dudith smites the bear and swings her sword at it , but it is not enough to save the dwarf. You all hear a loud cracking sounds , and the bear drops the dying dwarf to the floor.
Now the bear turns its attention to one hurting it. It swipes Griss up in its paw, the claws cutting deep into his back . Caught in the bear hug, Griss watches as the bear's bloody mouth opens wide. However, he is able to free one arm enough to fend off the powerful bite through sheer strength .
Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.
Bear (-22)
Griss (76/88 hp; Grabbed)
Knab
Dudith
Kang
--3--
Horatio (bless 5 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; dying 2, prone; remember not healed by positive)
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Knab shudders as he hears the skull crack, watches with shock as the undead dwarf's body hits the floor.
Shouldn't have let him lead up front...
Knab pauses another moment, looking for an opening...
"Kang" in the heat of danger, our aged and erudite hero's shy demeanor is forgotten - he vaguely remembers the eclectic wizard's comprehensive bag of tricks "Can you compromise the bear's stability?"
◇) Delay
Seelah grimaces as she watches her new comrade fall to the bears clutches.
Seelah will swing her sword with all her might with the aid of Horatio's Bless.
She ends by clasically snapping her shield back in place.
◆Strike
◆Strike
◆Raise Shield
Seelah's strike of vengeance is turned away by the bear's thick hide. However, when she pauses a moment and makes a more deliberate strike, she pierces the bear's flank. Her second strike is knocked aside by the bear.
Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.
Bear (-34)
Griss (76/88 hp; Grabbed)
Dudith
Kang
Knab
--3--
Horatio (bless 5 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; dying 2, prone; remember not healed by positive)
A giant cave scorpion manifests behind the bear and reaches forward with one massive pincer. The arachnid takes hold of the bear's foreleg with crushing strength .
Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.
Bear (-43; Grabbed)
Griss (76/88 hp; Grabbed)
Dudith
Kang
>Scorpion (20/20 hp; pincer grabbing bear)
Knab
--3--
Horatio (bless 5 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; dying 2, prone; remember not healed by positive)
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"Ayup" scrambling for his implements "Thanks Kang!" while the javelin hits the ground with a careless pur-plunk, the clan dagger is carefully stowed in it's engraved sheath...
◇) Release Javelin
◆) Stow Clan Dagger
◆) Draw Longspear
◆) Strike
Knab smiles to himself as he essentially mimics the scorpion's technique, flaying the poor bear from both sides!
Knab fights smarter and drives his longspear deep under the bear's ribs, eliciting a roar of pain.
Encounter! Round 2. Bold may act.
Bear (-58; Grabbed)
Griss (76/88 hp; Grabbed)
Dudith
Kang
>Scorpion (20/20 hp; pincer grabbing bear)
Knab
--3--
Horatio (bless 5 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; dying 2, prone; remember not healed by positive)
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Phillipton extends his bless and ...
Horatio stabilizes Johnny with swift and sure application of medical science. Griss slams his flail at the bear over and over, but it barely seems to annoy the beast.
Turning its attention to the giant scoripion's pincer holding onto its arm, the bear bites down hard on the chitinous claw with a loud crack. Then it shakes its head and rips the pincer arm completely off of the scorpion and free of its own leg. The dying scorpion and its dismembered claw fade away.
It turns its attention back to Griss and tries to bite down on him, but the Ulfen uses the haft of his flail to keep the teeth at bay.
Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.
Bear (-58)
Griss (76/88 hp; Grabbed)
Dudith
Kang
Knab
--4--
Horatio (bless 10 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; wounded 1, unconscious, prone)
Come on Seelah, you can do this...
She raises her sword once more determined to drive this bear off.
Seelah seems to be getting the more desperate the more her blows are batted away.
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
◆ Raise shield
[Dice=Retributive Strike] 1d20+15;2d8+4
Come on Seelah, you can do this...
She raises her sword once more determined to drive this bear off.
[Dice=Longsword 1]1d20+15;2d8+4
[Dice=Longsword 2]1d20+10;2d8+4
Seelah seems to be getting the more desperate the more her blows are batted away.
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
◆ Raise shield
Seelah finally strikes hard enough to cut into the bear's flesh. However, when she makes her follow-up strike, the bear seems to be not there but at the intersection chewing on the dead Pathfinder . When she blinks, the bear is in front of her again holding Griss.
Not holding Griss for long, though. The Ulfen warrior flexes and pushes out of the bear's hold. He hammers away at the bear with his flail. The first swing is deflected by the bear's forelimb . The second manages to connect a glancing blow against the bear's skull at just the right angle to hurt .
Horatio directs lightning into the bear's chest, now that Griss is out of the way. This leaves the bear panting with pain.
Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.
Bear (-94) (~10%)
Griss (76/88 hp)
Dudith
Kang
Knab
--4--
Horatio (bless 10 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; wounded 1, unconscious, prone)
Knab drives his spear into the bear's chest, but then the bear begins to blink in and out of existence from his perspective, and each of his following strikes find empty air .
The bear tears back into Griss and pulls him into another bear hug. It then bites down deeply on the Ulfen's shoulder, tearing away some of the barbarian's flesh. With its bloody maw, it then rips the spear that Knab had been harrying it with out of the dwarf's hands .
Encounter! Round 3. Bold may act.
Bear (-100) (~10%)
Griss (33/88 hp)
Dudith
Kang
Knab (disarmed, spear at his feet)
--4--
Horatio (bless 10 ft)
Johnny (0/75 hp; wounded 1, unconscious, prone)
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Knab steps forward and drives his clan dagger under the beast's ribs. Before the dwarf can step back, Griss conveys all his strength and determination through a single look and then cracks the bear across the skull with his flail. The slain bear slumps forward on top of Knab and Johnny.
The rabbit peaks back around the corner.
Johnny (0/75 hp; wounded 1, unconscious) *negative healing*
Griss (33/88 hp)
Gathering himself, Little Wekk comes back from around the corner "Well that was close. Can't say this is the first time I've watched you do battle with a bear, boss" he winks at the dwarf, and then catches an eyeful of Johnny and Griss "Ohh - you two don't look very well" he goes over to gently kick the dhampir "Never can tell if it's fully alive or dead - Boss, you got some of those dwarven herbs?"
Knab looks at Little Wekk, then over towards Horatio... he plucks his spear from the ground and restraps it onto his back...
The yellow rabbit bounds back and forth down the next hall. She keeps coming to peek around the corner to see if you're following while Horatio works on the wounded. The rabbit seems more insistent as time goes on, but since you don't know if it's trying to lead you into a trap, it seems prudent to be prepared.
You also retrieve the Pathfinder's body, which was your goal in facing the bear. Of course, you do not take any of his equipment, which includes a broken lute, because you know how expensive resurrection rituals are.
Once everyone is fully prepared for whatever danger, you begin following the rabbit again. You do not have to follow much longer before you discover its agenda.
Standing in the middle of an intersection, barely conscious, is a dwarf woman. Her eyes are drooping and her head bobbing, but when she notices you, she shouts, "STOP! Careful!" She looks to the yellow rabbit. "Good girl, Topaz, you found help."
She looks to you, rubbing her eyes and slapping her face to try to focus. Her robes are bloody, and she has several wounds on her arms that likely came from an oversized bear. "Aldrek and I were in the Maze on our way back from a mission when suddenly everything changed on us," she explains to you. "Oh. Don't come any closer. I stepped on a trap. When the Maze changed, we stumbled upon a bear. It killed Aldrek, and I ran. In my haste, I failed to see the pressure plate that I'm not standing on. I've had time enough staring at the walls to see that this whole area will fill with whirling blades if I take my foot off. And I don't know how many other plates there might be. Dodging traps isn't my strong suit. I don't suppose any of you know anything about traps?"
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A fellow dwarf!
Knab shifts suddenly into better manners, as one might when one's grandmother walks into the room. Reaching for his tools, he steps forward "I'll see what I can do" and begins inspecting the pressure plate and surrounding area "Hold still, pathfinders" the sudden command in his voice strange, his meekness gone - who is this calm and confident executor?
Even Little Wekk looks on, his nose wrinkled!
◇) Steady Hand
◆◆) Disable Device
Long hours interacting with fragile manuscripts has taught you how to keep your hands steady. You can activate the following ability once per adventure.
Steady Hand (◇) (fortune) Roll twice and take the higher result on a Thievery check. You can only activate this ability before rolling the check.
Hold still, we'll get you out of there!
Seelah now turns back to her comrades.
I can go exchange spots with her on the pressure plates. That way we can begin tending to her wounds.
Knab works on the pressure plate. He's fairly certain that he hasn't made much progress, but he's also relieved that he didn't trigger the trap. Gloma watches him work with trepidation. She looks up with fear, "No, no! I couldn't ask you to do that. And what if it doesn't work?"
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Four seconds into his tampering "Oops" he says, wincing to close his eyes, an errant gear making a menacing "click" sound, when suddenly... nothing.
"Seelah - I'm not sure you want to do that - but it's your hide" he smiles through missing and uncared-for teeth, and allows time for the transfer, or anyone else shuffling about, before continuing...
"If it doesn't work, then you and me are dead" a little matter-of-factly, not intending to be insulting, just following the logic of their current situation...
◆◆) Disable Device
◆◆) Disable Device
It takes longer than Knab expected, but he manages to disable the pressure plate without setting off the whole eviscerating trap.
"Thank you!" Gloma effuses as she steps off of the plate and wobbles to the floor. The yellow rabbit hops into her lap. "There's a good girl."
Shortly after rescuing Gloma, you are able to meet up with the main thrust of the Pathfinders. Runners guide the dwarf to the medics' tent, and you have the opportunity to buy any additional supplies.
Seelah lays on hands Gloma, as knabs finally deconstructs the pressure plate.
Iomedae would expect no less of me.
She puts on a pleasant smile.
Besides, I'm pretty sure Knab was just stalling for dramatic effect. He's a bit of diva
*wink*
After a short rest and resupply, you continue onward.
A deep pit partially filled with bones sits at the center of this circular chamber. Rising from the platform hanging over the pit is a single central pillar, which stretches up to the ceiling. Doors line the chamber’s perimeter, but the north and west doors are sealed.
You hear a voice, but it sounds disjointed as though every word is coming from a different point within the room, "Heraxia? Heraxia, where
are you?"