Redelia's Wardens of the Reborn Forge (Inactive)

Game Master Redelia

With no other objections or input from the group,
"Up the stairs, then!"

sigh... sorry team, I'm going to have a little more delay. I have to read really carefully to see what those stairs are. It's not at all clear from the adventure. I'm almost conviced Paizo left something in the map with no text description...

sigh... sorry team, I'm going to have a little more delay. I have to read really carefully to see what those stairs are. It's not at all clear from the adventure. I'm almost conviced Paizo left something in the map with no text description...

I'm fine moving to the next area to the left and checking up the stairs later.

OK, got it figured out. There were matching numbers in odd rooms drawn on the edge of the map.

You carefully make your way up the stairs.

please put your individual tokens on the map in the green box near the stairs. These are 10 foot squares.

still waiting for some characters to be placed on the map

I do not have a token. On a Mac and unsure how to create one.

OK, waiting a bit longer for everyone...

Just a reminder that Fendel has Trapspotter 10'

A ten-foot-wide staircase carved into the rock descends into this small chamber. In the center of the area, a winch met on four sides by wooden poles powers the crusher above, which is visible through the metal grate that composes most of the ceiling. Four large creatures turn the machine, supervised by a mutated looking ogre further back in the chamber. This room is very loud from the machinery overhead.

Arcturus' eyes go wide in shock when he sees the giant, monstrous creatures.
"Uhh, maybe we should just leave them be."
Arcturus begins to slowly back away. He stops to see if the rest of the party agrees to follow.
"Maybe we should go try to figure out what that crusher above does."

What knowledge to identify the 4 creatures?

The detective attempts to puzzle out the purpose of the large machine.

Engineering: 1d20 + 28 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 28 + (5) + 2 = 43

Just a reminder that Fendel has Trapspotter 10'

Dito

This seems to be a method of transfering monster/animal power to the ore crusher up above.

dungeoneering to id the strange creatures.

Rogar looks around at the creatures and twirls his mustache.

"Hmmm..."

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (19) + 20 = 39

Rogar knows these are capramaces, which are weird goat/human mutants (aberations) from the mana wastes. Their bites can carry disease, and they can make a noise that deafens opponents.

Ranalus now has even more options for slaughtering foes in an unsporting manner. Instead of the shadows (swapped that out to prep the 4th-level Darkness domain spell in the 5th-level domain slot, for an extra Shadow Conjuration) his new option are Nuckalavees (untyped breath weapon), Escorites (Enervation spam), or Bogeymen (tons of fear effects).

But, he's not in a hurry to resort to that ability.

He watches and waits, ready to help out with his other spells if needed.

Rogar knows these are capramaces, which are weird goat/human mutants (aberations) from the mana wastes. Their bites can carry disease, and they can make a noise that deafens opponents.

do they look like slaves?

I'm not sure how to answer that, Rogar. You would know that these creatures have only animal level intelligence.

OK, team, what are you doing here?

"What do you all think? Should we try to take out that strange ogre and hope those enslaved creatures don't harm us if we can set them free?"
Arcturus whispers to his teammates.

He thinks for a moment as he gauges the size of the chamber.
"I could magically silence the area so we can dispatch the ogre silently. Do any of you have the ability to let the creatures know we mean them no harm? Like a druid's wild empathy or something?"

Arcturus looks around at his companions, waiting for an answer.
...
...
...
"My-o-my. You sure are a quiet bunch."

Arcturus looks around at his companions, waiting for an answer.

...
...
...
"My-o-my. You sure are a quiet bunch."

"Yeah let's take out the ogre!"

sorry I forget did we rest?

By the rules, starting the new sheet is considered a whole new session. All your daily use or once in an adventure type things reset.

"What do you all think? Should we try to take out that strange ogre and hope those enslaved creatures don't harm us if we can set them free?"

Arcturus whispers to his teammates.

He thinks for a moment as he gauges the size of the chamber.
"I could magically silence the area so we can dispatch the ogre silently. Do any of you have the ability to let the creatures know we mean them no harm? Like a druid's wild empathy or something?"

"I have no such ability to speak with beasts of animal intelligence.

Ranalus will go along with the plan.

"While I am certain there are exceptions, I have yet to meet an ogre who was of high moral character. Additionally, this is not their mine. I say we eliminate him then see what transpires."

I have absolutely no desire to kill an animal just because it looks strange or dangerous. She looks around the place. Perhaps eliminating the ogre quickly enough is a good idea...

Are these creatures, the goat-people, chained up? It seems that in order to set them on us, the ogre needs only a command, or does he need to somehow unleash them?

Arcturus nods in agreement with each of his teammates.
"Okay, then. We dispatch the ogre and try to free the beasts. Now we need to come up with a plan..."
Arcturus gathers the group in a tight circle to discuss their plan.

Team huddle!

Arcturus whispers to his group.
"How should we go about this? I could cast silence and we buff our rogues here with whatever protective spells we can give them. Then, Fendel and Slash go in, get in flanking positions around the ogre, and coordinate their attacks to take him out swiftly."
Arcturus pokes his head up from the huddle to peer at the ogre.
"Wait a second... that ogre could be a slave as well. Forced to watch over the area and command those beasts."

"Arush, can you detect whether those beasts and the ogre are good or evil?"

"Ranalus, do any of your summoned creatures attack silently? Like many incorporeal creatures?"

"Give me 10 minutes and I could prepare a respectful quiet spell to cast on us."

"Another idea is encasing the ogre in a wall of stone."

You are not sure what the ogre could do, because he has some controls near his hands, and it is not obvious what those controls do.

If needed, Arcturus does have detect evil through the use of his Shining Wayfinder.

"Hey. Wait a second..."
Arcturus pulls ot his Beacon of Good Shining Wayfinder. He flips the lid and watches the compass arrow spin erratically for a moment. It stops spinning, wavers for a bit, and points directly at the ogre.
"Yep. That ogre is as evil as my grade school arithmetics teacher."
He says as he tucks the wayfinder back into his pocket.

I was learning to identify magical things... Evil, you know... it does not need to be detected. It needs to be seen and understood.

Ready to go with any plan. I guess we should take ogre down in a surprise round.

"I cannot imagine he could withstand a targeted barrage from all of us simultaneously."

I think we could target him in a 'surprise' round with range. I think we could drop him then approach the goat people.

ogre perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

The entire team is up for the surprise round, no bad guys go then.
You also can take your round 1 turns, because the ogre goes after you, and the beasts will not do anything in the first round.

Surprise Round

I'll start, you pick up! I'll try to take him alive. Maybe he will tell us something useful.

Arush walks forward.

Round 1

Arush clicks the heels of his magic boots (free - haste 1 round), mentally appeals to her infernal patroness, asking Queen of Dis to help her punish evil (swift - smite) and brings down a hail of arrows on the ogre.

+1 Seeking Merciful Composite Longbow + SMITE + HASTE | Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 19 + 1 = 401d8 + 10 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 12 + (5) = 35
+1 Seeking Merciful Composite Longbow + SMITE + HASTE | Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 19 + 1 = 231d8 + 10 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 12 + (6) = 32
+1 Seeking Merciful Composite Longbow + SMITE + HASTE | Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 14 + 1 = 161d8 + 10 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 12 + (4) = 28
+1 Seeking Merciful Composite Longbow + SMITE + HASTE | Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 1 = 201d8 + 10 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 12 + (5) = 28

UPD Confirm?: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 19 + 1 = 362d8 + 20 + 24 ⇒ (7, 3) + 20 + 24 = 54

Damage is non-lethal! I believe it's 89 dmg (it seems that the crit is confirmed and the rest is probably miss?)

Rogar casts magic missile at the ogre.

"Take this.."

damage: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (3, 1, 4, 4, 1) + 5 = 18

Ranalus looks less than thrilled at Arush's idea - taking captives and forcing them to serve you has never sat right with him - but he has no better idea himself.

He will stay back and use Total Defense, as his own offense is pretty minimal and there does not yet appear to be a true need for his spells.

surprise Round

Striking from within 30' Slash uses bow to damage the ogre but his aim is off and his shot goes wide.

+1 composite shortbow: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 181d6 + 5 + 6d6 ⇒ (5) + 5 + (2, 6, 6, 2, 3, 2) = 31

Arcturus looks on in awe as the ogre is barraged with a storm of arrows and magic missiles.
"Woahhh. That was awesome," he says, almost dumbfounded.
He waits for a moment to see if the ogre remains standing.

Waiting for an update.

Arcturus, is that delay for the surprise round?

In the surprise round...

Arcturus quickly tosses up a prayer spell to enhance his teammates' abilities.
"Guide my friends and hinder my foes, Shelyn!"

You and each of your allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks, while each of your foes takes a –1 penalty on such rolls.

While the others attack, the detective takes a moment to study the ogre. Finding a potential weak spot, Fendel fires a pair of arrows.

Surprise Round = Study Target. Round 1, Full Attack

+1 Holy longbow: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (18) + 19 = 37
Damage: 1d8 + 10 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 3 + 1 = 19 (...if EVIL, add HOLY: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10)

+1 Holy longbow: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 10 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 3 + 1 = 15 (...if EVIL, add HOLY: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 3) = 8)

During the surprise round, Arush and Fendel prepare to attack. Arcturus boosts everyone's combat ability, Ranulus waits, Slash tries to attack, and Rogar pelts the bad guy with magic pellets.

(-18 HP)

Fendel sends arrows flying at the ogre.
(-70 HP)

Arush then begins to launch arrows. The first arrow takes the ogre deep into unconsciousness.

(-70 HP, 90 NL)

I assumed that since Arush is doing non-lethal damage, those last shots would not be launched once the enemy is down.

Sorry, guys, in my description earlier I failed to mention that the creatures are all using special muzzles that clearly keep them from making any sounds.

Is it possible to try some kind of check to calm the animals? For example, pure charisma check?

"Nice shots!" Rogar twirls his mustache. "I wonder what language they speak"

since they are aberations, I would say that a charisma check would be your best hope of calming them.

Cha: 1d20 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 3 = 26
(+3 is an item bonus from Circlet of Persuasion)

Arush walks forward with his hands outstretched. Calm down, my good ones. It's all good. We will not offend you. Her calm voice is combined with the confidence that they have something in common - she was also so often considered a monster...

Arcturus rubs his hands together nervously as Arush steps forward to calm the tethered beasts.
"Ooh. Please be careful, Arush."
He whispers under his breath.

Arush notices that the creatures seem to change from alert rhinos to docile cattle in attitude. They definitely are calmed from being wound up by the combat near them.

It's all good. They calmed down. Let's not go in the whole crowd. Let Fendel inspect the room for something valuable, and I, along with Slash, will drag the ogre's body into the corridor.

I remind you that he is alive.)