The highest of the dream islands overlooks the entirety of the psychic archipelago. Huge cliffs of stone rise from the ground, each one fused with deformed statues of humanoids in wracked expressions of terror, clawing at their own eyes. An immense mirror that appears to swirl with gray smoke towers at the back of the island. The silhouette of a horned woman stands within, holding a lantern that burns with blue fire.
A wailing chorus of women’s voices fills the air as translucent figures coalesce from the very fabric of the dreamscape. These ghastly beings appear as gaunt women with stubby horns at their foreheads and wicked, sharp teeth. Their bodies dissolve into billowing clouds of milky smoke below the waist. The horned woman in the mirror cackles with glee as these creatures appear, before she too dissolves into a cloud of swirling smoke. A gout of that smoke erupts from the surface of the mirror, blackening as it touches the Dimension of Dreams from whatever realm lies on the other side.
The smoke undulates, churns, and begins to coalesce into a creature, a tremendous hulking shadow that exudes a palpable menace, its form twisting into the shapes of hooks, grasping hands, and writhing tentacles. The two specters of once beautiful, tall and slender women are now hunched with wicked claws and cracked flesh, advancing with menace.
As the Pathfinders prepare for battle, one of the twisted specters floats forward, unleashing a torrent of dark energy at Elby! As it strikes, mental agony wracks her as something feels as if it is tearing out of her head! Will save!
The women are animus shade versions of themselves, a type of undead that rises when a creature dies from psychic wounds. They revile others of their same kind and can be coaxed into attacking each other with a bluff or diplomacy check as a full round action.
Round 1 Initiative wrote:
26 Blue
20 Mun
20 Bon Jon
19 Green
18 Daratar
18 Selune
14 Patrick
10 Red
5 Elby (Damage: 8/4, pending Will save)
4 Radiarch
Mun and Bon Jon are up! Knowledge checks to ID are Religion and Planes. The huge creature has a noticeable aura spreading out 60ft from its position.
Knowledge (religion):1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18+3 if related to elves; +1 if regarding Lissala or her cult Knowledge (planes):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11+3 if related to elves
Mun isn't quite sure of what he sees, but his opening strategy is almost always the same. He calls on Ashava for protection, fracturing both he and Selune into a multitude of identical images. Trusting that Selune won't be far behind, he dashes forward and out, breaking the tight grouping of the Pathfinders.
Actions:
Standard: cast mirror image on self and Selune with improved spell sharing (4 min duration each) Move: 30'
Knowledge checks for the creatures: Knowledge (planes) + heroism:1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 17 + 2 = 39(+2 if regarding daemons, demons and devils) Knowledge (religion) + heroism:1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19(+2 if regarding daemons, demons and devils)
Priority things Daratar would be interested in are: immunities, highest and lowest saves, then any special abilities.
Daratar shares what he knows with the party as soon as he can. (i.e. as soon as he can act. That will include the information in the knowledge (religion) spoiler).
Elby manages to withstand the mental strain, as Mun prepares for battle. Bon Jon charges forward into the roiling aura of the towering monstrosity, his blow landing but finding the woman insubstantial and not entirely there. Incorporeal. As he prepares to defend himself, waves of fear wash over him! Will save needed.
Incorporeal Touch:1d20 ⇒ 13
The second of the shades floats forward, attempting to pass her hand through Bon Jon's head, but the mage armor blocks the attempt! Daratar recognizes them as animus shades, undead creatures, but recalls little else as he is distracted by the feargaunt looming beyond, the incorporeal outsider a much greater threat with its powerful spell like abilities and devastating touch that reaches within and can drain a persons psyche.
Round 1 Initiative wrote:
26 Blue (Damage: 13)
20 Mun
20 Bon Jon
19 Green
18 Daratar
18 Selune
14 Patrick
10 Red
5 Elby (Damage: 4)
4 Radiarch
Bold are up! The feargaunt is also incorporeal and deals Charisma bleed damage if it touches you while you are under a fear effect, which includes its fear aura. If you end your turn within 60ft of it, you must make a Will save against fear or be shaken while you remain within the aura and for some time after leaving. Successfully saving prevents the aura from working on you for 24 hours.
| HP 79/79 | AC 14 / 13T / 12FF | Fort +11, Reflex +10, Will +12 (+2 vs shadow spells) | CMD 15 / 13 FF | Init +7 | Perc +27 | SM +2 | Speed 20' | Spells 1st 7/7, 2nd 6/6, 3rd 5/5, 4th 5/5, 5th 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Daratar moves to get a proper view of the parties assailants through the gaps in the tower wall, before starting to chant and grabbing a piece of nearby shadow. He floats back towards Elby and drapes the shadow over the paladins head. The shadow clings to her, turning her whole form into shadow.
Having done that he lets his allies know what he knows about their foe, including that the animus shades could be persuaded to attack each other.
Daratar will move and then cast shadowform on Elby using his shadow stencils (DC 25 vs Will).
As Daratar summons the shadowstuff, he feels a staticky interference clouding his mind!
I don't think you can fail the check, but anyone within 30ft of the shades has to make concentration checks to maintain spells thanks to psychic interference. It does not affect spells in place and only prevents casting psychic spells with emotion components, so no one suffers that.
Medium Male LG Suli Unchained Monk 8 | HP 68/68 | AC 20 T 20 FF 16 (w/ Mage Armor & Barkskin: 27/20/23) | CMB +13, CMD 33 | F +11, R +12 (evasion), W +6 (+2 vs stunning, fear, +6 vs mind-affecting, +4 vs paralysis & sleep, +1 vs fire) | Init +3 | Perc +10 SM +2 | Speed 50' | +2 Str/atk/CMB check | +2 Dex check unused | Lucky Number: 3 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Barkskin
Patrick Herschel wrote:
Patrick Hastes as many party members as he can.
You need to hit them hard and hit them quick. Hit them with your wacky stick
Was he attempting humour?
Patrick, I think if you stepped forward a square or two you could include Bon Jon in your Haste spell, which would be greatly appreciated! GM, ok to retcon accordingly (assuming that Patrick wants to do that)?
Male Mendevian Aasimar | LG Follower of Erastil | Silver Crusade | Divine Hunter Paladin 5 | AC 16 | HP 39/39 | INIT 3 | PER 6 (Darkvision) | SPD [60]ft | CMB 7 | CMD 18 | Lay on Hands: 4/4 | Active Conditions: None
Radiarch surveys the creatures encroaching on his companions, reaching to the quiver slung from his waistband and touches a single arrow shaft, praying for Erastil's divine guidance for it to fly true at the right moment as he steps closer alongside Patrick. “Awake, O bow, against my enemy who stands before me.”
divine arrow (active 5 rounds or until discharged) + 5 foot step
@Elby - I sympathize. The divine bond restriction is real.
Mun calls on Ashava once again, this time to enhance both he and Selune's strength, then he orders his bear into battle with a rough grip at the back of her neck and a finishing push forward. He retrieves a scroll, ready to cast it as soon as he can.
Actions:
Standard: cast bull's strength on self and Selune with improved spell sharing (4 min duration each) Free: Handle Animal (attack any target), link:1 + 7 + 4 = 12 Move: retrieve scroll of moonrise arrow
Medium Male LG Suli Unchained Monk 8 | HP 68/68 | AC 20 T 20 FF 16 (w/ Mage Armor & Barkskin: 27/20/23) | CMB +13, CMD 33 | F +11, R +12 (evasion), W +6 (+2 vs stunning, fear, +6 vs mind-affecting, +4 vs paralysis & sleep, +1 vs fire) | Init +3 | Perc +10 SM +2 | Speed 50' | +2 Str/atk/CMB check | +2 Dex check unused | Lucky Number: 3 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Barkskin
Will, heroism, shaken:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13Ugh! Using my reroll! Will, heroism, shaken, gm stars:1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 3 = 13Blah! Various modifiers apply, though I doubt they will be enough to make a difference: Trusted Mediator (+2 racial vs mind-affecting); Draconic Mettle (+2 untyped vs fear, paralysis, sleep); Dragon Style (+2 untyped vs sleep, paralysis, stun); +4 morale but effectively only another +2 because Heroism is also morale *if* Elby counts as within 10' and it's a fear effect.
I'll wait to see the impact of likely failing my save before taking my turn. I have a hunch I may be running away...
Bon Jon's flurry strikes the blue specter over and over, dispelling the doubts of his own prowess as the shade fades back into the dreamscape! Unfortunately, he does not manage to escape the darkened shadows of the feargaunt's dread aura.
Incorporeal Touch:1d20 ⇒ 2
The other shade floats closer to Elby, reaching out a grasping hand! The paladin manages to avoid it with a quick dodge however.
Round 2 Initiative wrote:
20 Mun
20 Bon Jon (Shaken)
19 Green (Damage: 14)
18 Daratar
18 Selune
14 Patrick
10 Red
5 Elby (Damage: 4, Will save needed)
4 Radiarch
Bold are up! *quietly fixes the round number* The shades impart a stacking penalty to attacks made against them if the Will save is failed.
| HP 79/79 | AC 14 / 13T / 12FF | Fort +11, Reflex +10, Will +12 (+2 vs shadow spells) | CMD 15 / 13 FF | Init +7 | Perc +27 | SM +2 | Speed 20' | Spells 1st 7/7, 2nd 6/6, 3rd 5/5, 4th 5/5, 5th 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Daratar waits to see if Patrick's or Selune's attacks finish off the remaining shade and then moves forward.
If the shade is still alive:
Daratar invokes the reckoning aspect of his shadowy patron (to increase spell damage) and then unleashes a lightning bolt(DC20 vs reflex) at the remaining shade.
lightning bolt damage + reckoning:7d6 + 7 ⇒ (5, 2, 3, 1, 1, 4, 6) + 7 = 29 caster level vs SR:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 I assume due to the stairs the angle wouldn't be quire right for the bolt to also hit the feargaunt despite it being in the line of the bolt on the map?
If the shade is no longer with us:
Daratar takes a pinch of mica from his pouch and blows it in the direction of the feargaunt, causing a burst of sparkly particles to explode around the creature (glitterdust, DC19 vs will).
will save vs fear aura + heroism + aura of courage:1d20 + 7 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 2 + 4 = 21
Selune bites into the ethereal shade, ripping at the insubstantial form, before Daratar's lightning banishes it back to whence it came!
Reflex:1d20 ⇒ 10
The feargaunt dodges aside, the lightning barely damaging it, before focusing its dark attention on the party once more. Patrick recognizes a confusion spell as the party feels it fall across their mind!
Will Save for Elby/Selune/Daratar/Bon Jon:
DC18 to avoid the confusion effect.
Round 2 Initiative wrote:
20 Mun
20 Bon Jon (Shaken)
18 Selune (Immune to Aura)
14 Patrick
14 Daratar (Immune to Aura)
10 Red (Damage: 7)
5 Elby (Damage: 4)
4 Radiarch
Elby realzies that it's impossible that her deity would not want paladins to have the ability to fight all kinds of undead, including incorporeal ones, and calls upon the realms of dreams to make her hammer ghost touch.
Charisma:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
She approaches the nasty apparition and (assuming her dream was fast enough) smacks it in the ectoplasm.
| HP 79/79 | AC 14 / 13T / 12FF | Fort +11, Reflex +10, Will +12 (+2 vs shadow spells) | CMD 15 / 13 FF | Init +7 | Perc +27 | SM +2 | Speed 20' | Spells 1st 7/7, 2nd 6/6, 3rd 5/5, 4th 5/5, 5th 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Daratar turns to Bon Jon ”I can turn you into a shadow again if you briefly delay moving in until I cast the spell on you.”(He can cast the spell on his turn.)
As the party shakes off the mental attack, Elby finds the impossible action takes more time than she can muster while still attacking. Impossible acts are standard actions.
Round 2 Initiative wrote:
20 Mun
20 Bon Jon (Shaken)
18 Selune (Immune to Aura)
14 Patrick
14 Daratar (Immune to Aura)
10 Red (Damage: 7)
5 Elby (Damage: 4)
4 Radiarch
| HP 79/79 | AC 14 / 13T / 12FF | Fort +11, Reflex +10, Will +12 (+2 vs shadow spells) | CMD 15 / 13 FF | Init +7 | Perc +27 | SM +2 | Speed 20' | Spells 1st 7/7, 2nd 6/6, 3rd 5/5, 4th 5/5, 5th 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Assuming Bon Jon is happy to wait for Daratar to cast the spell on him:
Daratar starts chanting and grabs another shadow which he drapes over Bon Jon. The monk’s form is transformed into shadowy blackness. He then flys a little way towards the action, invoking a further aspect of his patron as he goes.
Daratar will cast shadowform on Bon Jon using his shadow stencils (DC 25 vs Will) and then moves. He will also use a swift action to invoke the curiosity aspect of his patron.
Medium Male LG Suli Unchained Monk 8 | HP 68/68 | AC 20 T 20 FF 16 (w/ Mage Armor & Barkskin: 27/20/23) | CMB +13, CMD 33 | F +11, R +12 (evasion), W +6 (+2 vs stunning, fear, +6 vs mind-affecting, +4 vs paralysis & sleep, +1 vs fire) | Init +3 | Perc +10 SM +2 | Speed 50' | +2 Str/atk/CMB check | +2 Dex check unused | Lucky Number: 3 | Active Conditions: Mage Armor, Barkskin
After gratefully receiving Daratar's shadowform spell, Bon Jon decides that Elby's idea is a good one and he attempts likewise.
Cha DC 14, shaken:1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 2 = 20Standard action to cast ghost touch as an impossible action (used 2 of 4 possible)
One of his fists glows with magical force. Then he rushes up the stairs and past the feargaunt, hoping that having already attacked Elby it will not be able to attack him. Move action to move 60' (haste) which will provoke an AoO if the creature has one available.
Draconic Fury: round 2 of 3
Elemental Assault: round 3 of 7
Ki: 2/8
Current AC (with haste) is 27 and touch AC is 20
Male Mendevian Aasimar | LG Follower of Erastil | Silver Crusade | Divine Hunter Paladin 5 | AC 16 | HP 39/39 | INIT 3 | PER 6 (Darkvision) | SPD [60]ft | CMB 7 | CMD 18 | Lay on Hands: 4/4 | Active Conditions: None
"Elk Father, tarry not. Lend the fire of your will to my bow!" cries out Radiarch as his azure blue bow flashes with light and the antlered carvings wrapping around it glow white with divine purpose. His eyes focusing now on the foul creature up the path harming his allies.
Standard action: Divine bond: Flaming
Build up to a hopeful/helpful payoff? May the dice decide!
Selune dashes across the rough stairs to reach the feargaunt, and dives in with her ferocious maw, unaware of the incorporeality of the feargaunt or Mun's actions to overcome it. She just bites as she always has.
Actions:
Move: 25' at 35' movement cost (10' of difficult terrain) Standard: attack feargaunt
Incorporeal Touch on Bon Jon:1d20 ⇒ 19 Will Save va Shadowform:1d20 ⇒ 7 Damage:8d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 1, 6, 6, 3, 2, 2) = 31 Cha Bleed Damage:1d2 ⇒ 2
As the party prepares to strike, the feargaunt reaches into Bon Jon, nearly grasping his heart! He can feel his sense of self begin to drain away as the shadowy hand passes through him.
Round 3/4 Initiative wrote:
20 Mun
18 Selune (Immune to Aura)
14 Patrick
14 Daratar (Immune to Aura)
13 Bon Jon (Damage: 6, -2 Cha, Shaken)
10 Red (Damage: 39)
5 Elby (Damage: 33)
4 Radiarch
Mun, liking how well warping the dream reality to his own designs works, puts his own scroll away and instead concentrates on replicating a modified version of the spell on the scroll with just his will.
Actions:
Move: stow scroll of moonrise arrow Standard: cast a version of moonrise arrow that also makes the arrows ghost touch as an impossible action
Charisma:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Moonrise arrow is a 3rd level spell; I'd suggest that adding ghost touch to its effects would raise it to roughly 4th, maybe 5th level, but certainly not higher than 7th!
