Mun quickly casts a spell, causing multiple identical duplicates of Selune to pop forth from her. "Destroy that thing!!!" he screams, quite literally terrified of the horrific creature. He pushes Selune forward with a rough boot to her rump.
Countersong is awesome for you here, but cannot replace your initial saving throws because it was not in effect until Xiao Jr acted (after the allip). It doesn't really matter though, going right after the allip is very good for Xiao.
Marik's Mercy does make him immune to the Command.
Several of the party are enthralled by the allip's maddening babble - although Derpi seems to think a muffin will sort the poor fellow out.
Xiao Jr begins a clear and pure song that cuts through the noise of the insane spirit. The allip looks towards the sound and screams, covering its phantom ears with skeletal hands.
Countersong works against both the Babble and the language-dependent Greater Command, and Xiao's Perform result beats both DCs. Your bard has freed everyone from both effects, since he grants all within 30' a new save against the ongoing effects. Bards are cool.
Mun protects Selûne with an illusion and sends her to attack. The bear snaps her jaws ferociously, but the allip drifts to one side with surprising agility.
Marik slashes with his knife, which passes through the allip and gains the creature's attention even if the spirit seems unconcerned. You need Ghost Touch to crit an incorporeal.
So some of you can still act after all! I am treating the babble as an ongoing effect for the purposes of the countersong, allowing the new save using Xiao's Perform check.
Myth and Riddywhipple have Round 1 actions, and Derpi has a Round 2 action, thanks to being released from the ongoing Compulsion effects by Xiao's Cuuntersong.
I will bot or delay PCs in another 24 hours or so.
Xiao Junior | Male NG Halfling - usually enjoying life | Bard 5, Oracle 1 | Bardic Performance 14/21 | HP 51/51| AC 19 T 16 FF 14 | CMB -1, CMD 12 | F: +9, R: +14, W: +11 / +9 vs. fear | Init: +3 | Perc: +9, Dipl: +24, SM: +24 | Reroll 1/1 | Chaldira reroll 1/1 | Oracle 1st 4/5 | Bard 1st 6/6, 2nd 4/4 | Speed 15 ft (40 ft on riding dog), Swim 15 ft | Familiar 12/12 HP | Riding Dog HP 13/13 | Active conditions:
will :1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Xiao Junior can get rid of the confusion and continues to sing a song of courage and willpower to protect his companions from this terror!!
Sing :1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
misfortune revelation on self as immediate action to reroll sing roll :1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
~
Edit: Sorry, had no time to post my standard action. Just saw the comment below GM. Yes, I’m continuing countersong as a free action ad I don’t know if the creature starts another fascination effect.
Xiao Junior then steps back and casts fallback strategy.
Xiao, Countersong doesn't counter Confusion unless the Confusion has somehow been inflicted by a Sonic or Language-Dependent effect (which the spell is not). Spellcraft will tell you that if you identify the spell cast. Of course you're free to keep the Countersong up as a precaution and it's a free action to do so.
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Marik sighs. ”Well that’s just plain rude…” mutters the halfling to himself.
Turning about face, he strides back towards the previous room ”Hey coward!! …Come back here and face me… what are you afraid of?” he shouts after the evasive spirit.
”Do I have to make you fight me?”
Marik will take the total defence action and then walk into the other room taking a path which provokes from the allip.
I assume Marik didn’t get an AoO when the creature moved due to the first spell it cast (if the spell is the spell I think it is)?
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Marik spots that a few members of the party seem to be getting confused ”I’ve got some meditation tea my haversack which can help calm people down, if anyone wants to grab some.”
Prayer: 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.
Prayer is fine; Selune will generally be acting immediately after Mun because of having had to wait for commands.
Mun aids you all, and Selûne joins the fight, her enchanted maw tearing at the insubstantial allip.
The spirit glares straight at Marik, who is engulfed in eldritch flames! Then the enemy floats backwards, into the wall.
fire damage:10d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 2, 3, 2) = 39Marik attempt a DC21 Reflex save for half damage; if you fail you are Staggered for 1 round in addition to the damage.
Round 3 / 4
Mun Selune Derpi, -3hp, confused, locked on Ashwell
Marik, Ref save needed
Allip, -105hp, prayer penalty
Xiao, countersong 23
Riddywhipple Myth, confused
Ashwell, -25hp, confused, locked on Derpi
Active effects: Haste, Prayer
The bold may act!
Ash and Derpi must attack each other; Myth needs to roll d% for Confusion - if you need to determine a random target for "attack closest creature", you can use the initiative order and appropriate dice.
I will resolve all round 3 actions before any for round 4.
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
reflex + haste + prayer:1d20 + 17 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 17 + 1 + 1 = 23(Marik has evasion so avoids the damage) Does the flame attack provoke at all?
Marik dives out of the way of the flames. ”So close, but you’ll need to try harder than that…” grins the halfling ”Don’t hide in the wall you miserable wretch, come out and fight me properly…”
I’m not sure if anyone acting in round 3 is able to help Derpi with the confusion, if not (and assuming she has not already been given meditation tea) then….
If Derpi is still confused:
Marik steps back retrieves some meditation tea from his haversack and gives it to Derpi. (Derpi gets a new save vs confusion with a +2 alchemical bonus)
…If Derpi doesn’t need help with the confusion then he will instead step towards Myth and give the tea to him.
Marik is happy for anyone else to take tea from his haversack to help people with confusion, as he’s got several doses.
Derpi wonders why Marik is offering tea while she is in the process of attempting to take out that awful person who stabbed her. She is already in the process of trying to smack Ashwell back, although Riddlywhipple keeps getting in her face, basically stopping her from casting.
Stop it. STOP IT! she yells at her familiar. Attack HIM, not me! Stupid dragon! No muffins for YOU
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Here’s Marik’s new actions once I realised the original one wasn't possible (he will still jump out of the way of the flames and taunt the allip):
Marik steps into the middle of the room so that he can help defend as many of his allies as possible, he retrieves a flask of meditation tea from his haversack and drops it on the floor for others to pick up and use it if needed. He then readies an action to attack the allip defensively if it enters a square within his reach.
He will be ready to use his attacks of opportunity via the Bodyguard feat, to boost adjacent allies AC if anything (including confused people) attacks them.
Xiao maintains his beautiful song, wary of further mind-bending trickery.
Riddywhipple distracts his mistress, and Derpi and Ashwell demonstrate that martial prowess is not their greatest strength as they furiously flail at each other.
Myth keeps a hold of himself, and his bow.
Mun enspells Selune again, and the bear tries to bite at the wall.
Marik somehow dodges the Supernatural - no AoO flame blast. The halfling drops a flask on the ground and waves his knife about threateningly.
The babbling spirit emerges from the wall, back in its original chamber. Myth catches a glimpse and looses his shaft, the enchanted arrow strikes true but does not destroy the allip. It casts another spell before disappearing into the wall opposite. Northern wall, near the skeleton on the floor.
A fearful dread comes over you as the chambers fill with a smokey, otherworldly miasma.
Spellcraft DC16:
The dread is the result of the allip's Bane spell.
Knowledge (planes) DC20:
The mist is the very smoke of the Abyss itself! Functions like a Fog Cloud, only larger.
Everyone, attempt a DC17 Will save vs Fear (enchantment, compulsion) or suffer -1 to hit and vs Fear effects.
Round 4 / 5
Mun Selune Derpi, -3hp, confused, locked on Ashwell
Marik
Allip, -119hp, prayer penalty
Xiao, countersong
Riddywhipple Myth, confused
Ashwell, -25hp, confused, locked on Derpi
Active effects: Haste, Prayer, Fog (20% concealment adjacent, total concealment beyond that, fills the two rooms on the current map.)
Myth has no target to shoot at, but as he can Act Normally he can ready a shot - albeit he'll only be able to shoot if he can locate the Allip's square which will probably mean only if the creature is right in front of him. Anything more than 5' away has total concealment in the fog.
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Marik trawls his limited knowledge of magic wondering if his gust of wind scroll or something else may be able to help clear the mist.
knowledge (arcana) + prayer + FF:1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 2 = 25
...and it looks like he may actually know something!
Although the fog is clearly unnatural, Marik believes that his Gust of Wind should be strong enough to clear it by the time the wind fades away. That is, in one round - the duration of the Gust of Wind.
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
"Well it seems like that unpleasant childhood in Cheliax may have finally been useful for something after all..." mutters Marik, retrieving a scroll from his haversack and attempting to activate it...
UMD to activate CL3 gust of wind scroll (DC23):1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
...which he does, looking to use the wind to clear away the sinister fog.
As before, Marik will be ready to use Bodyguard vs any attacks against adjacent allies.
"Oh, Myth... So you know, I've dropped a flask of tea on the floor here for you if you need it."
Not liking this one bit, Mun directs Selune into the other room, then prepares himself to strike at the allip if it appears within reach of his longspear.
Actions:
Free: handle animal (attack any) DC 10, link:1 + 7 + 4 = 12 Standard: readied attack vs allip if it enters/appears in a threatened square (reach weapon)
Selune moves where Mun directs her, but is unsure of what her oracle wanted her to attack. She readies a strike against her last target--that bland ghostly thing--should it reappear within striking distance.
Actions:
Move: 10' Standard: readied attack vs allip should it enter/appear in a threatened square
Riddywhipple keeps up the distraction tactics whilst Ash and Derpi continue to flail uselessly at each other.
Myth nocks another salted arrow and hopes.
Mun and Selune wait for the ghostly apparition to reappear.
Marik has been holding on to a scroll for just this situation though, and unleashes its magic to create a ferocious blast of wind! The fog begins to lift. Although it won't clear until just before Marik acts on round 6.
In order to clear the fog from both rooms Marik must direct the path of the Gust of Wind through the doorways, including Mun and Selune in its effect. This causes no harm, but it does affect Mun and Selune's ability to move against the Gust as well as any ranged attacks they might make (pretty unlikely for a bear, not sure about Mun though).
Marik and Mun glimpse the allip, who appears amidst the workbench against the northern wall.
concentration:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 20 = 36
The spirit casts two more spells, and Marik feels terrible remorse for all the harms he has caused in his life, both as an adventurer and before...
Marik, attempt a DC20 Will Save vs enchantment/compulsion.
if you fail:
You are compelled to harm yourself, taking damage:1d8 ⇒ 2 (+STR mod). You'll get a new save each round.
if you pass:
You fight off the urge to punish yourself, but it takes great effort. You are Staggered and take a -2 penalty to AC for 1 round.
Spellcraft DC17:
The allip casts Grace, which will allow it ignore AoOs it would otherwise provoke from movement.
Spellcraft DC19:
The allip casts Terrible Remorse upon Marik
The spirit then retreats whence it came, back into the wall.
Round 5 / 6
Mun Selune Derpi, -3hp, confused, locked on Ashwell
Marik
Allip, -119hp, prayer penalty
Xiao, countersong
Riddywhipple Myth, confused, baned
Ashwell, -25hp, confused, locked on Derpi
The bold may act!
Active effects: Haste, Gust of Wind, Fog (lasts until just before Marik acts - 20% concealment if adjacent, total concealment otherwise).
Myth doesn't see the allip in order to shoot it with a Ready action, due to the fog's concealment.
Recognizing that he needs more range, Mun drops his longspear and draws his bow, readying an attack on the allip wherever it might appear. He gives Selune a boot to the rear to urge the bear deeper into the room, knowing that will cover more potential wall entry-points.
Actions:
Free: drop longspear Move: draw +1 adaptive darkwood composite longbow Standard: readied attack vs allip if it appears within line of sight Free: Handle Animal (attack any) DC 10, link:1 + 7 + 4 = 12
Marik is not sure what spells were cast, but assumes they were not intended to be beneficial for him (Presumably the enchantment/compulsion effect does not allow the caster to exercise control over Marik so he would not be protected by the haunted mercy as per the protection from evil faq?):
will save + prayer + FF:1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 2 = 31
The halfling feels extremely remorseful that he overestimated the power of tea and that his faith in the substance had blinded him against investing in other options for dealing with confused colleagues... however, he shakes of the intrusive thoughts and refocuses on the task at hand...
Looking around he realises that the knot of confused people behind him has the potential to turn into a much bigger problem if Myth also gets dragged into in the Derpi/Ash fight. "I know you're all confused, but if you are able, try to keep away from each other so you don't wind each other up. If you really need to hit someone hit me!"
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Marik then addresses the annoying spirit "Perhaps now you see that your magic does not affect me, I have Chaldira's favour. If you wish to best me, you must face me in hand-to-hand combat! You bear the symbol of Iomedae, she was known as a great knight, she did not hide in the walls sniping at her foes with magic. I think she would be very disappointed. Come, face me with honor and maybe you can be redeemed like the Black Prince."
My action this turn may be determined by what people going before me do, so I'll hold off on doing that until others have gone. In the meantime, I will continue to use Bodyguard for adjacent allies if needed.
| HP 97/97 | AC 25 / 25T / 17FF | Fort +26, Reflex +27, Will +17 | CMD 33 / 25 FF | Init +10 | Perc +27 (+28 vs traps) | SM +6 | Speed 30' | Reach 5’ | LoH 6/6, SC Mercy 3/3, Panache 5/5, Stunning Fist 4/4 | Active Conditions: none
Marik's (staggered) action this round will depend on what happens with Myth's confusion. However, so long as Myth does not attack one of the other confused people:
If Myth doesn't attack a confused person:
Marik will ready an action to defensively attack the allip if it moves into a square which he can reach, either from his current location or after a 5 foot step, he will 5' step as part of the readied action if necessary.
If Marik thinks by attacking the confused person he can avoid Myth getting confusion locked with them, I will ask permission for Marik to defensively and nonlethally attack them with an unarmed strike to move the confusion lock onto Marik instead.
If he doesn't think that this will be useful to prevent Myth getting confusion locked, or if permission isn't given then he will do the readied attack on the allip instead.
