PFS2 1-21 Mistress of the Maze (5-8) for PbP Gameday XI (Inactive)

Game Master Thereus, Silver Crusader

The tendrils of electricity arc through the first target and completely engulf the next, the Janni's form withering away to nothingness from the pulsating energy.

The remaining foe cannot resist the resulting onslaught and hammer and arrows finish him off - leaving only the crackling gate ahead of you.

As the guardians fade, your body grow more substantial (and less theoretical). Even Krakazh becomes steadier in his movements and rejoins the party in full. Clumsy 2 is gone

blue reflex vs EA: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22
purple reflex vs EA: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Out of Combat
Alonzo -10 damage
Krakazh
Crunch
Anjo
Zina -9 damage
Ashes -8 damage
Blue -87 damage defeated
Purple -106 damage defeated

Pathfinders... what do you do?

"Well that skirmish was a breeze." Zina chuckles while tying her hair back up to a loose braid.

"Is this a portal we need to take? Or any stabilization measures needed here?" She asks their halfling guide and the Venture-Captain and looks around for any remaining planar disturbances.

Also contributing to Treating Wounds (Assurance) on the group to get us back to full.

Krakazh shakes her head as the world returns to a more normal configuration. Casting detect magic, she looks around, studying the portal in particular. "My apologies for my lack of assistance. I was...distracted by my own being for a while."

Also has Assurance Medicine for treating wounds

"Portal seem only way go. Need minute first."

In goblin, Crunch responds to Krakazh. "Lack of assistance? I understand you were out of sorts, but those songs were wonderful. I don't think I've ever travelled with someone capable of weaving two of them together like that - it was very impressive. And very effective - thank you."

Crunch is not very good at the healing arts and will spend some time in prayer (in both goblin and dwarven) while the others attends to people's wounds.

Refocus.

Noticing that the group is taking a break, Zina lets Rozen out of his tube.

The arctic fox stares at the portal motionless for a while with its clouded eyes, before climbing onto Zina's lap to be fed dried chicken legs.

Refocus as well.

Alonzo looks at the portal, looking for a burst of insight.

1d20 ⇒ 5

Nature: +13+1 [E]
Religion: +11+1 [T]

Edit: welp, never mind. LOL

Krakazh also looks for something for Eliza to store in her thingamajig. This seems like an unusual place to study.

Anjo smirks at Zina's pun as he refocuses as well.

The group heals up and refocuses as Eliza searches around, oblivious to the various musings. The essences of powerful magic permeates this area.

After a while she declares: "There is nothing here particularly useful for me. It must be this device that prevents me from experiencing the difficulties you are having. Well, we mustn't tarry too long. Let's proceed." With a confident bound she steps though the gate and disappears.

Rindle shrugs and follows.

-------------------------
As you follow them, you materialize clustered opposite another strange runic archway. No guardians can be seen here. New Map

It is crafted entirely from psychic and arcane energy bound in runes and musical notes, and the very fabric of this area bombards your minds with pounding sensory overload (except for perhaps Krakazh). Even the slightest distraction sends your thought-form bodies into violent spasms.

Everyone give me either a DC 24 Arcana or Occultism check to Recall Knowledge to focus your thoughts and beings to a single point and interact freely with the world around you or attempt a DC 22 Will saving throw to once again take control of your new form by sheer of will.

Will Save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

Anjo once again seizes control of his body.

Following the end of conflict Ashes responds to Zinadrina's comment: Breeze? She lost most of her health to wounds and THAT "skirmish was a breeze?"
"Breeze. Hah!" She breaks out in raucous laughter over the silly pun, but the act causes even more pain.

1.Ashes also has medical training, including Continual Recovery and Risky Surgery for the brave.

2. I made this post this morning, but must have failed to submit it after preview.

Will Save: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22 Ashes is nothing if not stubborn, and is able to regain control of herself through force of will.

Will Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Despite their general courage, Crunch struggles to become cohesive.

Arcana: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (15) + 19 = 34

"Is this what shapeshifters feel like? I'd go mad with this lack of focus after some days." Zina attempts to mask her growing worry with light humour.

DC 22 Will: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 1 = 18

Ooh, what a headache! Alonzo says, his body not reacting as it should. Can't say it's a pleasure to experience this...

Any chance I could use Perform for this? :)

Krakazh winces at the dissonance and tries to go with the flow of the music.

DC 22 Will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Wow, I can't win for losing on dice rolls right now. And that in *all* of my PbP games... *sigh*

@Krakazh I'd allow performance in your case, at the very least to prevent the dazzled condition of your original roll :)

To varying degrees of success, the group pushes their way through the cacophony and towards the gate as it materializes fully from their combined mental acuity.

Eliza pauses briefly at the rune gate examining it for suitability. A wisp of it enters the glowing orb that vibrates next to her. "Hopefully this one will work as a proper sample of this place."

Making up for lost time, the group hurries through - to what lies beyond.

-----------------------------------

Passing fully through the Mind gate, you enter yet another stretch of the rune-warped corridor. This room seems to combine the energies of the previous two rooms with that of pure primal energy and life essences, forming a chaotic forge of creation that prevents your passage. New Map

Everyone give me either a DC 24 Arcana, Athletics, or Nature check to Recall Knowledge to utilize your knowledge, physical coordination, or understanding of the natural world to fully reintegrate your beings or attempt a DC 22 Will saving throw to once again take control of your new form by sheer of will before you may pass through the gate.

Yay, a Nature check!

DC 24 Nature: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 1 = 27

Alonzo recalls the teachings of old Wilsh and is able to center himself to regain control.

"If you want, you are free to tap onto Rozen's conduit of arcane knowledge. Don't worry, it's completely safe. He's been essentially lobotomized with primal magic, so any eldritch horrors from beyond the stars, like my Grandmother, won't be able to reach you via him." Zina says while gently guiding the arctic fox back into its tubular prison.

She then casts Discern Secrets on anyone who wants a +1 on their Recall Knowledge check.

Zina's Arcana: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35

Will DC 22: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Hallelujah!

Krakazh gets more and more confused as the passage through gates continues, but this last one seems to bring her back into focus. "I liked being part of the music, but I think I lost myself in there for a bit."

Will Save > 22: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

Oh Yeah! Thank you mother. Ashes knows were her strength of will comes from.
She turns and grins at the group.

Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21

Crunch continues to drift from gate to gate, only mostly there.

Time speeds up for Zina and Krakazh and they reach the portal first. The forges of creation bend just enough to allow passage for all, but start to disintegrate as the last of you make your way through the last gate. Perhaps your attempts to master them proved too powerful…

Granting the first HERO POINT to Zina for her 3-crit mastery of the Arcana checks and general bravery in the battle.

----------------------
With a start, you regain your footing in a place more maze-like in appearance but decidedly different still. To your relief, your bodies have fully regained their previous form but things feel… newer. New Map

The seemingly natural pathway of this stretch of the maze is suddenly filled with gleaming, razor-edged objects. Each of the five constructs appear as a floating musical note, scribed from a minstrel’s playbook and etched upon the very air. They rotate and move in such a way that passage through them seems particularly fraught with danger.

Looking up briefly from her guidance of the orb, Eliza peers at the strange new environment. ”This reminds me of the Akashic Record, a library of infinite knowledge located in the depths of the Astral Plane, but why it is embedded here - within the maze - is a mystery.” She spots another of the phytolith plants growing from what remains of the maze walls. ”Ah, I could collect another of those, but I am interested in the musical notes, too. But how would we even collect those? What do you think I should do, Pathfinders?”

As she talks, a curious Rindle moves closer to the first note and reaches out to it. It bends away slightly.

”Don’t touch that!” Eliza exclaims, glancing angrily for a moment, trying to maintain her concentration on the orb.

”I wasn’t going to… merely trying to help… Rindle whimpers. As he does so, the note bends away slightly.

”The notes seem to respond to your voice, perhaps a song would work.” Eliza muses.

Rindle pipes up with a more formal testing of his lyrical chords.

”I could help someone with that…” He sing-songs.

Round 1

So you can attempt to gracefully extricate a note from the air, gently clearing it from the path or guiding it in to be secured by Eliza’s stabilization device with an DC 24 Acrobatics check.

Alternatively, you can attempt to move a note with a successful musical Performance (DC 22). You must be standing adjacent to the nearest note to attempt this check. The notes themselves spell out the song you must perform, and their floating patterns make up the “sheet music” that is part of the puzzle you "solve" with a successful performance. Rindle is available to aid one of you on this, if you desire.

Let me know what to do with your attempt this round, or if you would rather sit this out (since failure might have consequences).

"Glad we got out of that Maelstrom of a place. Hated it."

After Rindle's attempts at performance and catching the notes Zina chuckles.

"It's like catching butterflies!"

She tries to reach out for one, but her tight leather and chain armor restricts her movements.

"Ugh..."

With a few words of arcane power and a druidic rune drawn to the air, Zina's form melts into that of a primaeval long-taloned bird. With her new wings she flies above a note and tries to coax it towards Eliza's orb.

Aerial Form Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

The spell fades quickly afterwards. Zina grips her spear again and listens to the song her allies are humming, smiling along.

Alonzo tries the Aid action for either Crunch or Anjo. Because DC 20 is better than DC 24, you know?

DC 20(?) Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 1 = 28

Zina gracefully repositions the note into Eliza's orb. She nods a thanks.

"Now let's get through the rest of these..."

Four notes remain...

Acrobatics w/ Aid: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 11 + 1 = 27

The muscular goblin is surprisingly spry for someone in full plate.
They use close passes and the tiniest of touches to coax the note into motion, guiding it out of the path.

"Much fun than being note."

Another one bites the dust...

Three notes remain...

Anjo watches the others make it look easy....Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16 But clearly his missing something.

"Aha! My time has come!!" Krakazh whips out her vuvuzela once more and moves up next to the closest note. Somehow making the odd instrument sound good, she tries to play the song into Eliza's catching device.

Performance, DC 22: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 1 = 27

She grins triumphantly and focuses on the next one, assuming no one else gets it in first.

Anjo tries to maneuver past, but the note arcs inward and nicks him, before exploding into a million shards.

slashing damage to Anjo: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3

----------------------

Krakazh fares much better and lures the note toward the Venture-Captain, despite Rindle's juxtaposed melodies.

"No more, please, I think the previous musical sample will do... I need to save room for what lies ahead." She admonishes politely.

Regardless, the way is nearly clear.

A single note remains...

Ashes moves in with a well-practiced tumbling routine.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 17 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 17 + 1 = 36

With a flourish the last note is dispatched. The way is clear to proceed, so you do.

--------------------------

Masses of green crystallized sap form archways and honeycombs around a portal that has clearly been repaired and possibly augmented. Patterns of rigid luminous light mark the earth of the maze, frame various topiaries, and intersect around the base of each plant. Hovering spherical creatures survey the lengths of nearby topiary walls. At the center of the aperture hovers a living cloud made of shimmering runes and light.

One of the spherical creatures turns to you. "The simplest and most direct explanation is that new visitors have entered the maze and found their way here, with a greater than 50% chance of being friends not foes. It is most logical, however, to ask them to explain properly their purpose here."

They wait for your response.

New map.

Ashes recognizes them as Axiomites, great builders who created the ancient, colossal cities of the Outer Planes and gave life to the mechanical inevitables. They can shift their humanoid form to that of a cloud of crystalline dust in which strange symbols and equations flash (similar to gaseous form, which they are now).

Crunch steps forward and nods to the creatures. Hammer is tucked into their belt at the moment.

"Hello. I am Crunch, blessed of Torag. We are Pathfinders. We are friendly, not enemy. Seek know way through maze. Seek able use portals travel great distance, accomplish many more good deeds."

They gesture to Eliza and her Orb.
"Gather clues understand this place."

Krakazh bounces forward and bows to the creature.

"Most pleased to meet you! We are trying to stabilize the Maze, since it is definitely not well. Is there anything you can do to aid us? What brings you here?"

**"We also want to stabilize this maze. In its current chaotic, broken form it's an unusable mess."**

"Yeah, the sooner we get through this maze to our destination, the better! Now let us pass." Rindle adds, unceremoniously.

Despite the halfling's brusk entreaty, the axiomites begin to take their more humanoid form and step closer to the party. New picture on map

"It seems that despite the lengthy odds (12.8%), the new arrivals do indeed seek to accomplish the same task that has brought us here. We are from Axis, by your demeanor and appearance there is near certainty that you are from the material plane, Golarion would be a suitable guess? Who sent you on such a noble deed?"

Looks like the diplomacy attempts so far were successful, does anyone else want to roll to try to improve (or worsen...) the result?

Zina points at Eliza.

"Eliza Petulengro here is our..." Zina struggles for a moment.

"What is she again? Do you give up being a Venture-Captain when you get to the Ten? Whatever."

"She uhh... represents the highest level of authority on this mission for the Pathfinder Society. She's busy maneouvering the stabilization orb thing, though. If you are on the same task than us, let's cooperate maybe?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

"We are from Golarion. We definitely don't want this place to dissolve into chaos. It's very useful and that much chaos is bad!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Not wanting to risk annoying the anlytical creature, Ashes stays back behind the group and clasps her hands in front of her to appear non-threatening.

Anjo quickly heals himself soothing mist and then refocuses.

SM: 3d8 ⇒ (1, 4, 2) = 7

Once confronted by this new group, he remains quiet.

Not trained in Diplomacy, but desperate to try and contribute to the conversation, Alonzo tries to point out the contributions the Maze of the Open Road has made to the Pathfinder Society — and that the Society, in turn, has made to the Maze of the Open Road.

Pathfinder Society Lore: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 28 wow! BOOM!

@Alonzo - Not one of the skills asked for, but entirely suitable...well done.

The nervy squirrel in Rindle's satchel ducks its head in to hide as the axiomites step even closer.

"Pathfinder Society? Ah, one of the ten most esteemed planar adventuring clubs (sixth in our last rankings, to be exact). So you are postulating that this place, the Maze of the Open Road (as you deem it) is unquestionably tied not only to your destiny, as is evident by your presence, but you to its? If this is true, then far be it from us to intrude on such an esteemed timeline that awaits the Pathfinder Society. In fact, not only will we cease our expansion, but we will ensure the seal to Axis is 99.9% repaired."

"Indeed," the other axiomite speaks up, extending a hand with a small fragment of crystal for you to take "we are apologetic for our hastiness. We shall let you be. Here, this fragment of our law and code will protect you against the maelstrom that is surely at the heart of the great intrusion into your maze, we have calculated that it will give you at least a 5% increase in your chance of success against the dangers that await you."

You have been given a small fragment of crystallized law that grants the person holding it a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws and AC against chaotic creatures.

As the visitors disappear behind the repair patch of the rift to Axis, Rindle recognizes the opportunity to collect several perfectly symmetrical metallic formations of gold and silver left in the axiomites’ wake.

"A bit of treasure for the fortunate..." he mutters, wringing his hands in anticipation.

Go ahead and set (or reset) your exploration activities.

”Well, that was nice. Towards the chaos, then.”

Maintain a spell: Shield. I suggest Alonzo take the shard.

With eyebrows raised and eyes wide open in amazement, Ashes peers into the nothingness that was a pair of axiomites moments before and, in her usual laconic style, utters, "Strange."

Avoid Notice. Stealth +16 +1 (Shadow Armor)

Krakazh looks delighted by meeting the axiomites. "Not someone I was ever expected to see."

Continue to Search

Alonzo will gratefully accept the shard. Search is fine.

"Must qualify logic by someone definition logic. Glad for their help. Sad hear more big trouble ahead."

Still on Defense

if It's clear that Anjo can't track anything, he will use Scout...unless someone else wants to do it, then Anjo will avoid notice.

Reality shatters instantaneously for all of you as you progress further into the maze. Sundered topiary beasts and tumorous growths of the maze’s vegetation are torn free from the walls and floors, fed into a swirling nothingness. The sounds of screeching beasts and tortured souls fill the air. Her eyes widened by the dire situation, Eliza shouts. “Sorry my friends! It looks like this area has been overtaken by the forces of chaos made manifest. It looks like our route forward is the same as our route back."

Pausing to assess the morphing field of reality that surrounds all, she commands "We’ll need to use those seedlings growing about to reconnect the broken shards of stone and change the destination of this portal we’re standing on!”

The seed positions are shown by the yellow dots, they can be nurtured (by an adjacent character) with either a DC 22 Medicine check to Treat Wounds or by using an interact action to apply a healing potion or an elixir of life.

Eliza's brow furrows in concentration as the stabilization devices’ magic is assaulted by the swirling chaos all around and two powerfully muscled monsters suddenly assault from the air. The reddish tinged one produces a monstrous line of acid that just finds the goblin bard, while the other creates a huge swirling cloud of mist that obscures the battlefield (almost completely). New Map and creature pics, note the solid ground vs endless pit...

red acid arrow vs Krakazh: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 245d8 ⇒ (5, 5, 2, 5, 2) = 19 plus persistent: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6

Round 1 - Bold can act
Red monster <flying 5 feet up>
Orange monster <flying 10 feet up>
Alonzo
Ashes
Anjo
Crunch
Krakazh -19 damage plus 6 persistent
Zina

All creatures within the mist become concealed (DC 5 flat check when targeting you with an attack, spell, or other effect), and all creatures outside the mist become concealed to creatures within it.

Crunch reaches out to the seedling next to them and pours a healing potion onto its leaves, branches, and soil.

◆ Draw potion
◆ Apply potion
◆ Draw Hammer