GM Otha’s Corpses in Kalsgard (Inactive)

Game Master Otha

Readying his darkwood shield, Ushi listens for any warning from his allies as he moves in, watching the shadows of the dancing lights ahead.

Arin, ever stoic follows the others down the stairs, probably last. The wild hair on his head standing up just a little bit tells him this is where they conduct the Pathfinder tradition of suffering ambush.

You detect no traps on the stairs as you go down…Baretta detects a whiff of rotting flesh…and he sees the source once he gets to the bottom…

The flesh of five gnome-sized walking corpses is rotting and putrid, their body skeletal in places and their eye sockets glowing with red light. You also see three blindfolded gnomes, alive and tied to chairs in one corner of the room.

The undead creatures all look to you as you enter…except for the one farthest east as it turns towards the captives…

COMBAT! Round 1 - The bold may post!

Meri
Ushi
Catushlara
Son of Cayden
Baretta
Undead Gnomes?
Arin

Safehouse (Slide 4)

Going into a dangerous situation I would have drawn my Katana, but I didn't say I did so feel free to ignore the second attack,

It appears there is a Zombie in the square next to me, which would mean I can full attack.

First Attack on Purple
Adamantine Katana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Slashing damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Second Attack on Purple
Adamantine Katana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Slashing damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

I'm pretty sure we found the Necromancer

First Attack is a Critical Threat
Adamantine Katana to confirm Critical: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Slashing damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

No worries, y’all knew going in there was likely to be a fight, so I assumed you had weapons drawn…

Seeing the moving corpses, Ushi intones a spell in a deep voice. "May fortune bless your strikes."

Casting Bless and waiting for the way to clear.

Free: maintain inspire courage; Swift: Arcane Strike; Standard: try to hit the undead next to him.

Son of Cayden gasps upon spotting the undead and tries to shank the one near him, his magic sword suddenly flaring to lif!

+1 Keen Adamantine Rapier, Heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 2 = 16
adamantine magic piercing dmg: 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

The bard-warrior then 5 ft-steps next to the samurai, fighting back to back with him!

Meri steps in front of Cat and lashes out with her rapier.

stabby stab!: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 1 = 131d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 44d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 3, 3) = 16
assuming it's flat footed...
edit...@$(%!* RNG!!!

Baretta’s katana strikes twice, slashing deeply both times into the abomination’s rotting flesh, separating its head from its shoulders while Cayden looks for another target…

While Ushi blesses the party and looks for an opening, Meri’s strike goes awry against orange and she’s none too happy about it…

Son of Cayden, with Baretta dropping purple, is there another undead gnome you’d like to target with your attack as I’m assuming you’d have moved further with your original target dropped?

COMBAT! Round 1 - The bold may post!

[ooc]Active Party Buffs: Inspired Courage, Bless[/oov]

Meri
Ushi (can still move if he wishes)
Catushlara
Son of Cayden (can extend his move to attack another undead)
Baretta
Undead Gnomes (purple dead)
Arin

Safehouse (Slide 4)

we need to stop the green one before it attacks the civilians! Baretta will call to the rest of the group.

Son swung at orange then 5-ft stepped down beside Baretta

"Foul undead! Burn!" Catushlara snarls in disgust as she sends a Fire bolt at the orange undead. Fire bolt(ranged touch): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Roger that, SoC, my bad…

The Son of Cayden sticks orange deeply with his magical rapier before moving beside Baretta…Catushlara follows that up with a bolt of fire, singing the wight’s rotting skin along with what hair it has left…while it looks like hell, it still stands…

While green undead moves menacingly towards the hostages, the others attack you!

Slam (Meri): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage+energy drain: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Slam (SoC): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Damage+energy drain: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Slam (Baretta): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage+energy drain: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

…and while Meri and Son of Cayden avoid the attacks aimed at them, Baretta cringes a bit as yellow’s claws find a bare spot in the greaves of is armor, sink into his skin with a cold feeling seeping into his bones…

Baretta, need to pass a DC 14 Fort save to avoid 1 negative level

COMBAT! Round 2- The bold may post!

Meri
Ushi
Catushlara
Son of Cayden
Baretta (-2)
Undead Gnomes (purple dead, orange -17)
Arin

Safehouse (Slide 4)

Q: Did Cat add 2 to dmg from IC with her fire bolt?
Free: send dancing lights south; Free: maintain inspire courage +2/+2; Swift: Arcane Strike; Standard: flank the undead with Baretta and Arin (Gang Up feat).

+1 Keen Adamantine Rapier vs. Yellow, Heroism, Gang Up Flank: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 30
adamantine magic piercing dmg: 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

I probably should have done this sooner, but what the heck.

Garuda, Come here.

I'll let the GM determine whether Garuda heard that. His Perception is +6

I am going to expend one use of my resolve to roll the Fort Save twice and take the better result, cause I really don't want a negative level.

Fortitude save vs Negative Level, DC 18: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Fortitude save vs Negative Level, DC 18: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

And because he is an idiotic hero, he will double move to get adjacent to Green, potentially provoking from Pink and Yellow.

Not sure she did, so I will. Hmmm, since you’re in the basement, I’m gonna say Garuda can’t hear you…plus not sure the door was left open either…

Son of Cayden sticks it up yellow’s jackson while Garuda swiftly moves past two undead to cut off green from killing the captives…but this two take the opportunity to swipe at the samurai as he passes by…

Slam (Baretta): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage+energy drain: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Slam (Baretta): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage+energy drain: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Sorry, Baretta, got hot dice for you…need another Fort save

COMBAT! Round 2- The bold may post!

Meri
Ushi
Catushlara
Son of Cayden
Baretta (-3)
Undead Gnomes (purple dead, orange -19, yellow -14)
Arin

Safehouse (Slide 4)

The curse of the GM dice.

Fortitude Save vs Negative Level, DC 18: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Barely made it.

Seeing the advancing undead, Arin knows what he must do. It isn't comfortable when the divine energy is channeled through him, but it is necessary now...

Arin's hair and eyes begin to glow bright white. This is a familiar display, but then strangely both turn a glowing sickly green. It also seems like there's a moist sheen over his entire body: skin, clothes, and all.

He mutters a guttural Abyssal chant that slowly picks up speed until, *pop*, a burst of positive energy washes over the area.

[standard] Channel positive energy to harm undead
Channel energy, harm undead, DC 19: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 5) = 13

IF yellow goes down then he uses his move action to move into the room (just past/South of where yellow was). IF NOT then he sits tight.

Meri tries to skewer the undead in front of her.

stab: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 1 = 181d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

As Baretta withstands the cold touch, Meri indeed shishkabobs orange, dropping it as its eyes go dark and it slumps to the ground…

Arin’s energy burst does its work well, dissolving the rotting flesh on all gnomish undead, melting yellow into a pile of goo…

Sorry, Baretta, got hot dice for you…need another Fort save

COMBAT! Round 2- The bold may post!

Meri
Ushi
Catushlara
Son of Cayden
Baretta (-3)
Undead Gnomes (purple dead, orange dead, yellow dead, pink -13, green-13)
Arin

Safehouse (Slide 4)

Catushlara leans over the table to get at purple with her scimitar. scimitar: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Following after Baretta's headlong rush, Ushi summons a burst of brilliant light to deal with the remaining undead!

Burst of Radiance Damage on Green: 5d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 4, 1) = 13
Rounds of Effect: 1d4 ⇒ 1 DC17 Reflex to reduce blinding to dazzled, damage is not reduced either way.

Catushlara leans over the table to get at purple with her scimitar. [dice=scimitar]1d20+6[dice=damage]1d6+4

Please add 2 to both atk and dmg GM; thx

Baretta continues to withstand the undead negative energy and gets green to focus on him…that gives time for Ushi to show the weight the light, it’s brilliance turning the rotting flesh into ash and it crumples to the ground, nothing but bones…

Catushlara makes a mean slash with her blade but alas, it goes awry…

Pink tries a slam at the Son of Cayden..

Slam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

…and not only fails to hit him but misses his images as well…

COMBAT! Round 3- The bold may post!

Meri
Ushi
Catushlara
Son of Cayden
Baretta (-3)
Undead Gnomes (purple dead, orange dead, yellow dead, green dead, pink -13)
Arin

Safehouse (Slide 4)

Baretta will move over to the live gnomes and ask them:
Are you OK?
Are you Humush Mum's family?
Are there any more of the undead we need to worry about?
What can you tell us about the Necromancer?

While keeping an eye out for any more enemies showing up.

Does he see any doors in this part of the room?

More guttural abyssal spews forth from the little gnome. It seems unnatural... and impossible.

A moment later another burst of positive energy washes over the room.

[standard] Channel positive energy to harm undead
Channel energy, harm undead, DC 19: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 4) = 11

Free: nudge around dancing lights a bit; Free: maintain inspire courage +2/+2; Swift: Arcane Strike; Standard: attack pink.

+1 Keen Adamantine Rapier vs. Pink, Heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 2 = 15
adamantine magic piercing dmg: 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Swish!!

Meri darts around Cat, on top of the table and slides in behind the last undead. she tries to run it through.

ok...doing an Acrobatics roll to avoid an AoO, since i'm moving through a threatened square to get behind it...then skewering it...

acro: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26
stab: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 2 = 211d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 74d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 4, 2) = 15

Catushlara goes for a decapitating strike on pink.
scimitar: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Blast it! Site ate my post from this morning! Oh well, redoing…

Arin’s channeling and Meri’s sticking devastate the remaining wight, turning it into a wilting mess; Catushlara follows up turning it into a headless wilting mess.

COMBAT over! Pathfinders victorious!

With the undead defeated, you are able to free Humush’s family, consisting of her husband, Teevin Mum; her son, Tamorack Mum; and her daughter, Bim Mum. All three are very grateful for the rescue, if a bit confused about the entire situation, having no idea of why they were captured in the first place. They can explain that they have been there for “what seems like forever,” and that “someone” has been visiting them regularly to feed them, but they never got a look at the person’s face.

In answer to Batetta’s queries, they only saw the undead you just killed and no nothing of a necromancer. Teevin frowns. ”Yes, we are her family; she was my wife. How do you know Humush?”

Status: Baretta (-3)

Safehouse (Slide 4)

Still a bit on edge Catushlara takes a quick look around for any other surprises before sheathing her sword.

With none of the party having received any wounds the cleric proceeds to check the gnomes.
Heal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Meri flicks dead gnome guts from her blade and sheathes her rapier in a flash of steel. she helps look over the gnomes.

heal, untrained: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

a cleric with a heal of only +3..all Wis bonus? say whaaaaat? lol

will wait to see if that roll can be made untrained..unsure...

Arin, concerned what their question about Humush, first replies with his own question.

When is the last time you saw or spoke with Humush?

Do they know?

Teevin looks incredulous at Arin. ”What kind of question is that. Before she died, of course…”

When Meri tells Quil what she sees of Teeven, Quil assures you that she’ll make sure that Teevin is taken care of. With no further leads, Quil offers to lead you to a local inn, the Blushing Valkyrie, before taking the Mums back home.

A large and fairly popular inn run by the gnome Lueven Qorlipur, this tavern is known for its risqué cabaret performances featuring actors dressed as legendary warriors from Ulfen lore whose armor is more revealing than protective. A wide array of beverages are available on tap, including several kinds of throatfire whiskey, and the beds are soft and warm. 

You are awakened early the next morning by a furious knocking at the door of one of their rented rooms. A young gnome woman by the name of Risoflen Chebs explains that her husband was one of the recently slain gnomes. When she went to visit his grave recently, she discovered that his body had been dug up and is missing. The gnome woman explains that she has already informed Quil, who asked the young woman to gather you and bring you to the grave site as quickly as possible. The grave site is just outside of the city proper in a small copse of snow-laden trees. Risoflen wastes no time in showing the you the way.

This small graveyard is covered in about an inch of snow, partly burying most of the gravestones. No gravekeeper is on duty, and there are no mourners present when you arrive. When you arrive, you find Quil Tabberdash talking the ghost of Humush Mum…

Graveyard (Slide 5)

Greetings Quil. Is this the spirit who was forced to frighten those poor gnomes?

Baretta will ride forward to see what he can see.

Baretta Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

”Good! You’re here! I’d like you to meet the late Humush Mum. Humush, these are the heroes that I was telling you about, the ones who saved your family. Please tell them what you told me about the gnome necromancer Ellux…”

Quil and Humush then fill you in on the way that Ellux has been controlling Humush and directing her to kill on his behalf, after which Quil explains that Humush can lead them to Ellux’s lair.

For her part, Humush explains that she will be of little to no help against the necromancer’s undead, but she can attempt to assist you in dealing with Ellux himself, promising to aid you when the time comes. She does warn you, however, that although she resisted the necromancer’s initial attempts to control her magically, he came much closer to succeeding than she led him to believe, and she can’t guarantee that he won’t be able to turn her against you. Ultimately, she leaves the decision of whether or not she assists during the final encounter up to you.

Graveyard (Slide 5)

"Dear Humush, lead us to this miscreant, and we will make sure he reaches his proper afterlife in the lower planes... as to you, is there a way we can set your spirit free to return to the First World or towards the home of your god or goddess?"

Diplomacy, RoC: 1d20 + 17 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 17 + 5 = 40

"We shall bring this miscreant to justice for his blasphemy!" With a look of resolve Catushlara tightens her grip on her sword. "The risk of being controlled is high I think. You should just lead us to the lair and find somewhere far enough that you cannot be controlled."

Lead us there...I'll stick him between the ribs for you...Meri says solemnly after listening to thd dead gnome.

"I have every confidence in our ability to deal with this vile monster. Do not expose yourself needlessly, madam."

Humush, while we appreciate your offer to help, the threat of this Necromancer renewing their hold on you is to great. Tell us where to go, and we will dispatch this vile creature.

Whoops, somehow I missed that they explicitly knew Humush's fate.

Maybe we should let Humush stay out of the fight. It would be agonizing to be turned by the necromancer again. But yes, lead us to their lair.

Quil nods in agreement. ”That would be best, I think. Good luck, Pathfinders, fare thee well!”

Humush nods, understanding, but still leads you eagerly to Ellux’s lair; it has been dug into the side of a hill, just outside Iceferry. At the entrance, you see the walls, floor, and ceiling are all soft earth…

These narrow tunnels leading in deliberately form a criss-crossing maze, apparently designed to deter unwanted visitors, especially those of medium or larger size.

Ellux’s Lair (Slide 6)

Please allow me a moment before we enter.

Baretta pulls out a scroll of Carry Companion

Could any of you possibly cast this spell on Garuda for me? If not, I will attempt to cast it myself.

The spell is on the following spell lists: arcanist 2, druid 2, hunter 2, paladin 2, ranger 2, redmantisassassin 2, sorcerer 2, witch 2, wizard 2. It looks like the casters in the party are divine, other than our Bard, and it is not on the Bard spell list. Baretta has a decent UMD, but if someone is better than +12 (Son of Cayden, perhaps) the help would be appreciated.

Once Garuda is small, Baretta will put Garuda in a Belt Pouch and draw his Adamantine Katana

[Tight fit...luckily I can squeeze through...most of it anyways... Meri says as she makes sure she has everything snugged down in her pack, making herself as small as possible.

This... does look tight. I hope the tunnels open up further in!

Arin takes up a position towards the back of the marching order.

You’re good Baretta…

You start thru the tunnels managing to make your way forward…

I opened up the map a little; which way do you go?

Ellux’s Lair (Slide 6)

Meri heads in the tunnel and pauses when she comes to a junction. She takes one of her daggers and scratches a few marks on the wall, noting which way they came from and an arrow pointing to the "entrance"

If we keep making backwards arrows and numbering them, we shouldn't lose out way...

scratching a "1" and an arrow...since we don't have GPS...lol

I have generally found it prudent to follow the left wall through mazes in the past. Baretta whispers as he moves to follow Meri.

Meri nods to the warrior.

Exactly where I was heading...left for loot, right to fight....ha!

my old IRL group went by that rule...