[Gameday XI] Doug's 3-98: Expedition into Pallid Peril (Tier 3-4) (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

Rixette earns a Rapport point. Carolers, eh? I like me a shanty, I feel the ocean in my bones…

Mint wriggles on through, grig legs kicking. You hear the voice exclaim in surprise. Ahh! I said stay out. Especially if you're a cricket or other somesuch ridiculous nonsense! I need none of it!

"Hey now, no need to get so tangled up there. We're just trying to take a stock of this area out here and make sure some more dangerous folk don't get out to trouble you, first. There's a lot of historical value in this area that might be worth a lot to some people and I'd be happy to negotiate your claim over it but you gotta let us see it to analyze that."

Salka tries to explain to her the historical worth and value of the caves to the owner of this voice.
Society: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

"Ha! A cricket? Are crickets this buff?"

Mint begins to flex ad pose for the dwarf.

Perform: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 0 = 7

Tangled up, that's a dunny one. I'm great with a net.

Success

______

I'll buff ya, Mr. Cricket! She gets out a broom and makes shooing motions at Mint!

Crit fail

______

I missed Don's post as we crossposted. So this is net 3 successes with his crit.

Then she hear Don's voice.

Fine fine. Come on in. I haven't had guests in a spell anyway, and it seems you won't leave an old hermit alone… She puts the broom down and puts the kettle on. Suppose I could use news of the outside world anyway… or tales of these adventurs…

A undine dwarven woman opens the gate. Art on slide 1 After you're settled in — mostly on rocks, crates, and large seashells that she's collected over the years, she pours yo a fermented seaweed beverage.

What's that about fermenting goodberrries now? What brings you to Bolkagna's home?

"We do not mean to intrude. We are exploring the area, looking for a lost city."

”This is delicious,” Mint says of the seaweed brew. He drinks from the smallest of seashells and sits on the largest conch.

”Have you explored much down here?”

Oh yes, my family was from Raseri Kanton originally. And yes, I've explored a fair bit She sips her fermented tea and settles into a giant clam shell with soddy cushions. This area was part of the path they took while they retreated. She sighs. I spent my first century of life up top — in the Five Kings Mountains — but it was a struggle. I wanted to come back to my family's home. I'd heard the stories of the city from my father, so I went looking. I haven't found Raseri Kanton, but I found these ruins and they're part of my ancestors' history, too. As she speaks you can tell she's quite elderly and her memories are fuzzy. It seems she survives through foraging and fishing, making trips out of the mountain to collect other supplies once every few years.

You're such nice young people. Here, take this special brew. Maybe give me one of those famous goodberries to try and ferment, if you like. The “special brew” is a moderate bestial mutagen

Interi gently closes their fist. When they open it again, a small sprout rises from their palm, two bright red berries dangling among the gentle leaves, which they offer to the elderly dwarf.

What a nice young tree person you are.

She is happy to meet other Pathfinders later and tell her story too — she's an important piece of this place's history! You say goodbye and exit through her makeshift gate. Time to check out the mysterious passage to the North from the flooded caves.

______

This hallway is 60 feet long, 20 feet tall, and 20 feet wide. You move along it cautiously. Map updated.

At the far end, a stepped pyramid made of verdigris-clouded copper rises to a platform 10 feet above. At the center of the platform is an altar that holds a turquoise sphere rotating within a pool of water. As orb rotates on its base, the runes engraved on its surface flicker faintly.

As you approach Interi notices that some of the sigils on the orb match the runes you found at the bottom of the deep shaft. They must be connected somehow… and as they look, they can see the runes pulsing faster and faster. It's a trap! Luckily, Interi noticed it just in time.

You can disable the hazard with a DC 20 Nature (trained) to neutralize the trap's tidal magic, DC 23 Survival to predict the changing tides, or DC 23 Thievery (trained) to scratch away the sigils; two total successes will be required to disable the trap.

Looks like Interi or Mint rolling Nature is our best bet.

Interi pauses for a few moments to reflect after departing the dwarven woman's home (taking time to refocus before moving on, if that's alright).

Seeing the familiar runes, Interi tries to disable them once again.

Nature: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

They frown, and try again (assuming I can after a fail but not a crit fail).

Nature: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"Aha! This trap has something to do with the tides," Mint says as he disables the runes.

Mint and Interi disable the runes. Now, you can inspect the orb and altar!

While the altar has fallen into disrepair, it’s still made from brass and holds a large turquoise gazing orb. Additionally, the platform it rests on is formed from over 100 tons of copper. Despite the damage, the altar and orb could be set up at the base camp to assist with spellcasting, and the mountain of copper is quite valuable.

Being the respectful Pathfinders you are, you go back and ask Bolkanga about the objects, including asking her permission to take them for further study. She shrugs and says they aren’t of much interest to her. Remove as much as you can carry, and invite your friends to use the altar… just be quiet. I like my peace and solitude!

She puts up a makeshift NO SOLICITING sign on her gate after you leave, just to be safe.

______

You explore the rest of the area, only finding barren side rooms that exhibit signs of occasional flooding. The more clever among you might think about Bolkanga's heritage and the fact all her stuf can stand up to flash flooding. Maybe it's best to head back before the tide comes in…

Success! Area cleared. You must rest overnight. Where to next?

"Well, that's a wrap, all. Let's get out of here before we all run out of air. Besides, I could use the evening to get the water out of the motor on this thing." She sighs and looks down over her modified breastplate. "Back to the drawing board with you!"

I think the Labyrinth sounds most interesting to me, next. I vote to check out that probably cursed tomb or whatever is behind the tombstone door.

sorry - feeling somewhat sick so will be brief. I really wanted to do aquatic so thanks all, I'll defer to rest of team for this choice. But if my vote is needed, I'll roll randomly for remainder

Torrent considers taking one last swim for the day but given the fish around here seem to be hungry, she stays with the group and rests for the night. In the morning she prepares her same spells and casts longstrider as the group sets out

The traps and haunts of the Pallid Peak have been weakened, be it by skill or force.
The Hazards Identified condition is now in effect for Act 1.

Labyrinth sounds fine to me.

You rest the night. The next morning you head through the tunnels, taking a different direction.

You find yourselves at a door sealed with a stone slab. It bears the marking of a gravestone. Three icons are carved into it, as well as an inscription and a foot-wide square that glows faintly with magic.

Salka translates it:

“It is not how it ends,

but how it starts”

The three icons in the illuminated square are faint. Torrent and Salka believe they have been worn from being constantly touched.

The first of the three icons portray a dwarven hammer. Interi, Torrent, and Don think it's the sacred symbol of the god Torag. Mint believes it's Droskar's famous light hammer, the one he uses at the dark furnace!

The second icon shows an underground city. Torrent, Salka, and Don all think it represents Tar Khadurrm.

The third icon shows a dwarf cutting off his beard. Torrent and Don believe this is part of a traditional mourning ritual called thundran.

This is a place of sadness. Interi and Rixette notice that the door is filled with sorrow — in factm they spot a hairline fracture in the door's mechanism that makes it liable to release the collected spiritual anguish of all who have mourned here.

You can disable this hazard with a DC 20 Religion (trained) or DC 23 Deception to coax the door’s magic into allowing access; you can help coax the ad magic into compliance by saying the name of the city that is being mourned here.

Slide 1 updated.

"Tar Khadurrm" Don Jurri tries the word on his tongue "Stewards of the Fallen Empire, do not deny the way forward, for in giving passage forth, your Great Rediscovery awaits!" His bold claim leaves his lips with...

Deception (Expert) vs Hazard (DC 23): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

...at first no effect, until he clears his throat and...

Deception (Expert) vs Hazard (DC 23): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

...an opening power just strong enough to coax the spiritual desire for recognition. Looking at his party smiling, he confidently strides through the door, clicking his heels together with effect!

Don clears the way! The sad spirits hear the name of their home, and the door slides open....

good work! will move you on in the morning.

"Talking to a door and he thinks his [redacted] don't [redacted]!" our hireling hero sows discord among the ranks.

He turns to 1d4 ⇒ 2 Torrent "Dja sleep well?" winking with a mischievous snarl.

Beyond the door is a labyrinth of winding passages. From what you've been able to learn, you surmise that this area serves as a meditation path; dwarves fleeing Tar Khadurrm reflected here on the cities and community members that they left behind.

You spend thirty minutes moving along winding paths — perhaps also thinking about the ancient city. You turn a corner and find you find inscriptions that decorate the walls with scattered images, Dwarven script, and other symbols. The images and runes depict relics of dwarven life in centuries past. The images include portraits of loved ones, carvings of the destroyed cities, and small remembrances of the life left behind in the aftermath of the disaster. Images of the markets bustling with commerce are alongside images of favored children’s toys that were left behind in the crisis. The walls also contain numerous letters to those left behind, often with a pining sorrow for what life was like before the volcano erupted.

Learning much of this thanks to Salka's fluency in Dwarven, you can piece together that a community of dwarf refugees moved through this area after the destruction of Jernashall and Raseri Kanton, the two great cities of the kingdom of Tar Khadurrm.

______

As you investigate, dozens of carved mourning faces begin to silently weep misty tears. Map updated. You may need it.

Mint notices that one of the many carved faces here has subtly changed. It's screaming in rage. There is pent-up frustration here too, in addition to sadness. No one else can possibly understand the pain these people went through.

He realizes that if you so much at look at the statue it will lash out!

This is a haunt. You have spotted it before it triggers with a DC 20 Religion (trained) to recite prayers for the dead, or DC 17 Dwarven Lore to speak the history of Raseri Kanton, or DC 23 Thievery to plug the holes in the carving.

He turns to Torrent "Dja sleep well?" winking with a mischievous snarl.

"As well as ever... Torrent begins but is cut short by the statue-- "I'll just stand over here" Torrent says, unable to offer much assistance apart from moral support.

Trained in religion but an equal chance of success and crit failing to activate it!

Yeah I'd need a 17 or more to succeed on my Thievery bonus so I'll leave that to someone more capable than I on this one.

Rumors of the Pathfinder Society’s expedition have attracted another interested party. Table GMs, run Event 1: First Contact.

Rixette Thievery: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Interi Religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

"What made that face so angry? anyone know about these sorts of things?"

Sadly, Mint is not trained in any of these skills.

Interi stops the flow of tears… the fog dissipates a bit… then Torrent notices ANOTHER statue a little further along that’s weeping, too! Already rolled perception checks

Interi's Religion (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Interi disables it.

The patter of footsteps precedes a group of humans that stumble around the corner. They look at each other in surprise before one says, “Those are the Pathfinders, right?” Another responds, exasperated, “Yes. Get your dagger out.”

Three of them stupidly rush forward, bronze badges glittering. Art on Slide 2

I got the small one!
#2's Stab vs Mint: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
P: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

I got the tree-looking one!
#2's Stab vs Interi: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
P: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

I got the scruffy noble!
#2's Stab vs Don Jurri: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

They all stride twice and stab with varying levels of success.

★★★
First Contact Round 1

Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Aspis 2 (-0 HP)
Aspis 5 (-0 HP)
Aspis 4 (-0 HP)
➤ Salka (38/38 HP)
➤ Interi (56/62 HP)
➤ Mint (38/44 HP)
Aspis 1 (-0 HP)
Aspis 3 (-0 HP)
Aspis 6 (-0 HP)
Don Jurri (52/52 HP)
Torrrent (48/48 HP)
Rixette (56/56 HP)

"Ah, I see you losers finally decided to show up. That's good, I was afraid I was going to get rusty waiting around for some action to happen."

Salka cracks her neck and shakes once more, making sure the water is truly out of the pipes before pulling at one of her armor's starter cables.
Overdrive vs DC 18: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Then she moves up and around to the far side of #2 and tries to shield herself defensively, hoping to do more for her allies next round.

Overdrive, Stride, Raise shield for 22 AC, and I will spend my reaction to shield block if hit.

Fellow Pathfinder Society agents have thinned out the dangers of the mountain.
The Creatures Abated condition is now in effect for Act 1.

With a source of copper being discovered within one of the ruins, the spellcasters at the base camp have more resources available.
The Enhanced Spellcasting condition is now in effect.

Salka, happy the Aspis have finally shown up, positions herself and gets into overdrive!

★★★
First Contact Round 1

Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Aspis 2 (-0 HP)
Aspis 5 (-0 HP)
Aspis 4 (-0 HP)
⠀⠀Salka (38/38 HP) │ Overdrive
➤ Interi (56/62 HP)
➤ Mint (38/44 HP)
Aspis 1 (-0 HP)
Aspis 3 (-0 HP)
Aspis 6 (-0 HP)
Don Jurri (52/52 HP)
Torrrent (48/48 HP)
Rixette (56/56 HP)

Mint gets big! He transforms into the shape of a bear and bites Agent 2.

Jaws: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Damage: 2d8 + 1 ⇒ (6, 7) + 1 = 14

ROAR!

"The Waiting Void is watching you." Interi grabs the hammer from his hip, swinging it twice at the foolish man in front of him.

+1 striking storm hammer: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (6, 6) + 4 = 16
Electricity Damage: 1 = 1
Flat-footed on hit (Snagging Strike).

+1 striking storm hammer, 2nd: 1d20 + 13 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 13 - 5 = 17
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11
Electricity Damage: 1 = 1
Flat-footed on hit (Snagging Strike).

◆Draw hammer, ◆Strike vs. #5, ◆Strike vs. #5. This is assuming I was busy disabling things as they approached. If we had enough warning for me to have drawn my weapon already, then action 3 would be casting shield.

I must impress the boss! Aspis #5 shouts as he throws himself in front of Mint's attack. Nonetheless, the GrizzlyMint gets a chomp in.

I'll impress the boss more than you did! Aspis agent 2 flings himself in front of Interi's first attack, but also to no avail. Where is this boss anyway?

They are using a reaction to give their adjacent ally a circumstance bonus to AC vs triggering attack.

Both fail to impress. #5 perhaps less so, as he falls on his face in front of Interi, dead. Or maybe the boss will be impressed with fruitless self-sacrifice.

______
Aspis

Yaaah! Aspis 1 double moves in for a flank on the inventor:

Stickem: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
P, Sneak: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (2) = 6

Aspi 3 double moves and tries to stab GrizzlyMint:

Stab Ursine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
P: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The final Aspis moves in and tries to double-shank Salka:

Stickem Some More: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
P, Sneak: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (1) = 7

Stickem Some Most: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 4 = 12
P, Sneak: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (5) = 8

But fails miserably.

★★★
The Boss is not Impressed Round 1

Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Aspis 2 (-14 HP) │ Reaction Used
Aspis 4 (-0 HP)
Salka (32/38 HP) │ Overdrive
Interi (56/62 HP)
Mint (33/44 HP) │ GrizzlyMint
Aspis 1 (-0 HP)
Aspis 3 (-0 HP)
Aspis 6 (-0 HP)
➤ Don Jurri (52/52 HP)
➤ Torrrent (48/48 HP)
➤ Rixette (56/56 HP) │ Panache

I guess if we're going to go immediately hostile with one another....

"Feel the cold of the sea!" Torrent shouts as she pours cold energy into her gillhook until the tip is near-frozen. She stabs in #2's direction, taking care not to hit Interi or Mint.

Spellstrike w/ Gill and Ray of Frost vs #2: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
P dmg: 2d10 + 4 ⇒ (10, 9) + 4 = 23 +Cold dmg: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 1) + 3 = 5

Once she retracts the gillhook she then draws the cold energy back and recycles it through her veins.

◆◆ Spellstrike vs #2. ◆ Arcane Cascade(cold) (+2 temp hp at start of each of her turns from inexorable iron hybrid study)

Torrent drops #2. Is the boss impressed yet?

Kate isn't feeling well, so botting her here:

Rixette moves up, hurling her hatchet at the doofus at the end (A3), then giving the one behind Salka (A1) a menacing, toothy grin.

◆Stride, ◆Strike vs. #3 (confident finisher), ◆Demoralize #1

+1 Returning Hatchet: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
ouch! (confident finisher): 1d6 + 3 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 3 + (3, 4) = 15 Does half of 2d6 damage on a miss.

Intimidate to Demoralize: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 Regain panache on success.

Rixette has awful luck. I think swash get half the precise strike damage to the strike if they miss right? SO, 3 in this case.

Don Jurriis up.

Tumble Through (Acrobatics, Expert) vs Aspis Three Reflex DC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Halfling Luck!
Tumble Through (Acrobatics, Expert) vs Aspis Three Reflex DC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

◆) Dueling Parry (AC 23)
◆) Tumble Through
◆) Strike
+
↺) Opportune Riposte (+11 @ 2d6+2)

Rapier Strike w/ Panache (+2) w/ Deadly (d8) vs Aspis Three (Flanked): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 202d6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 1) + 2 = 61d8 ⇒ 8

A flourish of fancy footwork funnels our favorite chivalric fan fiction into flanking formation - furious finery finding flesh with fencing flair, flaying his foe with familiar finality!

Don tumbles through, and strikes!

Aspis 4 runs along the corridor.

Interi +1 striking storm hammer: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (4, 8) + 4 = 16

— dropping him.

★★★
Boss is REALLY not Impressed Round 2

Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Salka (32/38 HP) │ Overdrive
➤ Interi (56/62 HP)
➤ Mint (33/44 HP) │ GrizzlyMint
Aspis 1 (-0 HP)
Aspis 3 (-9 HP)
Aspis 6 (-0 HP)
Don Jurri (52/52 HP)
Torrrent (48/48 HP)
Rixette (56/56 HP)

"You should not have come here. Leave, now." Interi dashes forward next to Salka, laying into the one directly ahead.

+1 striking storm hammer vs. #6: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (8, 6) + 4 = 18
Electricity Damage: 1 = 1
Flat-footed on hit (Snagging Strike).

+1 striking storm hammer vs. #6, 2nd attack: 1d20 + 13 - 5 ⇒ (19) + 13 - 5 = 27
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 6) + 4 = 17
Electricity Damage: 1 = 1
Flat-footed on hit (Snagging Strike).

◆Stride, ◆Strike, ◆Strike (attacking #6, switching to #1 if 6 goes down).

Interi clobbers both Aspis to the Boneyard. The one left trembles in fear but REALLY wants to impress the boss…

By the by, Doug I wrote that I was set to shield block an upcoming attack on me, so I actually shield blocked that 6 I took earlier, I think meaning I'm only one HP down after my shield's 5 hardness

"Well, my friend here warned you..." Then Salka makes a couple of attacks of her own.

Shield Boss vs #3: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Bludgeoning Damage with Overdrive: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 3 = 7

Shield Boss vs #3 2nd Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (1) + 9 - 5 = 5
Bludgeoning Damage with Overdrive: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 3 = 7

Then, frustratedly, she raises her shield once more.

Strike, Strike 2, Raise Shield. Will shield block if hit.

Only down 1 HP? Boss is less impressed.

Salka misses both attacks, unfortunately.

Mint is up!

Mint bites and claws at Agent 3.

Jaws: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Piercing: 2d8 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6) + 1 = 13

Claws: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Slashing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

The aspis agent takes one claw attack and falls. his last words are I hope … boss… saw… urrrrrgghhh.

Out of combat! We'll move on in the morning. You can heal up easily.

Torrent rolls her eyes and discharges the cold energy before it had a chance to cycle back to her gillhook. "Well, that happened. Nice work team. I guess we'll be seeing more of the Aspis afterall."

Having no wounds of her own, she pulls out her spellbook for a quick study session while the party tends to their wounds. refocus