[GAMEDAY XI] GM ECLIPSE'S RACE FOR THE RUNECARVED KEY (Inactive)

Game Master Agent Eclipse

You did get some rest after dealing with the caravan but with only two hours till the auction these 8 missions all happen back to back so you will not get any time to rest between them. So yes, but be wary of what is/has been used since.

Lo Pei knows that this creature is indeed a Hydra and bears marks of many battles. This means that they are creatures that heal very quickly unless the heads are severed. He struggles for many other details.

You can ask one more question if you would like such as Special Abilities, Defenses, Immunities, etc.

---

Aylanna encourages the group with a flourish and Triix sends comets crashing into the heads of the beast as it roars, both Pathfinders taking cover.

The angry hydra then pounces on Gorrig, the closest target it spots.

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The five heads lash out at Gorrig but only two successfully sink their teeth in as the others bump into each other.
---

Combat Round 1*:
Players in BOLD may act, *Triix and Aylanna can post Round 2 actions and I will handle them in order after the others to speed things up.

Triix
Aylanna

Hydra (-9)

Ella
Snorri
Lo Pei
Gorrig (-13)

Ella waits for Gorrig and Snorri to close on the hydra before following on their heels and using them as cover to avoid provoking.

"Now this is a fight! No matter how you outnumber it it makes up the numbers!"

Rapier: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Magic Piercing: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Snorri makes a wide circle, getting around the monster to set up a flank. He then brings his gleaming silver magical greatsword down on the beast.

Not sure how much info matters, since I don't know what it it resistant/ weak to.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Slashing: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 4) + 5 = 14

Triix lets loose another round of missiles that look like comets.

mm: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8

Lo will accept Snorri's offer of a flank buddy, move up and attack.
Katana +1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
S damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 3 + (3, 1) = 13
Also Pressure Points (Su) Sneak attack also deals 1 Str or Dex damage. Will choose Str damage.

Round 2:
At the start of Aylanna's turn, Gorrig heals 5 and Aylanna takes 5 damage.

She takes a 5 foot step back, and fires off a scorching ray, expecting a head to come snapping her way... It's all for the show!
Scorching Ray (Touch): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Fire Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1, 4) = 14

in case is has reach for an AoO and hits, DC = 12 + damage
Concentration if hit: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 4 = 23

Gorrig roars in challenge and steps up to the monster. As he does so, his skin pales and his eyes turn black.

Bloodrage! Round 1.
+4 Str/Con, -2 AC

Mercy + bloodrage vs hydra: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Lay on hands (self): 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

These pat few weeks are seriously cursed. Moving turned into a nightmare off the move. Ugh, sorry for letting yall down so much in the special. Lets crush this.

AoO: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

AoO: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

The group batters the hydra with Gorrig barely missing and Snorri going wide as his attack misses the wildly flailing heads. The heads snap back at a few of the encroaching Pathfinders but only one head gets its fangs into Snorri.

---

Gorrigs powerful swings keeps the creature focused on him.

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Two of the heads clamp around the shoulders of the bloodrager, leaving him just barely standing.

The hydra itself is bloodied, its wounds sticthing together but not able to keep up with the damage of the Pathfinders.

"Don't you kill of my prized creatures!" the gamesmaster calls out, laughing a bit but with a pained expression on his face.

---

Combat Round 1*:
Players in BOLD may act, *Triix and Aylanna can post Round 3 actions and I will handle them in order after the others to speed things up.

Triix
Aylanna (-5)

Hydra (-45) (-1 Strength)

Ella
Snorri (-6)
Lo Pei
Gorrig (-20)

"You heard the man, let's take it a little easier on the expensive beasty."

Rapier: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 8 - 4 = 16
Nonlethal Magic Piercing: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Triix uses her last 1st level spellslot to launch comet shaped shooting stars, with exhaust sparkles, towards the hydra.

ss: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3) + 2 = 6

Lo rolls his eyes and quietly mumbles "It does not seem to be taking it easy with Gorrig..."
However, he does turn his blade this time...

Katana +1: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 - 4 = 7
non lethal damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 3 + (2, 2) = 12

As you go about the tasks set to you, the magically-enhanced words of criers can be heard out on the city streets:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Cathedral of Abadar will soon open its doors for the public auction! Anyone interested in participating must be within the cathedral in fifteen minutes. Once the auction starts, the doors will close. This is not an open door auction and no one will be admitted to the auction once the bidding starts!"
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Table GMs, begin wrapping up Act Three if you haven't already. Act Four begins tomorrow, October 12th!

”Guess I was the bait after all,” Gorrig groans in a voice that almost seems to come from below himself. He pours healing energy into his wounds, little though it does to stave off the pain.

Lay on Hands (self): 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Flat-of-the-blade + bloodrage vs hydra: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 2 = 31
Nonlethal damage + Brute trait: 1d10 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 2 = 17

Confirm crit: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 2 = 19
Extra nonlethal damage: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

If the crit is confirmed, the hydra is wracked with pain and is sickened for 1 round.

Aylanna takes on 5 damage each from Snorri and Gorrig.
Then she heals herself quickly as the wounds from her allies have piled up a bit.
Lay On Hands (self): 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 5) + 4 = 14

She also takes a 5 foot step away, and forgoes a standard action to allow the party to deal with this hydra non-lethally.

Net HP:
Aylanna +4
Gorrig +5
Snorri +5

Forgot to factor in the -4 for attacking nonlethally. So crit is probably not confirmed.

Snorri takes a move action to study the beast. Once he gets a feel for its movements, he can tell how close it is to dead, and he can decide whether to deal non-lethal damage.

I am going to guess it is close to dead, so I will go nonlethal.

Slash: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage: 3d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 5, 6) + 6 = 21

The group continues to batter the hydra and before long the heads all fall limp, unconscious.

This is where the scenarios sometimes get weird. There is no penalty for knocking it unconscious which you have done till its fast healing kicks it back over, at least. You only have to maintain combat with it for 6 rounds for points which you can now easily do. With this part wrapping up I will give you credit here.

The crowd roars as the Pathfinders take on the lashing heads which dart towards Gorrig in a bloody dance. The half-orcs rage and divine fervor keeping him in the battle. Snorri and Lo Pei's blades dance across the scales of the many heads as Triix puts on a show of fireworks that draws the crowds amazement. The rapier of Ella easily pierces through the scales leaving pools of blood below the beast. Aylanna keeps the group healthy and motivated with her magic and words. They come out victorious to cheers as the game master shakes his head.

"It is never that easy!" he laughs, the hydra rousing again but the Pathfinders are prepared. This continues on for a bit longer before the game master calls it.

As they exit the arena, he claps Gorrig on the back.

"I think you deserve the title Hydra Bait and you are always welcome here. You have the purse for your auction!"

Snorri waves his sword in the air triumphantly!

"Want me to give it a few more heads before we go?"

Snorri loves a challenge and would probably be the kind of guy to give the hydra a bump just to make things more interesting in a later fight. He's not necessarily sadistic, but he doesn't think too deeply about these things.

Gorrig smiles wearily and returns to his normal self. ”Gorrig Hydra-Bait. Well it’ll give me some extra clout back home, that’s for sure.”

"I shall write a haiku in your honor!"

Snorri grins at Gorrig. In the land of the Linnorm Kings, rulers are chosen based on their ability to kill a linnorm and bring its head back. This is practice for him, but now Snorri wonders if Gorrig will later be a rival for power.

The last of the attendees are shuffled into the Cathedral of Abadar and the crowd eagerly await the beginning of the auction. A portly man takes to the stage, and with a voice like a foghorn declares, "The auction is open!" which sets off a hum through the crowd as people start jostling for position and readying their auction bidding paddles, as though they were cutlasses with which to defeat the auction itself.

Falrig Sneve looks around at the readied crowd with a broken resolve and shakes his head. "Too much competition and too rich for my blood. Fold!"

Before the bidding can get underway Maiveer Sloan calls out, "I don’t have the funds on hand, but let my organization put down credit on the key! I can have the extra funds in a few months and you know we’re good for it!" The auctioneer purses his heavy lips in sympathetic understanding but the proctor interjects, "The rules state this auction would be a fast sell only with coin in hand."

"Sir! I protest!" Maiveer pleads. "I have been victimized and robbed - and though I make no issue of it now I protest that I would have had the coin had it not been so! The rogues, robbers, and conspirators sit right under this very roof and gain from this injustice!" The proctor, having none of it, simply replies, "Contain yourself sir, or the church will have you removed."

Once it becomes apparent that there will be no further distractions or drop-outs, the bidding then begins with fury, paddles being thrust into the air representing thousands of gold at a time. Kresch Vaor is the first to reach her limit as she calls, "Bah, too much for an old key. Proctor, I’m out. Have one of your clergymen transfer my deposit to my personal account."

Though you might have thought the distractions and interruptions were over, you’re proven wrong when a group of toughs barges in and heads straight for Dymal Rinks. "Oi, Rinks! Minvandu wants a little word with you," the ringleader explains with a grim expression. Rinks begins to protest, but two burly half-orcs simply grab an arm each and pick him up and start walking out. As much as some of you might desire to get involved, you know that it would likely jeopardize your whole mission - so for now, you opt to not get involved. On the way out Minvandu’s chief legbreaker pauses and turns to the proctor. "Sorry about this interruption, bit of confusion needing to be dealt with and all. Whatever deposit Rinks tried to put down on the auction belongs to our employer, Mr. Minvandu. I’ll send someone around later to collect it, after the boss has a few private words with Rinks." Rinks is then dragged out of the auction house, kicking and screaming.

The auction begins again in earnest and the number of bidders continues to thin as The Duchesses, distant and mysterious as always, silently signal their desire to tap out. They quickly exit the premises.

Doctor Landis starts to make another offer and then seems to decide against it - some concern playing at the back of his mind no doubt. He lowers his hand, and simply gestures that he’s cut himself off by waving his hand across his throat.

With only Pathfinders and Lady Kaddren remaining in the bidding war, the atmosphere gets tense - it is clear that Lady Kaddren is determined to win. Yet as she is about to bid another breathtaking sum, a runner presents her with a note which she quickly reads. After, she grimaces at the assembled crowd and in a threatening tone says, "This time, you got lucky. From here out, you might want to watch your backs." Then she turns to the proctor and tells him, "You can close my bids out" before tucking the note into her cloak and storming out of the cathedral.

All of the other bidders now gone, the auction proceeds until only one Pathfinder table remains in the running. "Going, going, gone! And sold to Table Five with the red coloured paddle for a final price of forty thousand gold pieces! Table Five, please send one representative to the front of the room to claim your prize!"

A seasoned half-elven Pathfinder who identifies himself as Omrax the Bold strides up to collect. Just as the auctioneer is about to hand Omrax the prize, a tremendous flash of light and smoke appears behind the auctioneer and the very fabric of reality is sliced open! Seconds later, a black-robed figure steps through the rift and pulls a jagged black-bladed dagger across the auctioneer’s throat, sending a shower of blood into the screaming crowd of bidders. The remorseless assassin snatches the Runecarved Key and in a fit of mad laughter bursts into dozens of shadowy black forms, each fleeing from the cathedral in a different direction!
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Table GMs, begin Act Four!

If I can...Snorri will fire an arrow at one of the copies.

Triix tries to use her Detect Thoughts ability to try and get an idea which of the fleeing images is real.

Anyone got a Locate Object spell? she exclaims. If you do, use it on the Key

Lo takes off as fast as his short legs allow after a random shadow...

Gorrig draws his sword. ”Wh— who is that?!”

Casting detect evil.

Would perception checks help us keep track of who has the key?

Suddenly an ear-piercing whistle sounds. Without warning, the stained glass windows of the cathedral simultaneously shatter inward in a colorful barrage of flying glass.

Four robed humanoids begin to cackle in the seats near the entrance, as the glass rains down on the cathedral. Multiple of the shadows race by them as others leap through windows, it is up to the Pathfinders to escape the cathedral to give chase.

I can keep actions for this area or you can choose others. The shadows are fast and already out of the building in various directions before the group can adequately respond. You can take the door or climb out windows, ignore or defeat the cultists.

Perception wouldn't be enough alone to track the exact shadow.

Combat Round 1: Bold may act!

Lo Pei
Aylanna

Cultist Red
Cultist Blue

Gorrig
Ella
Snorri

Cultist Orange
Cultist Yellow

Triix

Seeing the sheer speed of the shadows Lo sighs and steps up, targeting Orange.
He performs a quick Kata and a small bolt of electricity leaps from his hands.
kinetic blast vs Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
E damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
sneak?: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Aylanna follows Lo Pei in confronting the cultists. She fires a scorching ray at the Orange one too.
Scorching Ray (Touch): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 Fire Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 4, 2) = 14

"Still open to bailing here to follow one of those duplicates, but these fools might have clues as well."

Lo Pei and Aylanna combine their elemental powers to leave the first cultist in a smoking collapsed pile.

---

Two cultists begin working spells in the back.

---

Combat Round 1: Bold may act!

Lo Pei
Aylanna

Cultist Red
Cultist Blue

Gorrig
Ella
Snorri

Cultist Yellow

Triix

Ella dashes forward, taking cover behind one of the pews as she rips her sword from its scabbard!

I'll keep my previous actions, drawing a weapon and using detect evil.

I doubt it was meant to work this way, so I will ask: Blood Reader lets me know how many hit points a studied target has. If I study one of the copies, I could potentially tell which copy was real. Illusions probably don't have blood, so they would count as 0 HP, but if it was realistic enough to look living, it would have low HP, since one shot will usually dispel them. Could I try that, or should I just pursue them? How many copies are there?

Narratively, the shadows dart out of the building in the commotion that precedes the combat. Kind of like a Surprise round, it is more story focused as a reason to chase the shadows out of the cathedral to find them. The cultist pop up to stop you. So the shadows don't really have any interaction at this point.

Gorrig sees the crimson and black swirling aura of each cultist, evil to their core. Wisps of aura also trail the shadows out of the main entrance.

Ella advances on the cultists.

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Combat Round 1: Bold may act!

Lo Pei
Aylanna

Cultist Red
Cultist Blue

Gorrig
Ella
Snorri

Cultist Yellow

Triix

Snorri tries to close the gap with yellow, but doesn't quite get there. He draws his bow as he runs, and shoots the cultist.
Arrow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Shot through the heart, and I'm to blame: 1d8 + 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + (6) + 3 = 13

Snorri's shot goes wide as the cultist starts his own spell.

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Combat Round 1 & 2: Bold may act!

Lo Pei
Aylanna

Cultist Red
Cultist Blue

Gorrig
Ella
Snorri

Cultist Yellow

Triix

Triix is saying the same word over and over again in a very strange language Castrovalian? Lashuntan? while looking frantically around for the Key. Since the others are fighting these strange ..... what was the Tien word? ... Ninjas? she figured out she'd better help.

So she uses a second level spell slot to send a volley of Empowered missiles at Yellow.

mm: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3) + 2 = 7 and half again on variables = 9.

And what did Yellow cast? Better not be Shield, otherwise those missiles are wasted.
spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

Magical Lineage Trait

Lo moves up a little more to support Ella and unleashes another electric shock towards Orange
kinetic blast vs Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
E damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Sorry, forgot to take orange off the map. Want the damage to go to yellow?

Triix realizes the yellow robed caster is preparing to summon monsters, specifically Summon Monster III from a scroll they are holding.

Concentration: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Concentration: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

The caster maintains their focus from the first hit but the second jolts them out of their trance, the scroll losing it's magic power.

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Combat Round 1 & 2: Bold may act!

Lo Pei
Aylanna

Cultist Red
Cultist Blue

Gorrig
Ella
Snorri

Cultist Yellow (-11)

Triix

Heh, I missed he went down! Yes please!

She looks very relieved about that.

Not knowing what might be coming out of the cultists' castings, Aylanna runs across the hall to spread out and get some cover in case of some sort of area spell.

Run Action

Number: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Two roiling waves of flesh gushes into existence on the pews. Amid the fatty surge wriggle half-formed limbs and a dripping tumorous face, they immediately reach out to tear at the closest Pathfinders.

The caster cackles as he quickly casts another spell, as grease erupts from the cracks of the cathedral underneath Lo Pei. DC 14 Reflex or fall prone.

Green Claw@Snorri: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Purple Claw@Ella: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Purple Claw@Ella: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Both miss their mark.

It would be K. Planes to recall knowledge on these creatures.

The blue caster creates a portal a bit larger than the ones the flesh beasts exited through, this one in the aisle next to Ella.

Glaive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Slashing Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Glaive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

It digs deep with the first swipe but the other is dodged by the Swashbuckler. Her wounds begins to bleed profusely, the blood black and bubbling.

The caster then summons a cloud of noxious gas over the two Pathfinders in the back. DC 18 Fortitude or Nauseated. If you leave the cloud it lingers for 1d4+1 rounds. If you stay in the cloud after succeeding you have to continue saves each round.

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Combat Round 1 & 2: Bold may act!

Lo Pei (Reflex Save)
Aylanna

Cultist Red
Cultist Blue
Creature Green
Creature Purple
Creature Orange

Gorrig (Fort Save)
Ella (-13)(Bleeding)
Snorri (Fort Save)

Cultist Yellow (-11)

Triix

Current Effects:
K. Planes for each of the creatures.
Fort Saves in the back.
Reflex Save for Lo Pei.

k planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
k planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
k planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
fort: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Ella decides that swapping stabs with the fiends is less important than thwarting the wizards who summoned them, so turning a neat handspring she hurls herself backwards from the fray, chasing down one of the murderous cultists with blade bared!

Rapier: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 1 = 17
Magic Piercing: 1d6 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 = 11

EDIT - Missed the requested Knowledge Rolls

Knowledge (Planes) Green: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 7 + (3) = 11
Knowledge (Planes) Purple: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 7 + (1) = 17
Knowledge (Planes) Orange: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 7 + (5) = 24

reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Gorrig chooses precisely the wrong moment to inhale, and takes a lungful of the sickening smog. Coughing and heaving, he can do nothing but stagger out of the cloud.

Nauseated.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Snorri takes a step away from the thing that struck him, and focuses on taking out the summoners. Red looks like an appealing target.

Not throwing away my shot: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Did I just spy a Hamilton reference?

Triix definitely knows these two other creatures to be Lemures, the least of the devilkind to crawl from Hell. Damned souls that are barely conscious. They are immune to fire, mind-effecting, and poison damage; resist both acid and cold; they blunt the damage from weapons not made of silver or aligned with good; otherwise they just lash out with claws. Ella can confirm most of the information herself.

Using the second roll for the other creature because the other two are the same.

Triix is able to at least identify the creature as a Barbazu Devil, elite warriors of hell. They are equipped with glaives that create infernal wounds that continue to bleed, requiring a difficult amount of healing to staunch. While it bleeds, magical healing is often resisted. Difficult Heal check to stop bleeding, Caster level checks to heal the wounded magically. As a Devil, they have similar defensive abilities to the other creature.

---

Ella and Snorri work together to take down another of the cultists, the rapier leaving them barely standing before the ranged attack topples them.

---

The yellow cultist quickly shrouds himself in a cloud of mist, fearing to be next.

---

Combat Round 3: Bold may act!

Lo Pei
Aylanna

Cultist Blue
Creature Green
Creature Purple
Creature Orange

Gorrig (Naseuated Duration: 1d4 ⇒ 4)
Ella (-13)(Bleeding)
Snorri (Naseuated Duration: 1d4 ⇒ 1)

Cultist Yellow (-11)

Triix

Current Effects: