GM Tyranius (PF2) Dark Archive Case Files (Inactive)

Game Master Tyranius

Turning his attention now to the shadow beside him, the slightly wounded Aegis spits blood as his gimlet eyes bore in on the foe, "Dodge this." His mind focuses its power into a sextet of hardened reality.

3-A Magic Missile: 6d4 + 6 ⇒ (3, 4, 4, 1, 4, 3) + 6 = 25

Vesperscale strikes at their shadow again, this time with a shielding strike, raising their heavy shield.

Enfeebled strike: 1d20 + 16 - 3 ⇒ (7) + 16 - 3 = 20
slashing: 2d7 + 6 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 + 2 - 3 = 12

Vesperscale follows up with an electric arc.
zot: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 1) + 4 = 11
Basic reflex DC 23

AS 26, will block if any physical damage actually happens.

Vesperscale screams "Kill my shadow, it's still draining my health!"

Tenpot looks at his gun, surprised at how well that worked. "Uh...yeah, just a second!" He calls over his shoulder to Vesperscale. Before he can turn and help with her shadow, though, he sees the other shadow's assault on Toadclobber. He has a moment of indecision, then opts for the clearer shot, first studying the creature for a moment.

◆Esoteric Lore to Exploit Vulnerability: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33

◆Reload

◆Pistol strike vs. green: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Piercing (concussive), Implement’s Empowerment: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 2) + 6 = 14
Plus highest weakness or 5 from Exploit Vulnerability (if applicable)

Pistol: unloaded

Toad clambers onto the table and reflects upon his tome, before slicing.

Esoteric Lore, Exploit Vulnerability (E): 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 14 + 1 = 24

Toadslicer, Ghost Touch: 1d20 + 16 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 16 - 2 = 17
Toadslicer, Ghost Touch, hero point: 1d20 + 16 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 16 - 2 = 28
S, Empowerment: 2d6 + 4 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (1, 4) + 4 + 6 - 2 = 13 and weakness if applicable

Aegis peppers Vesperscale's shadow with magical missiles as it wavers in the darkness. Tenpots takes a shot at the larger threat, but this one misses. Crit success on exploit vulnerability.

Yellow Reflex DC 23: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Green Reflex DC 23: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17

Vesperscale weakens her own shadow with a blow from her shield and quickly destroys it with an electrical shock. The shadow crawls acros sthe ground reattaching itself to Vesperscale.

Using a similar color Toadclobber manages to simulate the same weakness he did earlier. Exploit Vulnerability Success. Toadslicer cuts through the greater shadow as more and more light spills through its tattered body.

The shadow continues to try and rip Toadclobbers shadow from his body.

Green #2 vs Toadclobber AC 26: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23
Green #2 vs Toadclobber AC 26: 1d20 + 18 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 18 - 5 = 29
Damage: 2d10 + 6 ⇒ (8, 1) + 6 = 15

The shadow yanks hard, ripping Toadclobber's shadow completely free. The spawn manifests up from the ground right beside Toadclobber. Enfeebled 4.

★★★
Library! Round 4

Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Greater Shadow (#2 Green) (-40 HP) │ Weakness 5 (Tenpots)
➤ Aegis (50/64 HP)
➤ Tenpot (76/76 HP)
➤ Vesperscale (53/85 HP) │ Enfeebled 3 | Minor Sturdy Shield Hardness 8, HP 64/64 |
➤ Toadclobber (59/87 HP) │ Enfeebled 4
Toadclobber Shadow (-0 HP)

Watching in horror at what's happening to Toadclobber, Aegis unleashes his Psyche and hurls three missiles at the greater shadow:
MM: 3d4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4, 2) + 4 + 2 = 16

Psychic energy bends space around him. It's as if some of the space jumps forward and backward in time, as if folding space itself.

Toad shrieks in frustration. He stares at his weapon and decides to use dexterity to attack with his Toadslicer. Finesse; 18 str, 12 dex so effectively -3 on the attacks for base 13.

Toadslicer, Ghost Touch vs Flank: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23
S, Empowerment: 2d6 + 4 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (4, 4) + 4 + 6 - 4 = 14 Weak 5

Toadslicer, Ghost Touch vs Flank: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 13 - 4 = 23
S, Empowerment: 2d6 + 4 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (1, 1) + 4 + 6 - 4 = 8 Weak 5

Hope these hit with flank

With little else to do he swings a third time at his own shadow, which is hopefully easier to hit:

Toadslicer, Ghost Touch vs Flank: 1d20 + 13 - 8 ⇒ (19) + 13 - 8 = 24
S, Empowerment: 2d6 + 4 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 + 6 - 4 = 14

Vesperscale chargers her sword with another gouging claw and goes after green.

enfeebled strike vs Green FF: 1d20 + 16 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 16 - 3 = 16
slashing: 2d8 + 6 + 2 - 3 + 4d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 5) + 6 + 2 - 3 + (5, 1, 6, 3) + 4 = 32

Vesperscale keeps their spellstrike charged.

Aegis hurls more magical missiles at the shadow as Vesperscales spell misses, burning lines up the wall and through the wood. Toadclobber's attacks prove a bit more effective as the first strike kills the greater shadow and the second and third strike do significant damage to his own shadow.

★★★
Library! Round 4

Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Aegis (50/64 HP)
➤ Tenpot (76/76 HP)
Vesperscale (53/85 HP) │ Enfeebled 3 | Minor Sturdy Shield Hardness 8, HP 64/64 |
Toadclobber (59/87 HP) │ Enfeebled 4
Toadclobber Shadow (-22 HP)

Tenpot quickly shuffles into the room, scrambling to reload his pistol and fire before he even has a chance to study the remaining foe.

◆Stride, ◆Reload, ◆Strike

Pistol: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29
Piercing (concussive), Implement’s Empowerment: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 = 13
Plus highest weakness or 5 from Exploit Vulnerability (if applicable)

Pistol: unloaded

Tenpot quickly finishes off killing Toadclobber's shadow as it falls inert back to the floor once more. The enfeebled condition decreases by 1 every hour.

There is little of use in this room. This room has clearly been visited by some kind of creature. Scratches and spatters of blood mark one of the walls, a few feet off the ground and concentrated in one area. Some of the scratches are deep enough to break through the plaster, exposing the inner frame of the wall. Several small objects have been knocked over in the vicinity. The general sense is that someone has been here, searched for something on the wall, and when they came up empty, left a mess in their wake.

Aegis (50/64 HP)
Tenpot (76/76 HP)
Vesperscale (53/85 HP) │ Enfeebled 3 | Minor Sturdy Shield Hardness 8, HP 64/64 |
Toadclobber (59/87 HP) │ Enfeebled 4

Toad will begin healing everyone.

Shall we wait a few hours for some of these enfeebled to go down a tick or two??

Sounds like a god idea to me.

Where to after waiting a few hours?

"A systematic approach seems most prudent." Aegis then heads to the doors on the western side of the manse. Map updated.

Vesperscale grunts "I still feel off, lets continue though and get through though."

Aegis opens the door to teh Dining Hall. This grand dining room features a large bay window to the northwest. On the south wall, long mirrors stretch across the room on either side of the door. Heavy velvet curtains frame the mirrors, a musty smell clinging to the windows and the fabric.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25 "And there she is. Look there, by the Bay Window."

Aegis contemplates his next move, "What do we do? Approach?"

We must have it.

Toad moves toward the painting.

"I suppose so, but let's be careful" Tenpot says, following closely behind.

Vesperscale tries to keep up with Toadclobber asking as she moves forward, but worried about his sudden declaration "Are you okay? I still feel off after those Shadows."

I am not well myself, but we must keep going.

Rest 2 hours? Maybe Enfeebled 2 at this point?

I was assuming no more enfeeble, but that's probably an unreasonably long time to rest.

Yup roughly 2 hours rest there.

Thievery to disrupt the magical energy. Arcana or Occultism to try and realign the magical energy.

Allow me.

Occultism (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Occultism (T), if that fails or Toad can try again, or hero point if that would crit fail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Hero Point used.

Toadclobber realigns the magical energy so the floor seems solid once more. Tapping a foot against the floor it seems safe enough for the time being.

The trap was each time a creature enters the room, it slips through the floor, tumbles through an interdimensional void, and falls back into the room through the ceiling, landing on the floor taking 40 Bludgeoning damage from the fall. DC 24 to try and grab the edge to avoid falling.

Unfortunately as you get within reach of the bay window the house warps once more and the ainting blinks out of existence.

With the painting gone from sight once again you peer into the remaining room on this floor. There doesn't appear to be anything of note within the water closet.

Toadclobber notices a smear of blood of the corner of the mirror. Just then you hear the floorboard creak and a small thud from the floor upstairs above you.

Shoot, I was in there air, and couldn't post. Aegis, upon seeing Toadclobber would ahve stopped him as soon as he saw the brash goblin try to realign the magical energy. This is Aegis's wheelhouse: Occultism (M): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

"Quickly! Upstairs!" Can't update map

Hearing the noise you quickly head up the stairs to the second floor. With each step you take the stairs strain and creak. The stairs are old and rotten.

Anyone going up the stairs needs to make an Acrobatics check to tread lightly.

We must not waste a moment.

Acrobatics (T): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 +2 to tumble

Gaining mastery of the mind requires an ascetic lifestyle, and that means mastering the body too. Aegis is surprisingly adept...

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

....which is why he nearly curses when he trips over one of the stairs, the very first stair no less.

Both Toadclobber and Aegis find a soggy spoy in the stairs. The stairs groan loadly as the pair break through them falling to the floor below amid a small pile of splintered wood.

Aegis Slashing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Aegis Fall Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Toadclobber Slashing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Toadclobber Fall Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

But a scratch. Toadclobber tries the other stair. Looks like 2 sets on the map at least

"Ow..."

Aegis and Toadclobber take it a bit easier up the second set of stairs, using the railing to support most of their weight this time.

Vesperscale and Tenpot will still need an Acrobatics (DC 22) check to see if they get hurt going up the stairs.

This marble-floored landing wraps around the grand staircase. Pseudo-classical statuettes of human figures top the pedestals in both western corners, each draped in decorative robes, but a layer of grime covers them.

Opposite the grand staircase is the Hall of Mirrors. Though Lorres Manor appears much grander than the standard style in Ravengro, this room puts the rest of the house to shame. Towering, ten-foot-tall mirrors line the walls, the Archive individual panes joined by thin lines of gold. Golden filigree crowns each mirror’s rounded top. With both sides of the wall lined in mirrors, each side reflects the other, creating an endless pattern of increasingly diminishing mirrors and figures. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and golden statues on marble pedestals stand in between the mirror panels, adding to the dazzling sparkle of the hall.

Perception (E), Darkvision: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Where is the painting?

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26 "Look. Do you see that smear of blood across the base of the statuette in the northwest corner." Aegis goes to the statue to look a little closer.

Tenpot's Acrobatics (T): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Vesperscale's Acrobatics (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Tenpot Slashing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Tenpot Fall Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Vesperscale Slashing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Vesperscale Fall Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Aegis approaches the blood smear. Swiping a gloved hand across it the blood appears to be fresh.

New map for second floor posted.

What now that you are on the second floor?

We must find the Lady of the Harvest. Come.

Toad heads to the closest door on the left.

"Ow. Damn shipworms have gotten into the stairs." Tenpot grumbles as he follows Toadclobber, taking a sip from a small flask as he goes.

Minor healing potion: 1d8 ⇒ 2

This master bedroom would’ve had a spectacular view of the garden through the tall bay windows, if the garden had ever been finished. Instead, it looks out on a tangle of overgrown weeds and blackberry brambles. A four-poster bed occupies the center of the room, carved in spectacular filigree. To the side, a tall standing mirror sits in one corner, leaning slightly backward, sporting a heavy layer of dust across its surface. A door to the east leads into a disused but grand master bathroom.

Perception (E), Darkvision: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Perhaps the painting is in the Grand Master Bedroom.

Perception (E): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

"Over there!" Tenpot says, one hand pointing at the painting hanging next to the mirror, while the other restrains Toadclobber from rushing toward it. "Hanging by the mirror. We should be careful."

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21, "Nice catch Tenpot. Indeed, either the painting is playing a game with us purposefully, or we keep triggering a preset response. Ideas?"

Aegis reaches out with the Distant Grasp and opens the door to the bathroom from afar.

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Vesperscale peers from across the room, squinting and trying to see.

Cogent. it can only play games for so long, however.

Toad seeks for traps then rushes to the painting.

Aegis flings the door to the Master Bathroom open as an invisible magical hand clings to the handle. Peering in but for a moment it appears to be a normal bathroom, though the shower curtain is closed obscuring the contents of the tub. Just as the door slowlt creaks open it just as suddenly slams shut with a resounding bang causing you to jump in shock.

"Well... Let's get in there." Aegis exhorts, but doesn't advance.

The painting. It must be found.

Toad runs in and flings open the door again.