Summoner 1 AC 12 | HP 19/19| F +6 R +2 W +7 | Init +5 Perception| Speed 25 ft. | Exploration Mode Investigate
Greetings Empress Sama, I am Gavan son of Tamiko Ichijouji but you can call me Gorhdan.
Like my comrades said, we are looking to acquire a bundle of scallions from your kingdom if it please Her Majesty
"We are mining metal ores, of gold of course." he answers Costolian. he then motions some of the dwarves to get the bag of potatoes and give it to the adventurers.
"Mining gold? And all we walk away with is potatoes?" Costolian quietly grumbles to himself.
GM Frost wrote:
Several diminutive fey wearing leaves and flowers emerge from their hiding places from within the wood. One, taller than the rest, wearing a crown of woven scallions and holding a purple onion flower (several times her height) like a scepter, steps forward. “I am Nelia Starsister, the Grove’s Grand Garlicia, and Alliumic Empress. Who are you to set foot in our domain?”
"Indeed, we are here on behalf of one Kupyn Baro as my colleagues have noted," Costolian adds with a bow. "And though she asks only scallions of you, no doubt the Grove's Grand Garlicia and Alliumic Empress would be willing to part with baubles and trinkets of even more value as simple demonstration of her influence, power, and wealth?"
"Did you just say Kupyn? You know, my brownies love Darb (Kupyn's pup, if you can remember) very much and they only wanted to make his golden hair look more noble, and so tied it full of braids and ribbons. When Kupyn came by, we thought she is amused, but no, she knocked down our castle (but actually just several logs put together as a crude fort) in a huff! How dare of her now to ask scallions!" Nelia says angrily, her arms crossed. Even the brownies are doing the same attitude.
At this point, you can appease them such as with Diplomacy check to convince the brownies that Kupyn meant no harm, or repair the brownies’ castle with an Athletics check to hoist the logs up, or any appropriate skill that is justified by your roleplay. As usual for this task, take note that only one PC can attempt a check at each location, though other PCs can Aid them. If the PC fails this check, a different PC can attempt a different solution, though they receive a –2 circumstance penalty on their attempt.
The eyes of the brownies follow the working hands of the catfolk as he repairs their 'castle' back. They are all impressed by his work, and the castle is much better and sturdier than it was previously built. Attempt is a crit success, obviously.
Instinctively, the brownies give the adventurers the scallions they need. Thank you so much for bringing our castle back to its former and better glory! I, Nelia Starsister, the Grove’s Grand Garlicia, and Alliumic Empress, promise that we will also attend the Winter Week feast. We owe you all a favor and all my brownies will watch out for all of you while you stay in Scallion’s Wrap." the empress tells them lovingly as the brownies give them the scallions they need. And the brownies begin dancing around the recently repaired castle of their own, not minding the adventurers are still there.
With all the ingredients that they need, the adventurers happily return to where Kupyn stays.
As they are approaching, they can see that Kupyn’s cottage is brightly colored, with a thatched roof and tall chimney merrily puffing smoke into the brisk air. Yet as you get close, the house begins to rumble and quake. The front door spills open. Numerous tiny cobblestones pour out—no ordinary rocks. They all have open mouths with gleaming sharp teeth!
The swarm of lively stones advances and assaults those within their space, namely, Maximas and Areeza, the stones pummeling themselves onto them! (DC 17 basic Reflex save vs 2d4 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2 bludgeoning damage)
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖ WHAT'S ALREADY COOKING?! Round 1 Terrain Features: The Swarm's space is difficult terrain. ENCOUNTER MAP
────────── Character in ➤ BOLD can act! ──────────
Swarm (- HP)
➤ Purrlock (AC 17)(17/17 HP) ➤ Maximas (AC 17)(21/21 HP) │ DC 17 basic Reflex save vs 2 bludgeoning damage before your turn ➤ Rinshu (AC 16)(15/15 HP) ➤ Areeza (AC 18)(17/17 HP) │ DC 17 basic Reflex save vs 2 bludgeoning damage before your turn ➤ Gorhdan (AC 12)(19/19 HP) ⠀⠀➤ Gorhdan's Eidolon (AC ??)(19/19 HP) │ Unmanifested ➤ Costolian (AC 17)(16/16 HP)
Cauldron (- HP) │ ???
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DC 15 Arcana or Crafting to Recall Knowledge (1 action) about the Cauldron:
You can see that the runes on the cauldron are made hastily by somebody, believing to what causes it to spew out lively stones, but you know that the runes can be adjusted to its previous function by succeeding at four DC 15 Arcana, Thievery, or Crafting checks (two actions next to it the cauldron) or break the cauldron itself, if you are good at breaking things.
DC 16 Occultism to Recall Knowledge (1 action) about the Swarm:
You know that the Swarm you are encountering is actually a deadly pack of cobble mites known as a cobbleswarm. You know that its Grasping Bites can make you fall prone, and the swarm's assault is damaging as well. It would be really hard to even move on their space when you get surrounded. You know that (at crit success or another successful Occultism check (1 action) at DC 18)
Spoiler:
they are immune to precision, swarm mind, and visual. Their nature makes them resistant to slashing and piercing, but is weak to area damage and splash damage.
Male Suli Human Fighter 2: Spd:20 AC:19(21), 1 Fire Resistance, HP:30/30, Fort:7, Ref:8, Will:4, Per:6, Lowlight
reflex:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 having succeeded, Maximas will put out his Katana and swing it power attack hit:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15dmg:2d10 + 4 ⇒ (1, 3) + 4 = 8
Gorhdan transforms himself into a silver chrome combat suit, or rather he envelopes himself with it from another's perspective. Purrlock is able to determine the cause of the presence of the swarm, advising the others that they can deactivate it. He tries to devise a plan against the swarm but he chooses to recall what exactly are they, and remember they are cobbleswarm, reminding the others to be careful of its assault.
Rinshu approaches the pot and makes herself ready of what she will do next to it. Costolian follows her and attempts to identify the swarm but he fails to remember about it. Thanks to Purrlock, he knows what it is now.
Maximas is able to dodge some damage from the stone plummeting on them (Maximas only takes 1 B damage).He then draws his katana and swings at the swarm but his attack misses.
Areeza's small frame is advantageous as she dances her way out of the plummeting stones. She steps away from it, draws her scimitar and makes a slashing motion against the swarm.
Scimitar Attack vs Swarm:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26Success Scimitar Damage:1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 slashing damage
The swarm receives the attack but the damage is totally resisted due to its swamrm nature. (Resistance 6 to Slashing)
The cauldron keeps bubbling but nothing else after that so far. On the other hand, the swarm begins to bite those within its area (namely, Maximas)!
Athletics vs Maximas DC 17 Fortitude:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20(Success. The creature falls prone, and is grabbed by the cobbleswarm until the creature until the end of the cobbleswarm’s next turn.
The swarm succeeds, making Maximas fall on his face, while being grabbed! The other lively stones jumps and plummets themselves onto him! (DC 17 basic Reflex save vs 2d4 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7 bludgeoning damage)
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖ WHAT'S ALREADY COOKING?! Round 2 Terrain Features: The Swarm's space is difficult terrain. ENCOUNTER MAP
────────── Character in ➤ BOLD can act! ──────────
Swarm (Cobble Swarm) (- HP)
➤ Purrlock (AC 17)(17/17 HP) ➤ Maximas (AC 17)(20/21 HP) │ Prone, Grabbed | DC 17 basic Reflex save vs 7 bludgeoning damage before your turn ➤ Rinshu (AC 16)(15/15 HP) ➤ Areeza (AC 18)(17/17 HP) ➤ Gorhdan (AC 12)(19/19 HP) │ as X-OR via Meld Eidolon ⠀⠀➤ Gorhdan's Eidolon (AC 17)(19/19 HP) ➤ Costolian (AC 17)(16/16 HP)
Cauldron (0/?) (- HP) │ DC 15 Arcana, Thievery, or Crafting checks (two actions next to it the cauldron) to fix runes or break the cauldron itself
I believe since I don't need to move I can attack again, although with a penalty. I'm not sure what the penalty is, and not completely back to thinking clearly yet.
X-OR strikes the swarm but both miss. As for the casting of Boost Eidolon, the Meld into Eidolon feat says that you can't cast Spells which, I believe, include Cantrips, and therefore will not benefit from it. Having said that, X-OR still has 1 action left. Costolian also corrects the runes of the Cauldron successfully. Cauldron is now at 2/4 disabled. Shisk also does so after casting Guidance to herself. The cauldron seems to simmer but is still moving. Cauldron is now 3/4 disabled.
Maximas dances his way out of the swarm's attack. He attacks while still prone but his Power Attack does not hit any of the lively stones. Even his last action to Strike is a miss.
Areeza slashes her scimitar at the swarm, she connects but does not cause much damage. (Success, Swarm takes 9 Slashing - Slashing Resistance 6 = 3 total damage0 She tries again but misses entirely the second time. You have one action left. It looks like you don't have a shield so I will bot you by Striking again (which is not ideal) if you don't mind. Scimitar Attack vs Swarm, MAP2:1d20 + 7 - 10 ⇒ (1) + 7 - 10 = -2 Scimitar Damage:1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 Slashing damage
The third one misses as well.
The cauldron bubbles again, but the brownies of the glade appear from under cover of illusion and fiddle with the cauldron before disappearing again with a giggle. The DC to Disable the cauldron is reduced by 2, thanks to Crit Success attempt on previously fixing the brownies' castle. The swarm, on the other hand, pummels Maximas with stones, aka themselves, jumping and falling onto him! I need three DC 17 basic Reflex save from Maximas vs 6d4 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 2, 4, 3) = 18 bludgeoning damage
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖ WHAT'S ALREADY COOKING?! Round 3 Terrain Features: The Swarm's space is difficult terrain. ENCOUNTER MAP
────────── Character in ➤ BOLD can act! ──────────
Swarm (Cobble Swarm) (-3 HP)
➤ Purrlock (AC 17)(17/17 HP) ➤ Maximas (AC 17)(17/21 HP) │ Prone, Grabbed | pending three DC 17 basic Reflex save vs 6, 5, and 7 bludgeoning damage before your turn ➤ Rinshu (AC 16)(15/15 HP) ➤ Areeza (AC 18)(17/17 HP) ➤ Gorhdan (AC 12)(19/19 HP) │ as X-OR via Meld into Eidolon feat | one action left from previous Round ⠀⠀➤ Gorhdan's Eidolon (AC 17)(19/19 HP) ➤ Costolian (AC 17)(16/16 HP)
Cauldron (3/4) (- HP) │ DC 15-2 Arcana, Thievery, or Crafting checks (two actions next to it the cauldron) to fix runes or break the cauldron itself
With the cauldron's magic ceasing, Costolian is unsure he can do much more. Nevertheless, he is determined to try. He moves toward the swarming stones and jabs at them.
Stride x2 Melee, Strike rapier(disarm, deadly d8, finesse):1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20 Damage (P):1d6 ⇒ 5
Animist 4 / HP 48/48, Perc +10, AC 19, Fort +9 Ref +8 Will +12 / Active conditions: Darkvision, Toughness, Quillcoat shisk, Resist neg 1, +1 hp/min
Rinshu whispers some words casting a spell towards the swarm.
Daze, amp: 1d10 ⇒ 7
Will DC 17. If the target fails its Will save, until the end of its next turn, it gains weakness 1 to mental damage and takes a –1 status penalty to Will saves. On a critical failure, the weakness is 3 (in addition to the target being stunned 1). The weakness applies before daze deals damage.
X-OR keeps attacking with his fist and laseroblade but none even connects to the swarm. Maximas dodges whilst prone, taking some damage from the plummeting. His attacks are both misses as well. Costolian joins the others and tries to pierce the swarm. His attack goes through it but causes no harm. Attack is reduced from 5 to 0, thanks to Piercing Resistance 6.
GM Screen:
DC 17 basic Will save:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11Fail, Swarm gains Weakness 1 to mental damage, and -1 status penalty to Will saves. It takes 8 damage from the spell.
Rinshu, from a distance sends a mental jolt to the swarm, and is not able to resist it. Swarm gains Weakness 1 to mental damage, and -1 status penalty to Will saves. It takes 8 damage from the spell.
Botting Areeza...
Areeza, seeing her ally is badly hurt, goes around the swarm and gets close to him to lay her hands to heal 6 HP on him. Maximas also gains +2 status bonus to AC for 1 round. She then smites the swarm with her scimitar.
Scimitar Attack vs Swarm:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
She slashes into its empty space instead. The swarm seems bored with Maximas and instead moves to bite X-OR and Costolian this time.
Athletics check vs X-OR Fortitude DC 18:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20(Success. X-OR falls prone, and is grabbed by the cobbleswarm until the creature until the end of the cobbleswarm’s next turn.) Athletics check vs Costolian Fortitude DC 17:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22(Success. Costolian falls prone, and is grabbed by the cobbleswarm until the creature until the end of the cobbleswarm’s next turn.)
The swarm successfully makes them fall into their faces and grabs them with their bites.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖ WHAT'S ALREADY COOKING?! Round 4 Terrain Features: The Swarm's space is difficult terrain. ENCOUNTER MAP
────────── Character in ➤ BOLD can act! ──────────
Swarm (Cobble Swarm) (-11 HP) │ Weakness 1 to mental damage, and -1 status penalty to Will saves
➤ Purrlock (AC 17)(17/17 HP) ➤ Maximas (AC 17)(12/21 HP) │ Prone, +2 status bonus to AC for 1 rd ➤ Rinshu (AC 16)(15/15 HP) ➤ Areeza (AC 18)(17/17 HP) ➤ Gorhdan (AC 12)(19/19 HP) │ as X-OR via Meld into Eidolon feat | Prone, Grabbed, FF ⠀⠀➤ Gorhdan's Eidolon (AC 17)(19/19 HP) ➤ Costolian (AC 17)(16/16 HP) │ Prone, Grabbed, FF
Animist 4 / HP 48/48, Perc +10, AC 19, Fort +9 Ref +8 Will +12 / Active conditions: Darkvision, Toughness, Quillcoat shisk, Resist neg 1, +1 hp/min
Again Rinshu whispers some words casting a spell towards the swarm.
Daze, amp: 1d10 ⇒ 7
Will DC 17. If the target fails its Will save, until the end of its next turn, it gains weakness 1 to mental damage and takes a –1 status penalty to Will saves. On a critical failure, the weakness is 3 (in addition to the target being stunned 1). The weakness applies before daze deals damage.
Purrlock joins the gang and finds that maybe bludgeoning them is the wiser approach to defeat the swarm. He makes his attack and his weapon bonks some of the lively stones into tiny pieces. Swarm takes 4 bludgeoning damage.Rinshu sends another mental jolt and the remaining swarm of cobblemites burst themselves into inanimate broken stone pieces! Swarm is eliminated!
ENCOUNTER OVER! WELL DONE!
After the shocking encounter arrives Kupyn. "I just instructed you to get some ingredients, but what happened here?!" she exclaims. She then finds her cauldron just outside her brightly-colored cottage. "And why is my cauldron here?" She also finds Costolian and another person in metallic-whatsoever-that-she-cannot-recognize-as-one-of-them-whom-she-has-i nstructed-to-get-the-ingredients are surrounded by lots of stones of different sizes. "And who is that?" she adds to her train of questions as she looks at X-OR with her hands on her hips.
We are at the end of the bounty. Just a few short roleplays while I prepare the chronicles and report the game later.
"I see. I have been less enthusiastic lately about the holiday and I hadn’t been taking proper care of my magic cauldron and making preparation until the last minute. I surely was making mistakes with its magical runes in my haste. Good thing, you are able to correct it and the cauldron is still whole!" she tells them happily. She then take the ingredients and began cooking. As a reward for saving the town, each of them receives their payment, along with a generous helping of rock stew. And they all have a very happy Winter Week!
