[Outpost VI] CORE #1-34 Encounter at the Drowning Stones (Inactive)

Game Master Aldizog

"The smelly dwarf is prepared for everything!" the fiendish familiar howls with delight.
"Manacles... so useful for imprisoning those with hands. Haha! Veshtahz has no hands.
But you can manacle hands to a whipping post and then flay Lang alive! Good idea! Yes! Manacles are so good.
Who has whip?
Whip?"
The fiendish familiar, the disembodied head that is literally made of evil, appears somewhat dejected when it appears that flaying Lang is not in the plan.
"Fine. No flaying... yet. Flaying later."

Lang, meanwhile, offers some confused babbling protests but meekly accepts his fate.

Silgil continues to carry the bag with the stone for the whole three hours to the site?

Eww! No! There will be no whipping or flaying anyone! Lasaraleen gasps as she scowls at the little bugger.

Silgil continues to carry the bag with the stone for the whole three hours to the site?

Since one of the questions was not whether the bag would protect him, then yes, he will carry it. Plan B would have been to have Lang carry it but Silgil foolishly feels secure in the fact that the stone is in another dimension. not that strapping it to Lang would necessarily help.

GM Aldizog wrote:

Silgil continues to carry the bag with the stone for the whole three hours to the site?

Since one of the questions was not whether the bag would protect him, then yes, he will carry it. Plan B would have been to have Lang carry it but Silgil foolishly feels secure in the fact that the stone is in another dimension. not that strapping it to Lang would necessarily help.

Unfortunately, that was not one of the questions that Atum requested Veshtahz to ask. I went by Atum's post of the six questions.

Atum with a wave of palm unlits all the incense around and looks at Veshtahz with some skepticism. He is trying to get rid of the shock after last answer.

- I am nigislistic enough to know that oblivion awaits everything. Including Golarion. Elf can live long but one way or another - I am unlikely able to avoid the Cycle. Unless couple Great Old Ones awake... And also you can corrupt me to become a Herald of Destruction which can change my, with all my respect.

Seems like Atum finally finds out there are some Pathfinders around and talk to them.

-Silgil, I am sure that in bag of holding the Stone will be less or not dangerous. If you want - Vesh may carry the bag. He's shurely mean no harm carrying cursed things, right? - Atum obviously awaits at least for smiles after this joke while he drinks some cleared water to recover after ritual.

THe diviner obviously good about manacles. And soon ready to proceed after conjuring Mage Armor selfishly.

"Why do I think that Vesh + stone is a bad idea. No, I think I'll keep it. As a dwarf I am probably the most resistant to it's magics."

Not true, by the way. Lasaraleen has the best saves, but the very idea that might be the case would not occur to Silgil.

btw - when Lasaraleen casts magic circle vs evil she will include entire party as well as Lang

”That is brave of you, Silgil but your race is very hardy indeed! “

It’s a short, but grueling, 3 mile hike from the river to the entrance of the Drowning Stones. You make about 1/2 mile per hour through the jungle, so it would be a six-hour hike. Based on Lang's information, Lasaraleen would stop to cast Air Walk and Magic Circle Against Evil once you are a quarter-mile from the site.

After about five hours - so still a half-mile from the Drowning Stones - you encounter something else. There is the sound of a river, and in particular the thunder of a huge waterfall. Given the winding paths, it is not clear exactly how far away it is. It might take you twenty minutes to actually reach the river, or five. You keep walking until the river comes into sight.

Map is up. The fact that there is a map does not mean there has to be a fight, of course.

On a rock, not far from the river, sits a beautiful figure with the upper body of a woman and a the tail of a fish.

Tere, Atum, and Silgil can identify this as a Mermaid. For the benefit of the others, and because it is what he would do, Lang starts screaming "The mermaid! That's her!"

She pays almost no mind to Lang's outburst, instead addressing the party.
"My... what an impressive group! Pathfinders, I expect?
I see you have captured that horrible Aspis agent who attacked my friends.
Please, I beg of you, approach that I may reward you."

Sense motive 1d20 ⇒ 8

Doodle takes the scene in and listens closely to the mermaid’s words. ”She seems nice enough, seems like,” the gnome says to the others.

Doodle is confident that this mermaid is telling the truth.

"Seems cooperative to me too. Maybe she can informt us about the stones."

But he makes no move to go forward. If there is a trap he is fond of the idea of letting someone else spring it.

Sense Motive check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Tere shrugs, unable to get a good read on the mermaid.

- Nonsense! You are a dangerous creature, my dear. Why wouldn't you approach if you really want to say something important. -
Atum tries to say really loud so that oversound the waterfall.
Actually, he hopes that fellows won't make foolish decisions also.

The wizard sends Veshtahz closer and above the mermaid so to understand at least if she can feel him somehow.

Atum not going any closer.

"Well, my dear, you are far more graceful on land than I am.
I must admit it would be rather embarrassing to flop around to get closer to you."

Neither Atum nor anybody else senses any deception in her words.

Veshtahz asks Atum, "What do you wish me to do? Can I eat the fish-woman?"

Atum assumes flop around may be funny for others, not only embarrassing. But he just suggests Vesh to go and try bite her at least.

-She may be too big for you to consume the whole mermaid.

THe wizard also expects some actions from more impulsive teammates.

Veshtahz approaches, and just as he is close enough to touch her the "mermaid" suddenly changes form!

The transition from out of combat to in combat is always awkward. Here, none of you could have possibly made the Sense Motive check to realize that the mermaid was lying, and even so Atum decided that she was lying and that he would initiate combat. So I will give a surprise round to Atum and the mermaid, and the rest of you can come in next round. Veshtahz will go on Atum's turn.

The mermaid (as a standard action in the surprise round) changes before your eyes into a beautiful woman with horns and batlike wings.

Lasaraleen Knowledge: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Silgil Knowledge: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Atum Knowledge: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29

Lasaraleen, Silgil, and Atum recognize this creature as a Succubus, a demon from the Abyss. Silgil and Atum both know that these demons have a number of spell-like abilities to influence minds, including Suggestion and Dominate Person. Atum additionally knows that they can drain the life out of mortals with a kiss.

Veshkahz tries to bite the succubus! But because he is Tiny, she gets an AOO first. And she lacks Knowledge (Planes), so cannot recognize Veshkahz as a Div, and so doesn't know that she can't breach his DR except on a crit with great damage rolls.
Claw AOO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Her claws cannot pierce his fiendish hide.

How... how do fiends not have Knowledge (Planes)? She can't identify the lowliest Dretch nor the mightiest Balor.

Bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
He tries without success to bite her.

Atum is up for the surprise round (one standard or move action only), then we will go to Round 1 and I will post an initiative tracker.

Silgil amends his initial assessment.

"No, not cooperative. Definitely not. She's a dangerous thing and can control weak minds. Be on your guard for anyone acting strangely."

Well, Doodle. Looks apparently are not all that they seem. She definitely does not look at all nice now. Not at all!

Lasaraleen scowls at the demon in defiance.

Atum is a Diviner so he always act in surprise. And I'd like to notice that the mermaid was near river (at) , right? And the wizard likely wanted to be further than 50 feet

- you see? Hey lady, I prefer Erynies! Vesh, you see, the lady is upset, come back!

Atum prepares to Counterspell and Doru becomes invisible again, being upset he could not bite the mermaid before she somehow noticed him

@Atum, there was no opportunity to be further than 50' away and still have line of effect to anything. Also, Veshtahz's surprise round action was to try to bite the mermaid. Yes, I missed that he was supposed to be invisible, but she can't hurt him so it's sort of a moot point. In any event he would become visible after attacking so she sees him right now. He can turn invisible and fly away on your Round 1 turn.

Also, spell-like abilities cannot be Counterspelled, and Atum knows that is what the Succubus has (she does not cast spells the way you do). SLAs can be Dispelled after they are cast, however. Is that what you wish to do? Ready to cast Dispel Magic if she uses an SLA on anyone?

Round 1
Succubus (waiting on Atum's clarification for his readied action)
Tere
Lasaraleen
Atum
Silgil
Doodlevain
??

Atum forgot for a moment that spell likes can not be stopped as usual spells can. Instead he decides quickly to have some fun and conjure Glitterdust to cover both the succubus and Doru. ((Will DC 20))

---=== Surprise Round ===---
Atum showers the area with glitter.
Succubus Will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
The Succubus is blinded.

Veshtahz Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19 It uses Atum's saves?
As is the Doru div.

---=== Round 1 ===---
The succubus vanishes.
Atum Spellcraft, 55': 1d20 + 19 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 19 - 5 = 23
Atum knows that she could not have gone Invisible, because of the Glitterdust, but just barely manages to recognize her vanishing as a Greater Teleport effect.

Succubus
Tere
Lasaraleen
Atum
Silgil
Doodlevain
??

”Now we scared her away. But just in case she comes back… “

Lasaraleen will cast the extended circle vs evil on herself and party around her that she planned to do later.

- This explains a lot. Thakns you, Lass. This mermaid might return, although demons usually not persistent. Hey Lang, how are you feeling?

Atum want to ask Vesh of he saw where the succubus went, but decided Doru is angry enough, and his provocative joke worked fine. Seeing how Doru tries to become Invisible but still glamorously covered with golden dust and also not seeing what's happening make Atum laugh really similar with Kreiton Shane... But the wizard quickly finds his seriousness back.

Familiar is masters modifier. He got better Wisdom but no Cloak of Resistance, so just +7 Will

@Atum, we are still in rounds. Go ahead and take your turn, and remember to roll Veshtahz's save to shake off the blindness for this round.

Silgil just delays until the little lady reappears.

Doodle pulls her spear and casts Heroism on herself, expecting that evil creature to pop back in the midst of the group pretty soon.

Atum uses Diviners Fortune to feel more secure (self).
And looking around an up also....

Vesh Will vs blind: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Doru is furious but able to see again

Tere is up.

Are there any areas of dim light nearby?

@Tere - yes. The wide path that you are on has normal light (you can see some difference in shading on the map) but it is dim light everywhere else due to the jungle canopy.

Tere has the shadowdancer Su ability to hide in plain sight within ten feet of an area of dim light.

Stealth check: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24

The elf fades from view, preparing to strike if anything presents itself.

A creature runs out to where the "mermaid" had been, trident in hand.
It looks vaguely confused.

Knowledge (Nature) DC 12 to identify this as a Skum. No real special abilities to speak of.

01-50: 1d100 ⇒ 42 Something else happens.

Round 2
Succubus
Tere
Lasaraleen
Atum
Silgil
Doodlevain
Skum

"Maybe we should move away from the water?"

Atum agrees with Silgil and move further from water murmuring something about not dealing with scum..

Doodle delays, wanting to see how the strange creature reacts before automatically starting a fight.

Silgil joins Atum and strides away from the Scum.

Lasaraleen will take a different approach and cast comp language and then wave to the skum in common call

”Greetings. Are you looking for the mermaid lady? We seem to have like scared her away. She may be back. Are you a friend of hers? “

Silgil joins Atum and strides away from the Scum...

And then halts and turns around as he realizes Lasaraleen has other ideas.

The Skum runs off to the north.

An emaciated demon wielding a longspear bursts from the jungle!

Does it see Tere?: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (14) + 19 = 33
Yes it does.

Attack vs Tere: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Tere is stabbed for 11 damage.

Silgil and Atum recognize this as a babau demon - often known for stealth and ambushes, but in this case it has chosen a straightforward attack.

If it was summoned, Larasaleen's Magic Circle Against Evil should keep it at bay, but it is outside the area of effect (it has a longspear).

Round 3
Succubus
Babau
Tere -11
Lasaraleen
Atum
Silgil
Doodlevain
Skum

Tere takes a short step towards the creature, drawing shadows around himself and striking.

Stealth check to hide in plain sight: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26

Curve blade power attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Damage, if applicable (+1 magic): 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Sneak attack damage, if it didn't perceive him: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10

Note that Tere has the bleeding attack rogue talent, so if he did his sneak attack damage the enemy takes 2 points of bleed damage.

Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38
It does see him, so no Sneak Attack.

Tere's blade proves marignally effective against the demon.

3 damage after DR.

The blade is momentarily stuck to the acidic slime on the creature's skin.

Please make a DC 18 Reflex save, Tere. The 1d8 acid damage won't penetrate your sword's Hardness, so it's really just for flavor.

"It would seem like the lady demon is summoning help. No matter."

Silgil makes a few gestures and utter a few odd sounds and a pit appears under the skinny fellow.

DC 19 Create Pit spell. I know it is not core, but I picked it up in a scenario.

”Well now they scared off the fishy friend. Not nice stabbing poor Tere like that. And even worse if the red lady is bringing more friends to the party.. By the Dawn that makes me angry!“

Lasaraleen casts righteous might on herself and starts looking for signs of the female where the babau emerged

perception : 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (15) + 17 = 32

she grows large, extra strong and Buffy

Doodle casts Shield and moves 5’ to her left, presenting herself as a target and avoiding the edge of the pit spell. She pulls her magical spear as she does so.

Pretty predictable for a succubus to have a have a company. - nods Atum, coming out with an abjuration glyph, following Doodle's example with Shield. 21 AC now.

Meanwhile Veshtahz flying around the scum and mocking him, but high enough so he could barely reach him with the spear. Charm person, Will DC 13 Doru is tryin to find some friends this way.

Las's spells pretty atractive, so Atum decides to not go further from the team.

Reflex DC 19: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 The Babau dodges the pit.
For a stealthy assassin-type demon, it has a pretty mediocre Dex (13) and Reflex save (+6). Dex is actually its lowest ability score.

Lasaraleen cannot see the Succubus there is no line of sight.

The Doru's Charm Person has no effect on the Skum. Monstrous humanoids are not affected by the spell. Still, in the course of following the Skum, Veshtahz finds the Succubus.

"Here she is, Master!"

The Skum hurls his trident at Veshtahz - as does another one in the same area.

Ranged Trident: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Ranged Trident: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Both miss; one Skum then picks up his trident, while the other moves into position to do so.

The Succubus shouts to her comrades "Leave him be!" and looks to Veshtahz, "won't you come down here and talk to me as a friend?"

Automatically beats his SR 13.
Will save, in combat: 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 5 = 17
Veshtahz thinks this is a really good idea...

Through the Div's Telepathy, Atum "hears" Master, shall we ally with her and betray the Society? She is much prettier than Lasaraleen or Doodlevain.

@Atum, do you want to use a reroll for Veshtahz (if you have one)?

The Babau uses Withdraw.
You all are up!

Round 4
Succubus
Babau -3
Tere -11
Lasaraleen
Atum
Silgil
Doodlevain
Skum

Silgil casts a Haste spell, hoping to make up for the wily demons teleportation with sheer speed.

That should get all of us since we are still nicely clumped, including the hapless familiar Veshtahz.

Tere advances stealthily towards the enemies, readying an attack if any of them come in reach. He's got the fast stealth rogue talent, so he can move at his full speed while sneaking.

Stealth check: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34