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

Game Master Aldizog

Let's say that the surprise round begins when you are 30' above them in the shaft, so you can move into position during that round and then act in the first full round of combat.

You can place up to four of you in the outlined box, with the other PC above you.

Round 1
Tere
Atum
Doodlevain
Silgil
Caster
Lasaraleen
Skum

The slides are not showing.

I did not roll the false life since we found Lang, so I think I am due a new roll for my morning casting...

false life: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

There's a typo in the maps link--an extra h at the beginning of http, I think.

Damn, I was sure I posted. Is this an atrium or a balcony over the water? Likely Aum will vape to the left to stand over the atrium. Vesh will likely fly with me for know

Doodle will cast Haste in the group.

Damn, I was sure I posted. Is this an atrium or a balcony over the water? Likely Aum will vape to the left to stand over the atrium. Vesh will likely fly with me for know

What you see on the map are just channels for the water to flow.

"Water trickles endlessly through the cavern, transported by slender channels carved into the surrounding formations..."

The bottom of the cavern is shallow water (again, scenario doesn't say, just a judgment call) so not difficult terrain.

Atum tries to land somwhere near rocks, close to party, but with a cover. He does not like being wet, but prefers to stay close to warriors.

As soon as he see fellows land - he will Dismiss the Gaseous Form also.

Round 1
Tere
Atum
Doodlevain - Cast Haste
Silgil
Caster
Lasaraleen
Skum

Silgil uses his change form ability and uses the air elemental form to move to the other side of the room, ending 15' above floor level.

As Atum finds his voice and flesh again, he throws a Ash nazgh! shout and demonstrating an octopus tentacle. Black tentacles appear at the far end grabbing at least one scum and huging stalagmite.

Tentacles grapple CMB: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32
damage?: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

- Now, just throw this scum in there. - smiles wizard with a grim. He is glad to cover their fellow pathfinder body from view.

Tere strikes at the skum that's next to him, his blade a blur.

Primary attack, PA, including haste: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 1 = 14
Iterative attack, PA, including haste: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 = 8
Hasted attack, PA, including haste: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 1 = 17

Wow. That's...really pathetic. Did any of them hit a flat-footed target?

my map may be out of sync but I don’t see skum

LOL - I was looking for tokens on map and did not realize the S and C were representing the skum and caster..I thought those were like secret entrances or something.

Their regular AC is 13, flat-footed 12, so Tere hits.
Tere Damage, PA, Sneak Attack: 1d10 + 4 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 6 + (4, 6) = 24

Tere drops his foe with his first strike and still has a move action if desired.

Atum grapples both the caster and another skum with Black Tentacles.

Silgil transforms into an air elemental and moves above two of the other Skum.

The enemy caster looks to Silgil. "Hurt yourself. Badly." Despite the fact that the stone he carries is in an extradimensional space that is merged with his elemental body, Silgil feels compelled to do so by the lingering evil of the demonic presence.
Make a Will save at -8; DC 17 (a plot-device spell effect so I will say Hardy applies). If you fail, attack yourself with your most damaging spell or ability, which in this case is just a slam. Rules are unclear on the ability, and a DC isn't even given, but say he just needs to speak and it's not technically an SLA, so I'm going to let him do it as a free action even when grappled - it is kind of important plot-wise that he gets to use this ability and he'll be dead very soon.

Then he attempts to break free from the tentacles, but fails.
CMB vs CMD 23: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Round 1
Tere
Atum
Doodlevain
Silgil - Will save DC 17 (at a -8)
Caster (Red) -8, Grappled
Lasaraleen
Skum (Blue -8, Grappled)

will, hardy, stone: 1d20 + 9 + 2 - 8 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 2 - 8 = 15

Silgil is unable to resist and his most damaging spell is a magic missile, so that is what he uses. Lightning bolt would do more but it shoots out from him and I don't think he can direct it at himself.

damage: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 3, 1, 1) + 4 = 13

He had 4 points of the false life left after the self harm.

Lasaraleen frowns.

”well that was not very nice at all. “

She calls forth a spiritual scimitar of force to strike at the caster.

spiritual: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29 for force: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

She then draws her own scimitar at moves to engage the closest

”By the Dawnflower, you heathens will regret it. Now take this! “

I am assuming with feather falling, she is either standing on a stone or wading In water…

I'm going to say it's shallow water (yet another thing not clearly stated in the scenario...) so you can wade with no problem. I moved Lasaraleen to the nearest Skum.

Lasaraleen's phantom scimitar slices the caster.

The trapped Skum attempts to free himself.
CMB vs CMD 23: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Another attacks Lasaraleen with trident, tooth, and claw.
Trident: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Claw: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Two more move to try to join the fun.

Round 2
Tere
Atum
Doodlevain
Silgil
Caster (Red) -24, Grappled
Lasaraleen
Skum (Blue -8, Grappled)

Does Silgil have an action after he cast magic missile on himself?

In Round 1:

After dropping the skum he faced, Tere draws shadows around himself and fades from sight, moving up on the next one.

Stealth check: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35

Round 2:

The elf slices at the black-scaled enemy.

Attack, PA, hasted, ideally vs. flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 1 = 22
Curve blade PA damage: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Sneak attack damage, if applicable: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8

If that's enough to drop it, he'll sneak towards the orange one.

Stealth check, if applicable: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33

Atum whispers necromancy formula of Ghoul Touch and asks to deliver it to enenmy spellcaster. Veshtagz likes this spell, even though it is stinky. Being quick thanks to haste - invisible Doru quickly approaches the cultist...

Black Tentacles continue grappling and squeeze: 1d20 + 13 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 5 = 25

Doru can cover up to 70 feet over one fly move, so if able to reach the Spellcaster - hasted invisible Vesh licks the face of foe, appearing right in the air in front...

Ghoul Touch ( Fort 20) Doru attack, Haste, Invisibility : 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 30

Does Silgil have an action after he cast magic missile on himself?

Sure.

Skum Perception vs Tere: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Tere stealthily dispatches another enemy.

Caster Fort, DC 20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
The enemy spellcaster falls prey to the Ghoul Touch spell and is paralyzed.

Doodlevain and Silgil are up!

Doodle casts magic missile against the orange enemy, seeing as it was not grasped by the tentacles.

Damage 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (3, 3, 2, 4, 3) + 5 = 20

They have 20 HP, so the one that Doodle hit is Disabled.

At this point, it is trivial to finish the fight. You make short work of the remaining enemies.

As noted, Eiastor Wyrn’s corpse is currently chained to the altar, his wrists and ankles slashed open and his eyes and mouth sewn shut.

There are a number of small, black polished stones on the altar, similar to the ones that Silgil was carrying. Lasaraleen can tell that this is a site of ritual sacrifice. Eiastor Wyrn was the sacrifice, and the purpose was probably to instill those stones with the demonic essence of Sifkesh.

Recall that Osprey suggested he would like the stones. Or, specifically he said "If what we know about these stones is true, they cannot fall into the hands of the Aspis - do you understand?"

There are probably over a thousand pounds of such stones in the channels (the 'aquaduct," looks like a bridge or walkway through the water on the map). And, carrying them with you presents it own risks.

So what will you do?

Lasaraleen gasps at the grisly sight of the sacrifice

”By the Dawn. This is just totally ewww. Not good at all. “

She will try prayers to relieve the scene and consider returning with a consecration spell or whatever she thinks would help.

kn:religion : 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Tere thinks for a moment. "I'm no expert on this sort of thing. If I understand what they did here, though, what would happen if you raised Elastor? Would that undo the effects of the sacrifice?"

”A raise dead I could probably do. But if this takes a resurrection or wish, I am afraid Sarenrae will not grant me and me faith that level of power.“

Will wait for ruling on kn: religious to see what she is contending against.

"Even a dwarf cannot carry all those stones, and carrying even one seems to have cost me. I'm more than a little worried about the lasting effects of these things. Though... I do have a floating disk spell that can carry 800 pounds of the stuff. Prepare a few of those and I think we could get these things out of here, if we can get them across the chasm. But better would be to just destroy them."

knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27 To see if he can figure out how to destroy them.

If this takes a religion roll Silgil is not your Dwarf.

"How hard would it be to bring the ceiling down in here, or flood the chamber? Or both?"

Yes, I would say that a Consecrate spell would be of use. Would at least remove the taint from any stones already affected.

As to preventing further creation of such stones, collapsing the chamber (or the access shaft) could be done. If you are planning to rest here and regain spells for Consecrate, then a day's work would easily do it.

Lasaraleen would want to consecrate the place and use a summoned elemental to destroy the place.

”We cannot let this atrocity stand.“

She would also conduct a proper funeral for the deceased.

”We can bury him near here, maybe above. I do not know if the Society would want him, but that is a long trek. “

She could try word of recall unless someone has reliable teleport.

Silgil nods in agreement. "Consecration and burial. I like it. though staying here all night, that I don't like."

Silgil gets the rock out of his bag and tosses it among the others (if it will let him).

Unless any objections, Lasaraleen will summon a Bralani to carry the body up for burial topside

”We shall call on the Dawnflower to lay our fallen brother to rest.“

Will plan to rest away from this area (above) and memorize consecration and word of recall (for emergency if needed)

”Feel free to do anything else while BBC we are here. Just be careful as those stones are vile.“

ATum probably could find some another approach to situation but he decided a constructive outcome is unlikely.

-Vesh, you hear this? Do not lick stones! Burrial. This way this place surely become a place of mutated monsters over decades but thats will not be our problem, right? I am just joking, even after centuries such things going to occure. By the Dawnflower also, you do not say.

Atum can Dimension Door up couple more persons or someone with the body.

I am posting on my phone the next few days and will post a longer wrap-up on Friday.

Silgil is able to dispose of his stone.

Lasaraleen buries Eiastor Wyrn and sanctifies the site.

Veshtahz considers hiding a stone within his mouth as a souvenir but thinks better of it. He already has two masters between Ahriman and Atum, and does not need a third, beautifully horrific though she may be.

So, there are a couple of ways you can get back. Word of Recall would get you back if you wished (I am sure that at 11th level Lasaraleen is "very familiar" with the Grand Lodge). If you didn't have that, Osprey would be waiting at the waystation with another Greater Teleport scroll.

Lasaraleen brings you back to the Grand Lodge, and from there it is a short walk to the Saucy Wench.

Osprey greets you and listens as you fill him in.
"Well done! Closing off that temple was the right thing to do. I suppose we don't need the stones to study - your notes will be enough, and we don't need the risk.
You gave Eiastor Wyrn a decent burial? Good, good.
Hmmm. Shame about Wyrn. He was a promising agent.
I'll have to check if he left directions and a deposit to retrieve his body. We have teams for that.
Other than that... how did the Mwangi Expanse treat you? We may have more work there in the future. Ah, the great outdoors."

If you brought back Lang, then Osprey will take care of him. "He'll be treated well and exchanged for one of our agents."

Actually, this is not Lang, but the Aspis leader Lichten, who was driven mad by the Succubus and believes his name is Lang; not sure of the reason for that whole substitution other than if you knew he was the expedition leader you might have killed him? Unclear.

You get the usual lucrative payment Chronicle Sheets coming and have no lingering effect from the stones.

"Good seeing you again, Doodle. Nice meeting the, ah, rest of you. Maybe we'll be assigned together again sometime." Tere waves and is gone.

Silgil keeps checking himself to make sure the stones have not corrupted him, stripping and casting detect spells a few times.

"It was an elucidating experience. Let's avoid those stones if at all possible."

”Those stones were totally vile and should not be left for Aspis or anyone to mismanage.“

”I think that’s my first mission where we blew up the site! Things are never boring around here,” she laughs as she bids goodbye to her friends.

Very soon after Atun forgets about the mission being excited about something else NG else. Probably he is agree with Osprey and looks forward to another missingion from him, but now departs to take a bath at least...

ooh, very busy week. I enjoyed this game a lot. Thanks everyone! Our GM made best in the circumstances of Core, early season and some mystics in the party.