[OPVI] PF2e B12 - Somewhere Below (P7) (Inactive)

Game Master UncleFroggy

Green runs into Cath's furious readied attack and falls to the ground. Loompecker's readied attack against Blue misses, so Blue comes in with an attack of its own.

Blue Claw: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Slashing: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

However due to his amulet's reachtion, Loompecker takes no damage.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

There's a Mephit to my Madness!

Thull Ashun (-3)
Loompecker
Cath
Red (2 HP, starting to heal, playing dead)
Green (0 HP)
Blue (Personal Antithesis from Loompecker, -11)
Bun Helsing
Dar Lek
Corabee (-3)

◆Stride, ◆Stride, ◆Confident Finisher
speed 30 with the +5 bonus from Panache.
The rock might be difficult terrain, but I have the movement speed to still make it there.

Bee notices Cath take down the imp she was battling. But doesn't notice that the one right next to him is still living. "Nice hit, Cath."

With only one enemy still up, Bee takes off running towards it. He runs up the side of a small rock nearby to get a bit higher of a vantage point to attack from. "Your turn," Bee announces as he stabs at it.

Short Sword Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Finisher Short Sword Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Finisher Damage (precision): 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10
Half the Finisher Damage if the attack roll misses

Bee's attack misses, but with the finisher damage Blue still goes down!

At this point, let's assume that Bun shouts, "They're not dead, they're sucking in sand and regenerating!"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

There's a Mephit to my Madness!

Thull Ashun (-3)
Loompecker
Cath
Red (2 HP, starting to heal, playing dead)
Green (0 HP)
Blue (Personal Antithesis from Loompecker, 0 HP)
Bun Helsing
Dar Lek
Corabee (-3)

Cath, you also have your full round of actions in addition to your attack of opportunity. Do you ready an attack? (And if so, can you do the GM a favor and pre-roll it? I will be botting both yours and Loompeckers attacks in an hour or so if you do not get to it before then.)

Sorry, I thought that was the end of that action! Let me get in on this.

Cath, keeping an eye out looks at Bee's takedown and cheers him on before hearing Bun's shout. Twirling the ball and chain of the meteor hammer, Cath then swings down on the unconscious green creature with all her might! Not focusing as to whether she hit or not, the woman swings once more, hoping to keep the creature from standing up, "I don't want these things to come up and attack any other passerbys! Take care of them or scare them off somehow!"

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (6, 7) + 4 = 17

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 10 ⇒ (7) + 9 - 10 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

◈◈ Power Attack
◈ Attack

Pulsing once more, Bea's eyes continue glowing a gentle purple. While Ashun was about to start moving towards the other two, he looks towards Red after Bun's (weirdly non-lisped) words and it seems like it will keep regrowing as long as there is sand. Focusing his mind on his studies, the physician tries to recollet any of his past learnings to stop them from coming back.

◈ Sustain Stoke the Heart on Loompecker

Can I roll for recall knowledge or something to help?

Ashun realizes that these creatures only regenerate if they are in sand or dust. If they were thrown into the water, they'd stop regenerating.

Looking deep inside his mind, Ashun tells to the others, "After you are done with them, take them out of the sand, preferably into the water." and points to Dar Lek, drawing a fortifying sigil that tattoos his biceps muscles to help him throw the thing into the water.

◈ Recall Knowledge
◈ Guidance on Dar Lek

Bee watches satisfied as the flying thing falls to the ground. "That should be the last of them." He turns around a bit surprised as everyone else is still in commotion. Catching the last few shouted words, he turns back to the Mephit and sees that indeed it is still breathing and sucking in sand. "Hey, you are supposed to die when I kill you. That is your part in this program. Quit screwing it up."

◈ Dar Lek strides up
◈ picks up the unconscious mephit
◈ and tosses it into the water
athletics: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9
((Hero Point))
athletics: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 = 18

The orc takes the next mephit in his arms before it heals and begins to go in the direction of the water hole.

Bun takes one look at Red and calls out to his friends.

"Red ith not dead! It'th thucking thand and healing!"

GM! Bun has a lisp!! :)

Looking to remedy that problem, Bun reloads and shoots Red.

Crossbow vs Red: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Grumbling, Bun hops over to behind some bushes.

◆ Reload
◆ Whiff
◆ Stride (Hop)

I'm going to rule that no hero point or Athletics check is needed to hurl unconscious creatures into water. Red is conscious, however.

Red flies up, makes a rude gesture at all of you, and flees, shouting raucously in terran. You plunk the other two mephits in the water.

Glub, glub.

Out of Combat

As Loompecker handles the mephit near them, Bee notices that the first one he took down is now flying away. He takes off running back to the other side of the battlefield. "Hey, I killed you fair and square. Get back here and die like you are supposed to." He puts his sword away and draws his bow, but by the time he gets a shot lined up the mephit is far enough away that Bee doesn't like his odds of actually hitting it. Much less dealing enough damage to keep it dead.

He lowers his bow. "Bah. I'm sure he will go harassing other travelers later."

"But I also don't think that those are the robbers that we are looking for."

After having sheathed his weapon the orc looks around. We should find a camp, some wagons, well something near here. Possibly he turns around the sphinx.

Walking back to pick up her dagger and shield, Cath looks at the others, "I agree with Loompecker. There might be signs of the wagons nearby." Inspecting her new flail, she then smiles and nods before attaching it to her belt once more.

Bee checks their map again. "Oasis, check. Sphinx out here in the middle of nowhere, check. Bandit camp, not so much."

"It certainly looks like the right place. The only thing I can think of is to check out inside the sphinx." He pulls out his sword again and goes to inspect what looks to be a stairway at the front of the sphinx.

Dar Lek nods to Bee while reloading the Pepperbox.

I ... shall ... cover you

Making her way next to Bee, Cath nods and looks down the stairs, "Hold up a moment. Let me get a torch ready since we are gonna go down. Wouldn't want to be snuck up on like last time in the caves!" Taking off her pack, she pulls out a satchel lined in waxed paper and removes a torch from it before putting it away. Taking her flint and steel and lighting the oil covered peat, she holds the torch out and grins. "Adventure!"

Bun nods as well, while hopping back onto his perch on Dar Lek's shoulder. He also reloads his crossbow.

"Caveth? What caveth?"

Ashun looks towards the stuffed rabbit, "Worry not Bun, on one of our last adventures we went inside a cave to search for a person, and we ended up finding giant spiders and spirits." he answers with a light hearted smile and then walks up to Bee's side and also takes a look at the sphinx entrance, "Fascinating. I have always thought that sphinxes only had entrances in fantasy... Well, if the book are correct, sphinxes, pyramids, mausoleums, and the alike, always have some sort of both traps and contraptions inside. Must we venture onwards inside, I suggest caution.", and even though the changeling offers caution and is soft-spoken, his tone clearly indicates eagerness and curiosity.

"Oh! Did you meet Unthgrin? I met up with her too! Did thhe get herthelf into trouble again?!"

"Indeed. So it would seem she tends to get in trouble quite frequently. I may check in on her once we are back to Absalom. Would not want her to be a coccoon again."

"Oh goodneth me, no! That woman alwayth wanth to thtrike out on her own! Ekthploring caveth by yourthelf ith very dangerouth!"

"Ekthploring caveth by yourthelf ith very dangerouth!"

Bee nods in agreement. "That's what we told her too. Always take backup."

"Though I am not sure how much she believed me."

"Did you thee the thize of the thpiderth?! Almost thcared me out of my thtuffing!"

"They were quite large! I'd rather fight something on two or four legs to be sure," agrees with Bun, holding her torch up as she begins her decent down the stairs. "Everyone be careful, and be watchful. I don't know what could be down here."

The group approaches the entryways into the Sphinx, only to discover that those entrances are three-quarters buried, and have been so for months. Clearly, the bandits are not here.

After a brief exploration of the surrounding area you discover a ruined bandit camp, where you find scattered equipment, abandoned tents, and a sphinx lounging over a half-eaten camel. The sphinx's tail twitches as you approach, but he doesn't move to attack.

“Are you here to attack me, too?” the sphinx asks sulkily. He extends his claws and plays idly with an intricately carved puzzle box. “I once dreamed of studying at the Magaambya to learn of your magic and history, but now I am close to abandoning my dreams and returning home to my mountain. Whenever I try to gift humanoids a riddle, they attack me like beasts!” From his lounging position, he narrows his eyes suspiciously at his visitors. “But are you any different?”

“Are you here to attack me, too?”

When the sphinx greets the group with words instead of claws or magic, Bee relaxes a bit. "Ehh, I have had enough attacking things for the moment with those bat creatures."

"And you shouldn't abandon your dreams. That doesn't sound like a good way to be."

At the mention of a riddle, Bee smiles a bit. "Ooh, riddles can be fun. I only know a couple. Maybe we can trade one?"

After descending a little and noticing the buried entrance of the sphinx, Ashun gets a bit upset and turns back to investigate the surroundings. Which after a while, he notices the sphinx, and after they ask them a question, Ashun answers "Why would we? You seem quite the curious one, in both meanings. And I highly doubt any intelligent creature would dare question yours.", he bows slightly, then proceeds "I may not be the best teacher, but I may be able to show you some magical prestigitation and explain a bit of arcana. However, I must say I am indeed eager to listen to your riddles. But first, you may call me Ashun, and this one by my side is Bea." he answers with a gentle smile as he points towards the blue iguana by his side.

for a second I thought it was a sphinx cat, not a sphinx monster

Bun looks in awe of the sphinx. "What a majethtic creature. I am called Bun Helthing. Thethe are my friendth."

Riddles. .... Fascinating ... And what riddle would you gift us with. Oh. ..... Where did you .... find that .... puzzle box?

The orc also noticed the puzzle box in the sphinx claws. He is right: what if we resolve your game, what if we won’t? And what if we ask you one at our turn?

Bun also notices the puzzle box the sphinx is playing with.

"Hmm. We don't want to attack you, but we were thent to retrieve that puththule bokth. What do we need to do to get you to give it to uth?"

Stepping back and taking in a sharp breath, Cath realized the creature speaking, and the box in its paws.

"I may not be good at puzzles, but I too, would rather not fight. As my companions here have stated, we would like to have the box, as I believe it is the one we are seeking."

The sphinx looks at all of you warily, but when Ashun and Bea introduce themselves, he says reluctantly, "My name's Zandyk. So you say you want a riddle?" He pauses, looking around at the carnage of the bandit fight around him. "How do I know that you're not like them? Before we gift each other our riddles, perhaps you should show me that you are worthy of one. Show me who you are, show me why I should play riddle games with you." Then he sighs and looks down at the puzzle box. "If you impress me, I will exchange riddles with you, and let you win your puzzle box, though I have been trying to solve its mysteries for myself."

Ashun and Cath both recall that sphinxes view riddles as a sacred contract between the riddler and the recipient. You realize that this sphinx, Zandyk, was horrified at the bandit's response, and is now slow to trust.

Impressing the Sphinx

You all have the opportunity now to impress the Sphinx.

Or you can come up with your own plan, and a relevant skill check to show Zandyk that you too are civilized enough to be a riddle recipient. Feel free to be creative, and roleplay this!

"Show me who you are, show me why I should play riddle games with you." Then he sighs and looks down at the puzzle box. "If you impress me, I will exchange riddles with you, and let you win your puzzle box."

"Oh certainly," Bee says, grinning. "After all, there is very little that I enjoy more than showing off."

Bee puts his sword away and begins thinking of ways to impress this fascinating creature.

Ashun nods in agreement, "Of course, I do not know how much worth you would require of me in exchange for a riddle, but I may show some of my areas of expertise." and smiling softly, he starts tracing the air in front of him with his fingertips, slower than usual to let Zandyk absorb the event, creating a trail of neon-like lines, similar to as if drawing in the air. A round glyph with a small mesh of the sphinx inside the circle, that when it pulses, a toy version falls into Ashun's hand, which he then extends to the riddler as if offering it. "I do not know how vast is your knowledge on the arcane, but if you are interested and my colleagues do not mind, I would be inclined to share what I know about magic.", he then almost interrupts himself, as if adding something else "Ah, right. I am also an expert in Alchemy, if that also peaks your interest." ending with a side smile. It is fascinating dealing with such a mighty creature.

May I roll for Arcana (or Alchemical lore if they are more interested in that) as I'm explaining how my magic works as I do more magic tricks?

Absolutely. Go ahead and roll it openly, this is not a secret check.

Trying to impress Zandyk, Ashun explains how his magic works and the intricacies of drawing his glyphs.
Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Hero Point Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
am sad

The good news is that this GM gives a roleplay bonus when considering your rolls.

Zandyk looks at the tiny toy Sphinx that Ashun prestidigitated into existence, and he smiles even though the figurine was poorly made. "I was considering studying magic at the Magaambya. I suppose tricks like this would be among the early lessons I could have learned there. I would love to converse a bit more with you about this."

I discovered ... on my ... last mission ... that doing acrobatics ... seems to impress people Dar Lek says. Maybe ... it will ... work ... again

So he tries to be flexible.
acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

The sphinx yawns as Dar Lek does cartwheels and then asks, "So why did acrobatics help you on your last mission?"

He does not yet appear impressed with your Acrobatics, but might if you provided more details (or did better on a reroll.)

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Hero Point Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 Now out of hero points

Bowing towards the sphynx, Cath looks into their eyes before speaking, "Aye, it would be improper for us to not introduce ourselves. I am Cath, and hail from Korvosa of Varisia, and here are my companions. While I do not fancy myself as one who would be apt at puzzles or riddles, I am sure that one of the others would perhaps be a better fit." Cath takes off her gloves and holds them out with palms raised, "As you can see, Ashun knowing magics would be apt, as well as Loompecker. They both seem to have a head about academia and magics. Bee, on the other hand, could entertain you for a chance at a riddle, as he is light on his feet and has a fast with with words." Gesturing towards Bun and Dar and smiles while talking about them, "Those two, can show you the machinations of science and engineering with their crossbow and pepperbox."

Taking a few steps forward while keeping her hands outward, "We mean you no harm, as we were looking for the bandits who took the box you are currently handling. Perhaps, if we could solve the riddle, we can obtain the box and return it to the one who it belongs?"

"So why did acrobatics help you on your last mission?"

Performance (storytelling): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

"Oh, yeah. Great story," Bee pipes up. "I'll let Dar tell you about the dancing on the docks. But after we got to the tavern and met with our contact there, they decided that they wanted to leave unnoticed. So we had an epic food fight. People were throwing fish and rolls and punches." He shrugs a bit. "A few people got a bit out of hand, but no real harm done. And in all, everyone had an awesome time that they won't soon forget."

The Sphinx warms up to Cath's description of everyone in the group, and then appears quietly amused by Corabee's storytelling. "A food fight? Is this how humans solve problems?" Zandyk looks down at his camel, and then says, "Throwing one of these would be messy, but I suppose fish and rolls would be lighter."

Processing .... recalling memory

Then in Bitty's voice: Yes, please, can you tell us where to party with Stella Fane? My good friend Egg told me that you were the best person to ask, and as you can see, our other friend Dar Lek is a little stiff. He could use a good party

As Cath I'm sure a drink or five might limber him up, though he might still be a bit stiff. A drink does sound good though

As himself. Actually .... I am .... quite limber

The recording then ends with Ashun's applause.

And ... that is ... basically what happened. I was ... attempting to demonstrate ... I am not ... stiff

And ... that is ... basically what happened. I was ... attempting to demonstrate ... I am not ... stiff

Bee nods vigorously. "It was quite fun to watch. It doesn't work as well on the sand though. On the water soaked dock that was growing a bit of moss you could really get a good slide going. Here," Bee demonstrates trying to slide on his feet through the sand, "it ends up just being more of a stumble, hop, hop."

Bun leaps from Dar Lek's shoulder as soon as the android begins performing cartwheels. He lands unceremoniously on his head but appears to shrug off the fall.

"Oh, Acrobaticth ith a bit of my thtrong thuit thinth I can't really get hurt if I fall."

Bun then proceeds to perform even more dangerous acrobatic tricks, usually involving bouncing his head on rocks while doing cartwheels and tumbles.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Diplomacy:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Well you know all what my companions try to explain to you is that we have different skills we know to use. Some of us are impressed by you that's the reason why they miss to impress you themselves using their skills.