Billy nods with understanding and responds in plantspeak, "Thank you for your wise counsel, Svarýr. We shall approach when we've proven ourselves worthy of the journey." Billy explains to the group, "Svarýr, that's my new friend, says that we need only step onto his roots when we're ready to be transported."
After Jismur introduces himself, Billy looks back to Svarýr, "Any advice to share in getting past the very large foxes?" He thinks to add, "Wait! Is there any chance of you being harmed by our magic?" If allowed, Billy tries to recall what he knows of the foxes: Nature +25.
Re: The Dance initiative: Since we're expecting 3 challenges for the 3 locks, let's save it for a 3rd encounter, if there is one. Otherwise, let's use it on the first opportunity after the 3 locks.
Still gripping his sword in case Bolti tries something, Slick is ready for combat when the three gigantic foxes appear from above. He only slightly relaxes when the lead one greets them. "This must be the Norn's welcoming committee. I wonder if they'll will be friends with us?"
Slick only lightly rolls his eyes at the tripartite lock trope that the Norn's decided to employ to make the group's life difficult. He nods when Jismur mentions that the Norns would throw their servants at them to slow them down and is thus totally unsurprised when the three foxes before them turn out to be the first such obstacle. He retightens the grip on his sword and calls over to the undead Skald. "You're welcome to join us for this fight, Bolti. Think of it as a warm-up for when you find your brother."
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
"Hmm. That is unfortunate for you, Pine. What happened to the time you were able to grow? I have not seen you do that in a long time." In the time it took for Sigourney to remember, Pine has vanished again.
Turning to the fox-like beings, a smug expression crosses her lips as she savours the challenge in front of her.
"You could just not fight us and let us through. But you would not dare to disobey your masters. Reginald..." She snaps her fingers, commanding the rat to Valet her Staff and Knifewand into her hands - "...let us make their last moments explosive, shall we?"
The foxes all get the jump on the group. They each leap forward and as they does so they each unleashes a trio of strange energy blasts into the group.
♫"Beside the magnificent tree.
We'll prove we are worthy -- you'll see.
.....The foxes went first.
.....Now we'll do our worst.
Impressing the Harrowing Three!"♫
Then he continues,
♫"The foxes want a fight -- it's something they'll be ruing.
Combining speed with might is what we shall be doing."♫
Haste (7th rank) for the entire party. Including Bolti.
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
As Slick takes a multitude of forceful barrages to the face, Sigourney's first thought is to run over and give him flight...but then she sees Bolti testily waiting to act.
She asks the undead being; "Bolti, can you fly on your own power and hit these foxes?"
◇ Speak. Holding rest of the turn based on response.
With GM's permission, instead of casting Haste in the previous post...
Billy sings,
♫"These foxes that are flying. We need to bring them down.
Soon they will be dying. Attack while on the ground!"♫
Cast Falling Sky: All creatures in a 30' radius cylinder crash to the ground. They fall and take 61 damage (including CA?), After they fall ... Fort Save DC 44 (with Incapacitation) to determine prone/stunned.
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
"Oi! I am trying to help, Draugr! A warrior of your caliber would know better than to assume that those without wings cannot fly." Sigourney scowls back at the undead warrior.
Sigourney waves her hands around and chants dramatically. With magic enhancing the treble of her voice, she yells out; "Stay down, foxy creatures! Wood Sign - Arrow Salvo!"
At her command, the trees around the battlefield avail themselves of their leaves, sharpen themselves into sharp arrows and rain down like a hailstorm on all the foxes' heads.
She calls out to Reginald, still slightly peeved by Bolti's attitude.
"Reginald, show our new guest the power of teamwork. The Blue beast is on the ground - wrap it up in threads."
◆◆ Arrow Salvo, ◆ Command Reginald
Reactions:
Gentle LandingTrigger: A creature (Sigourney or one of her allies) within range is falling.
Cloud Dragon's CloakTrigger: You or an ally within 60 feet are targeted by a ranged attack.
Interposing EarthTrigger: You are the target of a Strike or would attempt a Reflex save against a damaging area effect. Duration: 3 rounds.
Air Bubble.Trigger: A creature (Sigourney or one of her allies) within 60 feet enters an environment where it can't breathe.
Hidebound.A creature within 60 feet is hit with a Strike that deals physical damage.
Wooden Double.Trigger: You're critically hit by a damage-dealing effect or Strike. A wooden double appears out of nowhere and takes the blow in your place. Take a Step action. A wooden block of your size and roughly shaped like you appears in the space you left and absorbs the hit. This block has Hardness 5 and 20 Hit Points. If the wooden block is destroyed, you take any excess damage that the block didn't absorb. After taking the blow, the wooden block collapses into a pile of splinters and dust.
Recognize Spell.Trigger: A creature within line of sight casts a spell that you don’t have prepared or in your spell repertoire, or a trap or similar object casts such a spell. You must be aware of the casting. Note: Sigourney can perform this as a free action if the spell is on the arcane or primal lists.
Activate—Antimagic Armor [reaction] (concentrate); Frequency once per day; Trigger A spell targets you or includes you in its area; Effect The armor attempts to counteract the triggering spell with the effect of a 7th-rank dispel magic spell and a counteract modifier of +26.
For such large creatures, the foxes prove quick enough to get the jump on the entire group. Before Slick knows what's going on, he gets pummeled by two particularly strong energy blasts.
6d8 ⇒ (6, 7, 7, 8, 7, 3)?!? I hope Slick rolls for damage as well as the foxes.
He pauses to let Billy and Sigourney do whatever they think best, and is pleased to see his friends bring the foxes down to the ground and pound them a little with arrows and magical threads. It should make his work a little easier.
Action (◇): Delay: Until the end of Billy and Sigourney's turns.
Slick decides to attack the nearest and most wounded of the three foxes, hoping to take the creature off the board. He launches himself at it and brings his sword down repeatedly.
If Crit Success, you can use a reaction to Demoralize your foe (Battle Cry)
Holy Healing (↺) (1/day)
TriggerYou critically succeed at a Strike against an unholy creature with a Holy weapon
You regain HP equal to double the unholy creature's level.
Protector's Sacrifice (↺) TriggerAn ally within 30 feet takes damage
Reduce the damage the ally would take by 30. You redirect this damage to yourself, but your immunities, weaknesses, resistances and so on do not apply.
Warding Tattoo (Fiend) (↺) (1/day)
TriggerAn enemy, hazard, or the environment makes an attack against your AC, requires you to attempt a saving throw, or causes you to take damage automatically
Until the end of the current turn, against the triggering effect, you gain a +1 status bonus to AC and saving throws and gain resistance 2 to damage.
The Paladin (↺) (1/day)
TriggerYou fail or critically fail a saving throw
Adjust the result of your saving throw up by one degree of success.
Skeptic's Defense (↺) (1/day)
TriggerYou are targeted by or are in the area of a mental spell or effect.
You don't believe in any mental twaddle, and you're certainly not afraid of it. You scoff and verbally refute the triggering effect, attempting a counteract check using your Intimidation modifier with a counteract level of half your level rounded up. If you succeed, you ignore the triggering effect, though any other creatures that were also targeted or in the area are still affected. If the source of the effect you successfully counteracted understands your language and has an Intelligence modifier of –3 or higher, that creature becomes stupefied for 1 round.
Blessed Denial (↺) TriggerAn ally within 30 feet would become Frightened, Drained, Enfeebled, Sickened, or Stupefied.
You exude peace and protection, lessening a harmful condition as it falls upon an ally. Reduce the value of the condition your ally would take by 1 (to a minimum of 0). If the ally takes more than one condition at the same time, choose one to reduce.
Bangles of Crowns (↺) (1/hour)
Trigger An enemy within 60 feet becomes frightened
You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks against the triggering creature for 1 round. You also gain 15 temporary Hit Points. You lose any remaining temporary Hit Points after 1 minute.
| HP 272/272 | AC 43 | F+29 s->cs R+35 cf->f, f->1/2 damage, s->cs W+28 s->cs; +1 status vs magic| resist fire 10 | resist environmental damage 9 | weakness cold iron 5 | Perc +28 (+29 if involving sight, constant truesight) | Speed 35 ft | Hero Points 0 | Exploration: Avoid Notice (Stealth +36), Scout while in favored terrain (forests), and Search | Active Conditions: None
...did Slick forget about Pinebrush? No, no, he's probably intentionally trying to draw the enemies' attention to Bolti to make it easier for him to get closer.
Pine then scurries underneath the fox most distracted by Slick, stinging from below.
◆ Stride
◆ Strike Minty Toothpick (+3 Greater Striking Extending holy Greater Frost Rapier):1d20 + 34 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 34 + 1 = 46 for piercing:4d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 6, 6, 5) + 6 + 1 = 28, precision:4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 1, 4) = 13, cold (ignores resistance):1d6 ⇒ 1, and spirit (holy) damage:1d4 ⇒ 3, plus spirit (holy) damage if target is unholy:1d4 ⇒ 2.
On crit, add Deadly damage:3d8 ⇒ (5, 3, 5) = 13, target is Off-Guard one round, DC 34 Fort or Slowed 1, and target triggers RS from Slick as though it had used a Manipulate action.
Total of 45 damage, or 103 on crit.
◇ Master Strike if attack hit. DC 41 Fort (Incapacitation). No effect on crit, Enfeebled 2 on success, Paralyzed for four rounds on failure, Unconscious for two hours on critical failure
◆ Strike Shortsword:1d20 + 34 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 34 + 1 = 42 for slashing:4d6 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (2, 2, 2, 2) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 11, precision:4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 4, 6) = 17, cold (ignores resistance):1d6 ⇒ 5, and spirit (holy) damage:1d4 ⇒ 4, plus spirit (holy) damage if target is unholy:1d4 ⇒ 4.
On crit, target is Off-Guard one round, DC 34 Fort or Slowed 1, and target triggers RS from Slick as though it had used a Manipulate action.
Total of 37 damage.
◇ Debilitating Strike if the attack hits. Blue takes -10-foot penalty to speeds and can't use Reactions
↺ if Slick (or Bolti) hits Blue in melee and it's not down yet:
↺ Opportune Backstab
Minty Toothpick (+3 Greater Striking Extending holy Greater Frost Rapier):1d20 + 34 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 34 + 1 = 52 for piercing:4d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 2, 6, 4) + 6 + 1 = 23, precision:4d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 4, 2) = 13, cold (ignores resistance):1d6 ⇒ 2, and spirit (holy) damage:1d4 ⇒ 4, plus spirit (holy) damage if target is unholy:1d4 ⇒ 3.
On crit, add Deadly damage:3d8 ⇒ (1, 2, 5) = 8, target is Off-Guard one round, DC 34 Fort or Slowed 1, and target triggers RS from Slick as though it had used a Manipulate action.
42 damage, or 92 on crit.
◇ Debilitating Strike. Blue takes -10-foot penalty to speeds and can't use Reactions
| HP 272/272 | AC 43 | F+29 s->cs R+35 cf->f, f->1/2 damage, s->cs W+28 s->cs; +1 status vs magic| resist fire 10 | resist environmental damage 9 | weakness cold iron 5 | Perc +28 (+29 if involving sight, constant truesight) | Speed 35 ft | Hero Points 0 | Exploration: Avoid Notice (Stealth +36), Scout while in favored terrain (forests), and Search | Active Conditions: None
Pine was planning to head towards the same one as Slick, to gang up on it, but then Slick handled it without him!
So he changes course. He moves towards the other one, snapping his whip high to direct its attention there before ducking underneath to strike at its belly.
◆ Stride; the map isn't loading for me, but I'll move adjacent to Red instead
◆ Feint Deception:1d20 + 32 ⇒ (16) + 32 = 48; per Scoundrel and Distracting Feint, on success Red is Off-Guard to all of Pine's melee attacks until the end of his next turn, or to all melee attacks on crit, and
◇ Step, per Scoundrel
◆ Strike Minty Toothpick (+3 Major Striking Extending holy Greater Frost Rapier):1d20 + 34 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 34 + 1 = 48 for piercing:4d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 2, 5, 2) + 6 + 1 = 22, precision:4d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 2, 2) = 11, cold (ignores resistance):1d6 ⇒ 2 and spirit (holy) damage:1d4 ⇒ 2. Add spirit (holy) damage:1d4 ⇒ 4 if target is Unholy. On crit, add deadly damage:3d8 ⇒ (3, 7, 1) = 11, target is Off-Guard one round, and DC 34 Fort or Slowed 1. Total of 37, or 85 on crit.
◇ Master Strike if attack hit Off-Guard target. DC 41 Fort (Incapacitation). No effect on crit, Enfeebled 2 on success, Paralyzed for four rounds on failure, Unconscious for two hours on critical failure
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
Seeing Jismur pounce and aim for her jugular, Sigourney waves her hands around - and Where she once stood a Wooden Double appears, blunting a bit of the impact.
Sigourney appears 5 feet back, having taken a step and looking worse.
The group notices that all of the foxes seem to be healing their wounds.
Sigourneys wooden double explodes into splinters as the jaws grab hold of her. With a shake of his head Jismur gulps Sigourney down.
With a start Slick realises that Blue is, in fact, not dead. Its eyes flick open and it snarls at him. Its jaws snap out, gobbling up Slick. It then leaps to its feet and bounds across the courtyard.
Red, prone and reeling, opens its mouth wide and unleashes a cone of screaming energy over Bolti and Pine!
Pausing to see if Pine wants to do anything with his save.
Slick was feeling quite pleased with himself after his incredible display of swordsmanship brought down the fox. He looks down at his vanquished foe. "How'd you like them apples? The bigger they are, the harder they fall, eh? Ha, ha."
He turns to look for his next target when a slight movement behind him makes him glance back at his recently dispatched foe. "Uh oh!"
Next thing he knows, the dead creature rears up, clamps its jaws around him and swallows him whole. "Could be worse. It could have swallowed me in pieces." He soon finds himself tightly constricted inside the fox's gullet, unable to breathe properly or wield the greatsword still in his hands. "Quite the pickle I find myself in."
He considers his options and decides that remaining inside the creature isn't really an option, and since he can't use his sword to cut himself out, he's going to have to do it the hard way: Exiting the way he came in. With a great deal of effort, Slick sticks out his elbows and knees for purchase, and starts slowly crawling his way back to the fox's mouth.
That 48 should be successful against an Athletics of <= +38. The odds of that being the case are quite good for creatures of our level +/-1, so I'm proceeding under the assumption that it is a success and Slick is out. But, just in case, here's a hero point reroll if that 48 turns out to be insufficient.
If Escape Fails - Hero Point Reroll:
Let me know if the Hero Point was required. Athletics (Escape) vs DC ??:1d20 + 34 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 34 + 3 + 2 = 50
With one last grunt, Slick forces open the fox's mouth and drops out. He takes in a big gulp of fresh air. Without wasting more time, he spins around and brings his sword down on the immobilized creature.
Forgot that Slick's action 2 Strike was a hasted one due to the Quickstrike rune on his greatsword. As such, he still has one action left which he will use to heal himself.
Realizing that his injuries were getting bad enough to worry about and that his sword strike against the fox had happened so fast that he still had a little time left on his hands, Slick sends a quick prayer to his patron for a little healing.
Seeing Slick take down the blue-tailed fox, a second time, Billy decides to put an end to its regeneration. The little halfling moves a strategic distance away from the nearest one (as far as he can run away), and drawing on his divine powers of sorcery, Billy chants, "You like regeneration? Enjoy retaliation!"
Cast Suspended Retribution. Target: Blue. Duration: 1 minute. Trigger: Target uses a specific ability (regeneration). When triggered, target takes 70 mental damage. Basic Reflex DC 44.
Note: Target can optionally end the spell by spending 3 actions to ward off the omen. Too bad it doesn't have any actions while it's dead. That's a shame.
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
Trapped in a strange fox's belly brings back horrible memories for Sigourney - her mind briefly flashes back to the time where she was chased around by devils that Swallowed her Whole. She shudders as she relives being helpless, unable to do anything but attempt to escape and barely making it out with her life.
If Air Bubble is required to keep Sigourney conscious and not suffocating before resolving the effect of Quandary::
Sigourney's much more prepared this time. She reactively brings up an Air Bubble around her head so she can make her escape with some spellwork.
Cast Air Bubble as a reaction.
Focusing her mind on the power of The Vision, she attempts to Recall Knowledge on the foxes - specifically what they are weak to.
Just as a refresher, The Vision allows Sigourney to Recall Knowledge with the most relevant Lore (lowest DC possible) at Legendary proficiency, so +37 as of this level. Sigourney has Dubious Knowledge, so she gains information even on a failure - albeit one piece is helpful and another piece is not.
Thinking about her enemy calms Sigourney down somewhat. Although her current position heavily constrains her, she attempts to wiggle her Gloves of Storage to retrieve her Scroll of Quandary from its interdimensional folds.
DC 5 Interact flat check to use Gloves of Storage:1d20 ⇒ 4
Crowns reroll, DC 5 Interact flat check:1d20 ⇒ 13
Reading the scroll in the damp, dark and constricting stomach of this beast is not easy. Sigourney barely manages to pull the scroll to her face and yell out the trigger words "Pest be-gone!" before Jismur is shunted into an interdimensional puzzle room, freeing Sigourney from its clutches.
DC 5 Interact flat check to Cast Quandary:1d20 ⇒ 10
Like Maze before it, Quandary has no save. Sigourney is casting this from her Psychic spellcasting dedication, which we established like 5 levels and a year ago that allows me to Cast Spells from Scrolls as if I were an Occult caster.
Now free from the terrible beast, Sigourney yells out what she's learnt about them to the party, spluttering, choking and close to retching from the terrible conditions she's been exposed to - but still able to clearly send her message.
"These...these creatures! They're weak to..." She yells out.
◇ Recall Knowledge on foxes (The Vision), ↺ (Conditional, see spoiler) Cast Air Bubble on self, ◇ Interact to Activate Gloves of Storage and retrieve Scroll of Quandary, ◆◆ Cast Quandary on Jismur
Slick manages to crawl out of the monsters gullet and put it down once again. He brings a little relief to himself.
Billy repositions himself and prepares some retribution.
I have decided in favour of retribution working on regeneration, you could of course have cast it while it was far more active. This may keep it down for the duration unless it crit passes.
Sigourney causes Jismur to vanish into strange maze like extra dimensional space. Having been in his stomach, this has the effect of leaving her some 15' in the air. She promptly drops to the ground.
I am going to say you do need air bubble. You wouldnt be prevented from using the spell, it would go off, but you would immediately become unconscious but you would not be suffocating. You do take 7 falling damage and land prone. I decided Slick would not fall when he escaped as Blue was prone at the time.
Sigourney is not quite sure just what these things are. They might well be fey but they could also be a powerful form of beast native to the elemental plane of air. If fey their regeneration will be stopped wit cold iron. If beast, then acid should be particularly effective.
Rolls:
Pine appears to be confused. Lets decide who he targets. Red and Bolti are both next to him. Red is 1, Bolti is 2.
Confusion:1d2 ⇒ 2
Pine is up. Please attack Bolti with basic strikes or offensive cantrips.
Combat Status:
Round 2
Anthem 2/4
Turn Order
Jismur
Red
Blue
------------------------------------------------
Billy
Sigourney
Slick
-------------------------------------------------
Pine
-------------------------------------------------
Bolti
Bolti roars in fury as Pine stabs him. Base treachery! What can you expect from such a faithless sprite!
That is a hit and a critical miss for 25 damage
With that Bolti turns his attention to Pine! He steps back and swings at Pine. As his axe slices into the small feys form he is spattered with bits of flesh and stinking, fetid water...
Pausing to see if Pine wants to do anything about his failed save.
Pine finds himself feeling rather unwell. Bolti then swings at him again, taking a significant chunk out of the little sprite! On the plus side his mind does clear.
Meanwhile, in a strange extradimensional space, Jismur finds himself lost amidst glowing walls of light. He does not reappear.
Red leaps to his feet and snaps at Pine. He vanishes into its mouth in an instant. Meanwhile Blues eyes flutter open. It looks up at the doom above it and promptly collapses again. It will come back but the doom may keep it under control.
Billy shrieks when little Pinebrush gets eaten by the fox. He again considers hasting the group, but he'll wait till the sprite gets free. He calls out to everyone, even though he knows Pinebrush can't hear him, "I'll try to frighten it, so it's easier to attack, escape, whatever." He moves closer and sings,
♫"The red fox swallowed Pine! Slick needs special ammo.
Before it gets to dine. I'll scare it with its shadow."♫
Cast Unspeakable Shadow (9th rank). Frightened 2, 3, or 4, depending on Will Save DC 44. While frightened, it must spend 1 action to flee or attack shadow.
Turning to Bolti, he shouts, "Pine was confused. The fox is our enemy. Please help us attack it while it's frightened."
With the nearest fox apparently under control of Reginald and Billy's spells and the boss fox wandering around on a different plane for a while, Slick turns his sights on the remaining fox. "I guess it's your turn now, big boy." Without further ado, he launches himself at it and unleashes a flurry of sword strikes.
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
Falling face first into the soft, wet soil is very unpleasant. Sigourney thinks about all of the life choices that led up to her being consumed by a large fox. Her self-depricating thoughts Sustain the Quandary keeping Jismur imprisoned.
Tilting her head to her right, she fumbles for the chunk of cold-iron she's had on her person. When she originally bought this chunk, she expected to use it against demons - yet she never had the opportunity to do so.
With a muffled "Let's see if I was right. Metal Sign - Needle Darts!"; needles of Cold Iron shave themselves off the chunk and go flying at Red!
Cold Iron Needle Darts, -2 from Prone, CA vs Off-guard (hopefully) and Frightened Red AC:1d20 + 34 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 34 - 2 + 1 = 51
| HP 272/272 | AC 43 | F+29 s->cs R+35 cf->f, f->1/2 damage, s->cs W+28 s->cs; +1 status vs magic| resist fire 10 | resist environmental damage 9 | weakness cold iron 5 | Perc +28 (+29 if involving sight, constant truesight) | Speed 35 ft | Hero Points 0 | Exploration: Avoid Notice (Stealth +36), Scout while in favored terrain (forests), and Search | Active Conditions: None
Thankfully, Pine did prepare for this. As he's badly injured, the magic he prepped in advance activates, and the next few hits aren't... as bad.
He's also already appeared. "You can't hold me," he says sternly, "that's dumb. So dumb this guy might have come up with it." He jerks a thumb towards the traitor.
Who they'll have to deal with later.
Right now taking this thing down seems, um, pressing.
⟳ Trickster's Ace when reduced below half HP. Pine gains the effect of mountain resilience; this gives him resist 5 against Bolti's second hit, the bite, and the swallow damage
◆ Escape Acrobatics:1d20 + 36 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 36 - 1 = 55
◆ Strike Shortsword:1d20 + 34 - 4 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 34 - 4 - 1 = 39 for slashing:4d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2, 6, 2) + 6 = 17, precision:4d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 5, 2) = 10, cold (ignores resistance:1d6 ⇒ 2, and spirit (holy) damage:1d4 ⇒ 4, plus additional spirit (holy) damage if target is unholy:1d4 ⇒ 3. On crit target triggers Slick's RS and DC 34 Fort or Slowed 1.
◇ Debilitating Strike if it hit. Enfeebled 1 and no reactions
⟳ Demon's Lantern if hit by a melee attack:
You release a flash of lights and attempt a Reflex saving throw. If your saving throw is higher than the attack roll for the triggering attack, it misses. If the attack misses, the attacker is dazzled until the end of your next turn.
Reflex:1d20 + 35 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 35 - 1 = 42 Harrow Reroll:1d20 + 35 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 35 - 1 = 43 Ugh. Well, with Sickened 1 it's possible I'll be hit by a 42...
Bolti snarls back at Billy, A likely story BETRAYERS!
Billy seeks to terrify Red with his own shadow. Foolish mortal he snaps, I can see through such trickery. Unfortunately he then drops dead.
Well, thats a critical fail followed by a critical fail and he isnt high enough level to benefit from incapacitation so he is dead. The rest of you can redo your turns.
Rolls:
Red will:1d20 ⇒ 4, critical fail
Red fort:1d20 ⇒ 2, critical fail
Combat Status:
Round 3
Anthem 2/4
Turn Order
Jismur
Red
Blue
------------------------------------------------
Billy
Sigourney
Slick
Pine
-------------------------------------------------
Bolti
Wow! Nice work there Billy. Another bad guy wiped off the field with a single spell.
With the nearest fox apparently under control of Reginald and Billy's spells and the boss fox wandering around on a different plane for a while, Slick turns his sights on the remaining fox. "I guess it's your turn now, big boy." But before he can launch himself at the creature, Billy frightens it to death with a shadow.
With the boss fox unavailable, Slick shrugs and turns back to the disabled fox that had just tried to eat him whole. "I guess this isn't your day" With a flick of his wrist, he activates the alloy orb on his sword, then takes a couple of whacks at the bound creature before him.
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
"Or you could just frighten it to death too, I suppose...Who needs knowledge when you can just brute force it like that." Sigourney grumbles to herself from the ground.
She picks herself up, remembering to Sustain the Quandary before moving next to Billy.
From the relative safety of greater than 30 feet away, she addresses Bolti sternly, hoping to gauge his attitude towards the rest of the party.
"Are you friend or foe, Bolti? If you are our foe, you will never get your revenge."
Male Familiar of Freezing Rime 19 | HP 133/133| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31| 25 feet speed | Spells DC 40| ✋ ✋ | Perc +26, Low-light vision, 30 feet Cond:
Pine puts himself between Sigourney and Bolti, although it's clear to everyone that he really does not want to be there. He quivers in his nonexistent boots.
| HP 272/272 | AC 43 | F+29 s->cs R+35 cf->f, f->1/2 damage, s->cs W+28 s->cs; +1 status vs magic| resist fire 10 | resist environmental damage 9 | weakness cold iron 5 | Perc +28 (+29 if involving sight, constant truesight) | Speed 35 ft | Hero Points 0 | Exploration: Avoid Notice (Stealth +36), Scout while in favored terrain (forests), and Search | Active Conditions: None
Pine slips away from the creature and quickly heals himself. He tries to physically treat his wounds, too, but his hands are shaking.
If a swallowing monster dies, adjacent creatures can cut the victim free. But to get out myself I think I still need the ◆ Escape (which is fewer total actions anyway)
◆ Activate greater healer's gloves Healing:4d6 + 15 ⇒ (3, 6, 6, 4) + 15 = 34
◇ Release eternal eruption
◆ Battle Medicine (Legendary) Medicine:1d20 + 31 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 31 - 1 = 37 Failure
Slick manages to put down Blue, cold iron does indeed seem to be their bane.
I am going to call this battle here and assume that Jismur wanders off into the Astral Plane. However...
Bolti remains utterly furious at Pines betrayal of him. He seems to be on the verge of launching himself at all of you, unless someone can convince him otherwise of course...
Slick waits for Jismur's return and is slightly disappointed when the boss fox fails to reappear. "How unfortunate, but given what happened to his friends here, I can't really blame him."
Turning to Sigourney, he lifts his sword to show her the now expended Alloy Orb. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out another one and holds it out to her. "Any chance I can get you to swap in this new orb? I fully expect we'll run into more fey before we finally reach the Norns."
Seeing that Bolti is about to blow his top and go for Pine, Slick nudges Billy. "Any chance you can calm our new friend down. He may yet prove valuable to us."
After the battle, where the enemies just decided to die or get lost on a faraway plane, Billy resumes his Musical Accompaniment. He then retrieves his jug and offers refreshments while Pinebrush is treating wounds.
Turning to Bolti, Billy tries to reason with the undead knight, "Sir Bolti, surely an experienced warrior like yourself can recognize the glassy-eyed look of an ally who was magically confused." He continues, "Besides, Sigourney is right -- you'll never get your revenge if you choose to be our foe. Whaddya say about joining us for a drink and giving this partnership another chance?" He offers Bolti a mug of honey mead.
Diplomacy +music +jug:1d20 + 36 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 36 + 1 + 1 = 53 GM Note: If this would be considered making a Request, then The Marriage harrow card would bump the included +2 item bonus to +3. In that case, please add 1 to the above roll.
Cond: | Female, Resistance 5 Poison, Acid, Cold, electricity, fire, force, sonic, void, vitality.| N Skilled Human Silence in Snow Witch 19 | HP 217/217| AC 41| F+29, R+30, W+31 (S>CS), (+1 saves vs magical effects)| Speed 40 ft |Perc(M) +29 (+3 visual)| Init +32 (+2 if scouting)| Exp: Detect Magic| Hero: 1| Spells DC 44. Slots: 1□□□, 2□□□, 3□□□ , 4□□☑, 5□□☑ +☑ , 6□□□, 7□□□☑, 8☑□□, 9□□□, 10□ Focus□□□| Staff Charges: 9+5 (7 net)| KnifeWand Uses: □☑|Focus recharges □ | ✋Knifewand✋Staff✋| Quicken Spell □|
Sigourney feels Jismur's presence in her interdimensional puzzle box flicker, then fade out entirely.
"Jismur is gone...good riddance, I did not appreciate being eaten. I hope we never see him again." Sigourney exclaims, happy that it is gone.
Keeping her eyes fully trained on Bolti, she whispers to Slick; "Sure, but not now...we've got a bit of a situation here."
Sigourney attempts to try and Aid Billy with his attempts to calm Bolti down by offering a logical argument.
"Bolti, please calm down. Even if you kill us, you will be heavily injured - and you will likely never be able to have your revenge." She plainly yet firmly states.
Diplomacy to Aid DC 15:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29
Critical success, +2 circumstance to Billy's Diplomacy checks.
| HP 272/272 | AC 43 | F+29 s->cs R+35 cf->f, f->1/2 damage, s->cs W+28 s->cs; +1 status vs magic| resist fire 10 | resist environmental damage 9 | weakness cold iron 5 | Perc +28 (+29 if involving sight, constant truesight) | Speed 35 ft | Hero Points 0 | Exploration: Avoid Notice (Stealth +36), Scout while in favored terrain (forests), and Search | Active Conditions: None
Pinebrush glares at Bolti, his arms crossed. "I don't even remember attacking you," he says firmly, "but you attacked me on purpose. Aren't YOU the betrayer? You made a deal to help us in exchange for our favor to you, and as far as I can see you're completely unreliable."
Which, frankly, was a pretty generous way to put it.
"How can we even trust you to honor the promise you offered?"
Diplomacy to Aid:1d20 + 30 ⇒ (16) + 30 = 46 Pine is a Master in Diplomacy, so +3 on crit success
Bolti scowls at the entire group. Mortals he snarls. Very well, I accept your apology[/g] he growls, entirely ignoring the fact that none was proffered. [b]But we had better find my traitorous brother soon...
With that he stomps off a little way to stare angrily at the tree while you recover from your exertions.
You can go ahead and heal up and refocus etc. Ahead of you there is a large pair of doors set into the base of the tree. There seems to be a figure standing before them. You can also easily head up into the tree. The roots and branches form an easily used set of wide paths up into the tangle above you. Where do you want to go.
With Bolti defused for the time being, Slick relaxes and lets the healers do their thing on him while he goes over the recent battle and meditates to recover his own power to heal.
HP and focus points recovered.
Once everyone is back up to full strength, he looks over at the doors and the figure standing before them. "Hmmm. Why don't we go check out the doors? I expect we'll have to go through them at some point, so we might as well find out what's involved from that fellow over there."
Billy's Translate (for group to speak Skald) and Speak with Plants spells have a 1hr duration. Assuming Pine takes <= 30min, both spells should still have some life.
Billy softly strums his lute and prays to Desna, while Pinebrush handles the healing.
Billy refocuses.
When Slick gives the OK, Billy confidently leads the group to the figure at the doors. "Greetings, good Sir. I'm Billy. These are my friends. We're honored to have been summoned by the Harrowing Three." He pauses and continues, "Before Jismur went plane-walking, he said we'd first need to find three keys. Can you tell us if they lie behind these doors?"
