GM Tyranius (PF2) PaizoCon 2023 Prisoners of the Electric Castle (Inactive)

Game Master Tyranius

Dot in here

You find yourselves in the Ardis Scholars’ manor. Agents previously cleared out various dangers here (during Signal from the Electric Laboratory) and now several Pathfinders are repairing and cleaning the site. Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss has been managing the repairs and smaller details.

The sound of hammering reverberates through the great hall of the manor as Pathfinder agents move in and out, arms full of construction supplies, paperwork, and strange technological items. Their work is overseen by a gnome tapping a finger on her pursed lips in concentration. Her messy brown hair peeks out from a blue turban patterned with a butterfly-shaped constellation of stars, which she distractedly pushes back from her eyes as she watches the comings and goings.

An ornate carriage sits in front of the manor. Blue curtains with silver stars and golden moons hide the interior, but it appears too small to contain more than its owner, Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss, and perhaps one or two guests. However, when she opens the door, a wide-open wooden chamber awaits. Mismatched plush chairs sit around a gnarled wooden table on a lurid purple carpet. The table holds a strange metal-and-crystal key, a box full of unusual technological items, and a satchel. A strange creature that looks like a feathered octopus made entirely of energy hovers between two chairs.

Evni sighs with relief as she takes her seat. “That’s better,” she says. “The work is important, but it’s noisy repairing all the damage from Aslynn’s attack on the manor.” Her smile fades as a hint of steel enters her voice. “That’s why I asked you all to come today. As you may know, Aslynn captured a number of Ardis Scholars here. We’re ready to rescue them!” She gestures to the figure made of energy and the key on the table. “With Lumna’s help and the crystal key, we’ve been able to speak with one of Aslynn’s children, Narcela, who’s pretending she’s loyal to her mother. Narcela told us the Scholars are being held in a floating fortress on the Shadow Plane, where they’re being forced to develop technology for Aslynn. Not only is getting them home the right thing to do, but it could give us the upper hand against Aslynn!”

Lumna suddenly dives into the key, their energy absorbed like a sponge soaking up water. A quick series of telepathic images shows them using a device they call an “engine” from the Ardis Scholars’ manor to focus their energy to transport the key, with their essence inside, and several people to a castle, then back. “So that’s your mission,” Evni concludes. “Go to this castle, find as many Scholars as you can and bring them home. Narcela will be waiting there to help you. She’s risking everything, so bring her back when you return. Remember, your safety takes priority! If you run into anything you can’t handle, come home, and we can figure out another way to get the Scholars and Narcela back.”

Wearing a leather under his cloak the goblin carrying a special crossbow with a place for an alchemical vial and a backpack seeming full of a lot of noisy things **Cling, cling, cling** has a pair of strange googles on the top of his head.

Let's hope we can handle these threats easily. That's always good to finish a task properly. Well by the way, no problem if we let some glass pieces along? Do you mind? I was involved in the previous pathfinder expedition here. We succeeded in the cleaning up.[b]

[b]Well in the creature's cleaning up I meant. So now the mission is to save the scholar's. What do we do when we find one of them? Do we escort them back here or should they be able to come back alone?

It is a human with a scale mail. On the belt he has a sling and a longsword. He wears a sacred simbole of Iomedae. On his back is a healing staff. Hello my name is Dranald.

Arrus is a mid sized Taldan man in his mid 30s with a well manicured but short beard. His gear is made from fine but well worn leathers, clearly acquired by somebody who apricates both style and substance.

"Greetings fellow Pathfinders" says Arrus with a grin, clearly in a good mood "I'm Arrus Lionious".

He carries a similar looking crossbow to Ukh.

A rather dour looking human male (think Professor Severus Snape) actually smiles a bit at the Venture Captain's announcement. He wears scholarly arcane robes which are also patterned with stars arranged in constellations.

Excellent he says I have been here waiting for this since the original mission. Professor Patrick Barnard, Scholar of the Arcane, the Occult, and the Night Sky. When do we leave?

"We would need to move immediately." Evni explains as she hands you the key. "The scholars will not be able to return from the Shadow Plane on their own. Neighter will you." She taps the key. "You will need this to return." She hands you a small satchel, which contains several torn and burnt scraps of paper. Handout #1 and Handout #2 in the Maps. "Aslynn’s forces apparently took particular pleasure in destroying the Scholars’ research. Agents have pieced together various fragments, but we think based on some recovered notes that one invention may have been taken with the Scholars. If you can find this invention, please bring it back."

Handout#2 will explain the actions the key can be used for. I also put it into better detail on the slide above it.

Evni explains, “The Shadow Plane is another plane of existence. In some places, its features are a muted mirror of the familiar world around us. In others, they take on new and fantastical forms, as likely to be wondrous as ominous. Space doesn’t always work the same there as it does here, with places that seem impossibly distant being surprisingly near, or what seems just around the corner taking an age to reach.”

The satchel also contains:

Patrick nods. I have been there

A large muscular Ulfen woman enters, her gait somewhat unsteady. She wears heavy armor with a pair of swords at her hip and a shield and a quartet of javelins slung across her back. In her hand is a mug which she takes great pains to hold steady and avoid spilling. "Sorry I'm late. I was doing some public relations work with the locals, getting them used to the Society's presence here." She swiftly downs the contents of the mug and pauses for a moment before looking around and grinning sheepishly. "Okay, okay. I was at the tavern letting the locals buy me drinks. Some joker made the mistake of questioning my mead-drinking prowess and I had to set him straight." She belches loudly.

She hooks the mug onto her belt and pounds a gauntleted fist on her chest. "I'm Astrid Gertasdottir, shield maiden and famed adventurer. I'm stealthier than moonlight and fiercer than a thunderstorm. I've killed more men than winter and drunk enough ale to sink an armada. I've ridden dinosaurs into battle and frightened a demon lord back into hell." She stops speaking and looks around the room once more, realizing that she's missed the bulk of the briefing. "What did I miss?"

Patrick, upon hearing that, attempts to fade into the background, mostly by hiding behind some of the other Pathfinders.

Astrid: do you want the chameleon suit? Arrus would also like one of the Electromuscular Simulator, especially if Ukh would attach it.

Ah .... excuse me Venture Captain ma'am .... how is Revecka doing? I have enjoyed our talks on extra planar physics. And yes .. the Shadow Plane. Those things tend to occur when four dimensional geometry is in play.

If we have time, Ukh would attach what you want where you want.

To the venture-captain: Of course I've the time to fix what needs to fixed before we will, haven't I?

A pale-skinned goblin rushes into the room, hastily stuffing a flute into his pack. "Am I late? Fumbus wanted me to play for this girl and, well... let's just say things didn't go as planned."

He rushes to find a seat. "I'm Jiki, entertainer, occasional diplomat and definitely glad we're not on the sea... hey, this is bigger on the inside!" He then listens to the briefing, recalling his last encounter this key.

"You will have time to fix and gather any last minute items. If you need there is a small village down the raod that the scholars generally bought supplies from." Evni explains motioning down the road.

While you wait for repairs she explains a little more about Narcela. “She’s one of Aslynn’s changeling children,” Evni explains. “Her mother sent her to spy on the Ardis Scholars, but she ended up befriending one of them. Terrified of her upcoming transformation into a hag, she turned against her mother. Pathfinders exploring the manor made contact with her, and we have a common enemy in Aslynn. Narcela is especially close with Revecka, who’s still recovering from her injuries and unable to join this mission."

Feel free to make any last minute purchases in you next post.

★ -- ★ -- ★ -- ★

Once you all are ready, Evni takes you outside and bids you farewell. Lumna dives into the key and a moment later, you feel your bodies melt away, a process that seems like it should be painful or even terrifying, but somehow is neither. A moment later, you're racing through the sky, sun flickering to moon and stars, night fading to day, over and over, the passage of time somehow seeming to take both forever and only an instant. Then a rip in the sky appears, and you find yourselves in blackness, the light of your own bodies the brightest thing in this umbral realm.

As you streak toward your destination, Lumna talks to you, sending telepathic messages that explain how they can help and what the key can do. Again, instructions are in the Maps. Keep in mind that the hallajin key is an intelligent item so it has 3 actions and 1 reaction per round. Who is carrying the key and using it?

Maybe Ukh ?

Patrick would unless someone else insists

You can have it if you want so.

Astrid: do you want the chameleon suit? Arrus would also like one of the Electromuscular Simulator, especially if Ukh would attach it.

I'll take it if no one else wants it but I doubt I'll get much use out of it. I would imagine I'll be spending most of my time getting in the way of any monsters we encounter rather than hiding from them. The shockguard coil on the other hand clearly needs to be attached to Astrid's shield since nobody else seems to even own a shield. I also wouldn't mind taking the second electromuscular stimulator but I will pass to anyone else that might want it.

Once you all are ready, Evni takes you outside and bids you farewell. Lumna dives into the key and a moment later, you feel your bodies melt away, a process that seems like it should be painful or even terrifying, but somehow is neither. A moment later, you're racing through the sky, sun flickering to moon and stars, night fading to day, over and over, the passage of time somehow seeming to take both forever and only an instant. Then a rip in the sky appears, and you find yourselves in blackness, the light of your own bodies the brightest thing in this umbral realm.

Astrid scowls. "It's darker than Aslynn’s soul in this place. Looks like I'll have to do something about that."

"Draugakrossari lýsir leiðinni." The shield maiden gestures and her shield boss begins to emit a bright light. Astrid studies it for a moment then shrugs. "Not quite as bright as normal. I guess that's to be expected here though."

Astrid has cast light at level 5. The normal 60 foot radius is now diminished to 30 feet.

Yes it is. It is perfectly normal Patrick explains. He then casts Darkvision on himself and stays outside Astrid's bright light range, his excuse being he has no wish to be illuminated as a target.

He then consults the key to determine the direction to go.

The goblin has no consideration for both spells and readies himself to move on.

After an uncertain amount of time, a massive castle materializes from the gloom. Purple lightning repeatedly strikes one of the many towers, and lights flicker in the windows. The base of the castle grows closer, revealing it sits on rock crystals, through which indistinct visions flit. A glance shows the contents are more nightmare than dream. A small figure waits at a ground-level doorway, her hand raised in apparent greeting.

But moments before reaching the doorway, Lumna suddenly screams, a mind-shattering telepathic sound, as a huge, purple-skinned claw reaches from a far wing of the edifice. A look of sudden shock and terror crosses the face of the woman in the doorway, and she turns and dashes away. With a violent wrenching grab in the claw’s grasp, the final destination at the castle suddenly changes!

Spectral hag claws reach out from the walls of the gem-like chamber to grab your souls and pull them into the trap’s onyx facets. Looking around six facets surround you, glowing dimly in the darkness. They appear to be powering this strange hazard.

To stop the hazard you need to wither destroy the facets, or they can be Disabled with DC 28 (Thievery / Crafting) - Expert | Dispel Magic (each 2 actions adjacent to the facet)

★★★
In the Witch's Clutches! Round 1

Terrain: Disable DC 28 (Thievery / Crafting) - Expert | Dispel Magic
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Astrid (148/148 HP)
➤ Arrus (116/116 HP)
➤ Patrick (64/64 HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 1 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 2 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 3 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 4 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 5 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 6 (- HP)
Dranald (106/106 HP)
Jiki (86/86 HP)
Ukh (109/109 HP)

Darn it Aslynn Patrick exclaims sourly.

He hurls a Dispel Magic at the facets before Raising Shield.

counteract: 1d20 + 16 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 16 + 1 = 35 ((Spell Penetration))

What level Dispel Magic?

Second

Arrus takes advantage of his speed and sprints into the darkness across to a further bit and with his infiltrator's tools tries to work on #5.

thievery vs #5: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33

Astrid moves to the left, drops her shield and wields her bastard sword two-handed for maximum effect.

quick draw, bastard sword: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (9) + 23 = 32
slashing, electric: 2d12 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 3) + (3) + 8 = 19

strike, bastard sword: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (19) + 23 = 42
slashing, electric: 2d12 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 7) + (3) + 8 = 20

◆ Stride, ◆ Quick Draw, ◆ strike

Astrid quickly draws her blade and slashes into the dark Facet as she shatters one of them with ease and pure, raw strength. Arrus takes advantage of his speed and uses his tools to disable another of the facets causing it to lose contact and dim.

Patrick tries to use some magic but it doesn't seem anywhere near powerful enough to overcome the Hag's powers.

Spectral Hag hands lurch out from the walls clawing at your souls.

Spectral Claw (Arrus) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (5, 5) + 13 = 23 DC 30 Basic Will; Failure you are also grabbed

Spectral Claw (Patrick) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (8, 1) + 13 = 22 DC 30 Basic Will; Failure you are also grabbed

Spectral Claw (Dranald) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (2, 5) + 13 = 20 DC 30 Basic Will; Failure you are also grabbed

Spectral Claw (Ukh) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (2, 3) + 13 = 18 DC 30 Basic Will; Failure you are also grabbed

★★★
In the Witch's Clutches! Round 1/2

Terrain: Disable DC 28 (Thievery / Crafting) - Expert | Dispel Magic
Battlemap

──────────
BEFORE YOUR TURN:
──────────
Arrus: DC 30 Will vs Spectral Claw
Patrick: DC 30 Will vs Spectral Claw
Dranald: DC 30 Will vs Spectral Claw
Ukh: DC 30 Will vs Spectral Claw

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Astrid (148/148 HP)
➤ Arrus (116/116 HP)
➤ Patrick (64/64 HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 2 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 3 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 4 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 6 (- HP)
➤ Dranald (106/106 HP)
➤ Jiki (86/86 HP)
➤ Ukh (109/109 HP)

Jiki moves into the room and tries to turn off gem #3.

◆ Stride

◆ Cast a Spell

Dispel Magic, 2nd Level: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20

basic will: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23
hero point: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34

11 damage 105/116

Arrus wastes no time as he keeps Aslyn's trap from snaring him.

Continuing deeper into the room, Arrus tries to turn off #4 as well.

disable: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38

Astrid charges towards another facet and strikes.

bastard sword: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (10) + 23 = 33
damage, slashing, electric: 2d12 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 6) + (2) + 8 = 18

bastard sword: 1d20 + 23 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 23 - 5 = 32
damage, slashing, electric: 2d12 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (3, 7) + (5) + 8 = 23

◆◆ sudden charge, ◆ strike

Will:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26

The cleric draws his weapon and strikes twice the person who grabbed him.

+1 striking Longsword:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17

Damage:2d8 + 2 ⇒ (8, 2) + 2 = 12

+1 striking Longsword:1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (7) + 14 - 5 = 16

Damage:2d8 + 2 ⇒ (4, 8) + 2 = 14

Will: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29

The goblin tries to disable the one grabbing him.

Crafting, master:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 20 = 36

will: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

@UkH- To disable the facet you need to move adjacent to the facet and use two actions to try and disable it with your crafting check. Since you are grabbed you can retcon your actions.

Dranald gets grabbed as his blade slices harmlessly through the spectral claws. For each that vanish two more appear in its place. Jiki also tries to dispel the facet but the spell just seems to fizzle as it seems much too weak.

Astrid rushes in and strikes another of the facets putting small cracks in the surface. Arrus rolls out of the way of one of the claws as he swiftly shuts down another of the facets, prying it free fro the wall.

★★★
In the Witch's Clutches! Round 1/2

Terrain: Disable DC 28 (Thievery / Crafting) - Expert | Dispel Magic
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Astrid (148/148 HP)
Arrus (105/116 HP)
➤ Patrick (42/64 HP) │ Grabbed
Witches Clutch Facet 2 (- HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 3 (-17 HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 6 (- HP)
Dranald (86/106 HP) │ Grabbed
Jiki (86/86 HP)
➤ Ukh (91/109 HP) │ Grabbed

If anyone has a Heightened Dispel ... use that Patrick advices. The base spell power is obviously not enough.

Something to rectify when I get a chance he thinks to himself.

He hurls a heightened full round volley of magic missiles at Facet 2
flat: 1d20 ⇒ 8 DC 5
mm: 6d4 + 6 ⇒ (4, 1, 2, 4, 3, 4) + 6 = 24

As he can't do anything else, the goblin tries to escape.

Athletics:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Athletics:1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (13) + 11 - 5 = 19

Athletics:1d20 + 11 - 10 ⇒ (12) + 11 - 10 = 13

@Ukh You should use your acrobatics to escape instead of athletics. Although with those rolls it might not matter.

It would be 24 on the second one

Ukh is unable to shake the grasp of the spectral claws as they have a very tight hold on the goblin. Patrick sends several missiles at the second facet as it does damage them a bit. Hardness 12.

Spectral Claw (Arrus) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (10, 7) + 13 = 30 DC 30 Basic Will; Failure you are also grabbed

Spectral Claw (Patrick) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (10, 5) + 13 = 28 DC 30 Basic Will; since you are grabbed on a failure your soul is also ripped free from your body.

Spectral Claw (Ukh) Damage: 2d10 + 13 ⇒ (9, 3) + 13 = 25 DC 30 Basic Will; since you are grabbed on a failure your soul is also ripped free from your body.

★★★
In the Witch's Clutches! Round 2/3

Terrain: Disable DC 28 (Thievery / Crafting) - Expert | Dispel Magic
Battlemap

──────────
BEFORE YOUR TURN:
──────────
Arrus: DC 30 vs Spectral Claw
Patrick: DC 30 vs Spectral Claw
Ukh: DC 30 vs Spectral Claw

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Astrid (148/148 HP)
➤ Arrus (105/116 HP)
➤ Patrick (42/64 HP) │ Grabbed
Witches Clutch Facet 2 (-12 HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 3 (-17 HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 6 (- HP)
➤ Dranald (86/106 HP)
➤ Jiki (86/86 HP)
➤ Ukh (91/109 HP) │ Grabbed

Astrid lashes out at the nearest facet before moving to a new one.

bastard sword vs 3: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (9) + 23 = 32
slashing, electric: 2d12 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (3, 5) + (2) + 8 = 18

strike, bastard sword vs 3: 1d20 + 23 - 5 ⇒ (8) + 23 - 5 = 26
slashing, electric: 2d12 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (10, 6) + (1) + 8 = 25

◆ Strike, ◆ strike, ◆ stride

Patrick attempts to resist

will: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29

Seeing that the gems are more vicious than expected, Jiki uses more magic to try to end the threat.

◇ Lingering Composition

Performance: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21

◆ Cast a Spell: Inspire Courage

+1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects for 1 round

◆ Cast a Spell: Dispel Magic (heightened to 4th level)

Counteract: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

will vs claw: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29

Arrus zigs again in his mind but is finally captured by a claw.

Arrus does his best to escape from the gem.

unarmed escape: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
unarmed escape: 1d20 + 17 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 17 - 5 = 30

Assuming DC 30, same as initial save

Arrus takes advantage of his long stride to make it back to gem #6 after breaking himself free.

Will:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34

The goblin continues then to try to escape the claw.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 - 5 ⇒ (10) + 16 - 5 = 21

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 - 10 ⇒ (18) + 16 - 10 = 24

Jiki ispires his friends, though his magic is still lacking the power it needs. Ukh avoids his soul being torn free as he escapes the clawed grasp.

@Ukh- Your first action escape is successful. Please retcon your last 2 actions.

Astrid destroys another of the facets, leaving two more to go. Arrus isn't able to avoid their grasp anymore, though he does quickly wriggle free. Escape DC is 28.

Patrick isn't nearly as lucky as you watch his soul violently tear free from his body. As it does so Patrick's mortal form collapses unconscious to the ground.

@Patrick- Each round on their turn, the soul can attempt a DC 28 Intimidation, Occultism, or Survival check to fortify itself and return to their body as a three-action activity. The possible outcomes are as follows.

Critical Success The soul returns to their body, which loses the unconscious condition.

Success The soul returns to their body, which loses the unconscious condition, but gains the grabbed condition. Failure The soul makes no progress toward escape.

Critical Failure The soul makes no progress toward escape and the target takes 2d10+13 mental damage until they are reduced to 0 Hit Points, after which they remain in captivity until the trap is defeated.

★★★
In the Witch's Clutches! Round 2/3

Terrain: Disable DC 28 (Thievery / Crafting) - Expert | Dispel Magic
Battlemap

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Astrid (148/148 HP)
Arrus (75/116 HP)
Patrick (14/64 HP) │ Unconscious | Soul Ripped Free
Witches Clutch Facet 2 (-12 HP)
Witches Clutch Facet 6 (- HP)
➤ Dranald (86/106 HP)
Jiki (86/86 HP)
➤ Ukh (79/109 HP) │ Grabbed

With his two last actions the goblin moves to the number 6 facet and marks it as his prey in case he has to fight next round.

No more grabbed

The cleric double moves and strikes the Witches Clutch Facet 2.

+1 striking Longsword:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Damage:2d8 + 2 ⇒ (6, 6) + 2 = 14

It's a rather weak looking soul too as it frantically grabs at ... something.