Zero's #4-04: To Seek the Heart of Calamity [PaizoCon] (Inactive)

Game Master Super Zero

Level 3 occult spell, so no to both.

Seelah has no time to be fancy about things. She starts laying into the blue-clad bugbear.

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 2) + 4 = 9

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (15) + 14 - 5 = 24
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (6, 6) + 4 = 16

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 - 10 ⇒ (1) + 14 - 10 = 5
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 8) + 4 = 19

If it drops, she will ◆ Step forward and continue attacking the pink construct.

As soon as the opportunity presents itself, she will take a swing at an enemy trying to harm another Pathfinder.

↺ Retributive Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (6, 1) + 4 = 11

Seelah lays into the automaton, but their body is essentially made of armor. Her sword doesn't seem to cut as deeply as she might have hoped.
They have resistance to that damage, though you still deal most of it.

Aldonza's turn.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will save)
Angvim (63/63)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (Personal Antithesis 4, invisible, musket unloaded)
Blue Automaton (-15)
Murph (58/58)
Orange Bugbear (-29)
Seelah (56/78)
Aldonza (53/66)
Purple Bugbear
Green Automaton
Theo (40/40)

Aldonza takes advantage of the automaton’s clumsiness, and stabs at it while it’s off guard.

Opportune Riposte vs Blue

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (6, 1) + 5 = 12

Aldonza skips across to the bugbear harassing Murph, and lunges at them, guarding against any return blows.

Step, Strike, Parry

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34
Damage: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 3) + 5 = 13

Aldonza brutally punishes the automaton for their clumsiness, though their armored body is difficult to hurt.

Resistance.

The bugbear proves easier to wound, and he roars with pain as he looks like he barely keeps his feet.

Circling around Seelah, a bugbear taunts her. "We'll keep you away from Lady Sounrel. You can't defeat her. You can't even find her!" He punctuates the word "find" with a swipe of his sickle, but Seelah blocks it.
* Stride
* Demoralize (failure)
* Strike (failure)

The remaining automaton joins the melee, swinging both fists at Seelah. One is close! The other... isn't.

* Stride
* Strike (near failure)
* Strike (critical failure)

Theo, Snarlfist, and Angvim's turns.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will save)
Angvim (63/63, shield)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (Personal Antithesis 4, invisible, musket unloaded)
Blue Automaton (-22)
Murph (58/58)
Orange Bugbear (-55, bloodied)
Seelah (56/78)
Aldonza (53/66, parrying)
Purple Bugbear
Green Automaton
Theo (40/40)

[spoiler=GM Dice/Notes]Sounrel spell slots: 1/2 4th, 2/3 3rd, 4/4 2nd, 4/4 1st
purple attack Seelah: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Purple Demoralize Seelah: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Green attack Seelah: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Green attack Seelah (MAP): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

After moving to the edge of the bluff, Theo ponders the best option for his next shot.

"Is that orange-garbed bugbear my best target?"

Stratagem: 1d20 ⇒ 4

[i]"Nope - too much confusion there"[i]

He opts to slide down the hillside & scampers around the rock near Snarlfist, looking to see where the hidden mastermind lurks.

While he can't actually see her, Sounrel's use of magic while invisible--or just the fact that she's making no effort to cover her tracks--means that tracking her location isn't difficult.

At least, not yet.

I think the will save on the init block is left over
Slowed, Snarlfist skirmishes into a flank with Murph and tries to finish off orange.

stabbing vs Orange FF: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16
piercing+SA: 2d8 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (8, 8) + 4 + (4, 1) = 25

His muscles slowly loosening up Snarlfist tries a second stab.

stabbing vs Orange FF: 1d20 + 15 - 5 ⇒ (10) + 15 - 5 = 20
piercing+SA: 2d8 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) + 4 + (1, 5) = 16

Skirmish Strike(Step,Strike), Strike

You're right, should've been replaced with Stunned 1. Which you did, so all set.
That hits and drops Orange.

The bugbear laughs at Snarlfist's attempt to strike him. He laughs less as the second attempt pierces his throat.

Angvim's turn.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86)
Angvim (63/63, shield)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (Personal Antithesis 4, invisible, musket unloaded)
Blue Automaton (-22)
Murph (58/58)
Seelah (56/78)
Aldonza (53/66, parrying)
Purple Bugbear
Green Automaton
Theo (40/40)

Frustrated at his inability to find Sounrel, Angvim instead focuses on the foes he can actually see. He then grabs is tome, thinking about trying to find out something more about the automatons.

"Where did she go?" he asks wodering if anyone is able to see Sounrel.

◇ Change Whip for Tome
◆ Demoralize Bugbear Intimidation: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
◆ Exploit Vulnerability Bugbear Esoteric Lore: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
◆ Attack Bugbear Striking Boomerang: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 252d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 2) + 6 = 10 bashing damage + pv

Demoralize Critical Success. Exploit success, though he has no Weakness. Strike success.

The bugbear looks shaken, and all the more when a boomerang thuds heavily into his shoulder.

Angvim realizes that these damaged automatons have probably laid in the desert for a very, very, long time--as long as Star. But instead of being low on energy and physically trapped, they were just damaged enough that they were essentially dead. There must have been some spark to them that Sounrel was able to use to reanimate them, but there's not much of a self there.
While it's not especially helpful to the individuals they once were, their weakened cores are harder to damage and physically hurting them essentially just means breaking their armor.
They're resistant to physical damage except adamantine.

"I don't really care if you kill them all," says Sounrel's voice, "They're my mother's crew. But I'm using them right now, so we're going to kill you first."
Snarlfist feels her spell trying to restrain him again.
Sorry to pick on you, but you're both the only one currently in range and the one who just killed a bugbear. Sounrel casts paralyze on Snarlfist again, DC 25 will.

The damaged automaton's helmet shifts, making it all the more clear there is nothing inside. "You will be destroyed," a voice says firmly. Yet so far away, a whisper of someone who mostly died a long time ago... but Seelah's heard worse.
They do manage to slam one of their fists hard against her armor.
Demoralize failure, but a strike hits for 12 bludgeoning damage. (I don't think you reset your HP after your last fight--Seelah's only taken 34 damage, counting this.)

Murph, Seelah, and Aldonza's turns.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will)
Angvim (63/63, shield)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (invisible 7 rounds)
Blue Automaton (-22)
Murph (58/58)
Seelah (44/78)
Aldonza (53/66, parrying)
Purple Bugbear (-14, Frightened 2, Personal Antithesis 4)
Green Automaton
Theo (40/40)

Seelah has a target rich environment and the ability to draw aggro. "I'll handle the minions - someone get Sounrel!"

Purple, then Blue if Purple drops, then Green if it's the only mook left

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (8, 2) + 4 = 14

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 14 - 5 = 15
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 3) + 4 = 14

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 - 10 ⇒ (11) + 14 - 10 = 15
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 5) + 4 = 10

If anyone hangs around, she will go after whatever enemy doesn't focus on her.

↺ Retributive Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (8, 5) + 4 = 17

Aldonza slips behind the damaged automaton. ”That looks important”, she says, as she stabs at some exposed wiring.

Stride, Strike vs Blue(Confident Finisher, flanking), Parry

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3) + 2 = 6 + Half gets through on a miss: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 1) = 12

With that fear penalty, Seelah's first attack is a crit which bloodies him, though the others still miss. And while flanking, Aldonza's attack is also a crit and finishes blue.

Shaken by Angvim's threats, Seelah's blade draws a line across the bugbear's face. He's a little quicker to react to her next attacks and parries them.

Aldonza's weapon punctures the automaton's armor and runs them through. There's something like a sigh of relief as they collapse.

Murph's turn.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will)
Angvim (63/63, shield)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (invisible 7 rounds)
[b]Murph[/b[ (58/58)
Seelah (44/78)
Aldonza (53/66, parrying)
Purple Bugbear (-42, Frightened 2, Personal Antithesis 4, bloodied)
Green Automaton
Theo (40/40)

I'd rather take out the ones I can see than try to hunt a creature I can't.

◆ Stride to get to the other side of Seelah to be able to hit either Purple or Green

◆ He strikes Purple with his shortsword, and Purple is flat footed due to Gang-up

Strike with +1 striking shortsword(magical, versatile S, agile, finesse): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
Piercing damage plus Piercing Precision damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) + 4 + (5, 2) = 20

◆ The off hand sneaks in as well. Strike is at Purple if Purple is still up. If Purple goes down, strike at Green, also Flat Footed based on Gang Up
Second Strike with +1 striking Kukri(agile, finesse, trip, magical): 1d20 + 15 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 15 - 4 = 28
Slashing damage plus Slashing Precision damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) + 4 + (4, 6) = 22

Not likely a Crit, but maybe enough to take Purple out.

Flat-footed and Frightened 2? It certainly is a crit. Normal AC is 20, so you only needed one of those. That's... actually two crits. Purple down, Green bloodied.

Murph strikes down the last bugbear, and then viciously punctures the remaining automaton's breastplate (chest?), cracking the armor.

It wobbles, but then glowers at Murph. "We falter and fail, but we've fallen before. We are remade, and will be again!" It doesn't throw Murph off at all, but something about the blazing light of their empty eye sockets unsettles Aldonza. The automaton takes advantage of that by landing a punch to her abdomen, but Seelah punishes that in turn by separating the construct's head from the rest of their body. Her magic protects Aldonza as she does so.
* Demoralize Murph, failure. Demoralize Aldonza, critical success! Strike Aldonza, hit for 10 bludgeoning damage... which triggers Seelah's Retributive Strike, which is a crit and gives Aldonza resist that prevents most of the damage.

"Fine," says a voice, a little weakly at first. "Fine!" stronger now, "Who needs them anyway? I'll take you all down myself!"

Increased the opacity on Sounrel's token so she's easier to see. Her invisibility grants her concealment, but so far she's been shooting guns and casting spells that give away her position.

Theo, Snarlfist, and Angvim's turns.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will)
Angvim (63/63, shield)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (invisible 7 rounds)
Murph (58/58)
Seelah (44/78)
Aldonza (50/66, parrying, Frightened 2)
Theo (40/40)

[spoiler=GM Notes/Dice]Sounrel spell slots: 1/2 4th, 1/3 3rd, 4/4 2nd, 4/4 1st
Demoralize Murph/Aldonza: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Demoralize: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Demoralize Aldonza: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Fist attack Aldonza: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 for bludgeoning damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

"She's over there, just really well concealed."

Theo lines up another shot in his mind
Strategem: 1d20 ⇒ 12

"Right... about... there!"
As his bow twangs with the arrow's release

Does it hit? 11+: 1d20 ⇒ 6

"So close." as it misses.

Then, a regular shot to round out his actions

Does it hit? 11+: 1d20 ⇒ 8
(Concealment negates that shot as well.)

Snarlfist, finally makes his way across the battlefield, stopping to snarl at Sounrel before skirmishing even deeper into the battlefield.

flat to demoralize 11: 1d20 ⇒ 6
demoralize vs Sounrel will DC: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35

flat to stab: 1d20 ⇒ 1
stabbing: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

Snarlfist growls as he's stymied by invisibility.

"Very well, let's see what we can do about the sneaky lady who doesn't know when its time to leave"

◇ Flat check 11, for free Tome RK:: 1d20 ⇒ 18 RK: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26
◆ Flat check 11, for Exploit Weakness:: 1d20 ⇒ 17 Esoteric Lore: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
◆ Flat check 11, for attack:: 1d20 ⇒ 16 Boomerang: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24bashing damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 5) + 6 = 17+pv
◆ Flat check 11, for attack:: 1d20 ⇒ 12 Boomerang: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26bashing damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 6) + 6 = 13+pv

Angvim knows that the child of a hag is called a "changeling." Changelings are mostly normal people, who aren't necessarily hag-like in any way unless their mother captures them and performs a ritual to transform them.
In addition to working for her mother, Sounrel's magic suggests her hag bloodline is especially pronounced and she is a hag-blooded sorcerer. She probably has the ability to take on a horrific hag-like visage to frighten her enemies--though she can't do that while invisible.

Hm. Perhaps that strong affinity for hags means he could do something with cold iron? She's not actually weak to it, but if he could enhance that...
She is immune to sleep, but that may be more related to her "father's" elf influence.

THWACK. Angvim's first boomerang hits only air, but the second slams into something.

Something that shoots back! "Knock that off!" The loud BANG of a gun precedes a sharp pain. If he'd seen where she was aiming, it probably would have been so bad, but...
Since she's an invisible attacker, Angvim is flat-footed--which makes that a crit for 54 piercing damage.

"And you back off, goblin!" she snarls, "Unless you'd like to play?"
She really is very amusing. Somehow.

Snarlfist, DC 25 Will save against hideous laughter.

All PCs' tuns.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will)
Angvim (9/63)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (-17, invisible 6 rounds)
Murph (58/58)
Seelah (44/78)
Aldonza (50/66, parrying, Frightened 2)
Theo (40/40)

Seelah moves to where she was told the enemy was and swings her sword at the invisible foe.

◆ Stride

◆ Stride

◆ Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 8) + 4 = 14
Flat Check: 1d20 ⇒ 16

She remains ready to hack at the changeling again

↺ Retributive Strike

Longsword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Slashing Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (8, 6) + 4 = 18
Flat Check: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Seelah can feel the edge of her blade hit something--and the grunt of pain confirms it!

Murph, Aldonza, Theo, Snarlfist, and Angvim's turns.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will)
Angvim (9/63)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (-31, invisible 6 rounds, Weak: Angvim 4)
Murph (58/58)
Seelah (44/78)
Aldonza (50/66, parrying, Frightened 2)
Theo (40/40)

And now we come to the end, I hope.

◆ Stride

◆ Stride

◆ He strikes Sounrel with his shortsword, and Sounrel is flat footed due to Gang-up (I think). Murph is not Flat-footed to Sounrel since he has Deny Advantage

Strike with +1 striking shortsword(magical, versatile S, agile, finesse): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31
Piercing damage plus Piercing Precision damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 + (5, 5) = 22

Flat Check for Concealment DC 11: 1d20 ⇒ 13

I think that's gonna hurt

Auch!

Barely noticing the hole on his stomach at first, Angvim channels his wayfinder spell to offer him some protection and then attacks again at the changeling. "Hey, that HURT!"

◆ Cast Shield
◆ Flat check 11, for attack: 1d20 ⇒ 13 Boomerang: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31 bashing damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 1) + 6 = 8+pv

The exertion from throwing his weapon, however, makes him realize the severity of the wound he received; and as the pain sets in, he quickly draws a healing potion while coughing blood.

◆ Draw Healing Potion (minor)

"Ah! Little punk! Might need to restrategize.."

Not quite a crit, but she is bloodied,

While her invisibility spell may have been an excellent deterrent and a useful defense, the Pathfinders seem to be finding that weight of numbers is effective here. Angvim's boomerang strikes home again.

Aldonza, Theo, Snarlfist's turns.

Initiative:
Snarlfist (86/86, DC 25 Will)
Angvim (9/63)
Sounrel, Daughter of Aslynn (-65, bloodied, invisible 6 rounds, Weak: Angvim 4)
Murph (58/58)
Seelah (44/78)
Aldonza (50/66, parrying, Frightened 2)
Theo (40/40)

Aldonza sidles over to where the others are gathered. ”Come out, come out, wherever you are”, she says in a singsong voice, before stabbing at the emptiness.

Stride, Strike, Parry

Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22 (frightened)
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 2) + 2 = 9P

Snarlfist once again resists Elf Magic.
Assuming +1 from non-arcane

Will: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 1 = 24

Snarlfist gives a Sensible chuckle before a deep belly snarl.
Fail, slowed 1, no reactions.

Snarlfist skirmishes into flank with Seelah.

flat 11+: 1d20 ⇒ 13
skirmish strike vs FF: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27
piercing: 2d8 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) + 4 + (6, 3) = 22

Snarlfist follows up with a second stab.

flat 11+: 1d20 ⇒ 20
skirmish strike vs FF: 1d20 + 15 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 15 - 5 = 28
piercing: 2d8 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) + 4 + (5, 5) = 20

Critical vs FF apply critical effect (Clumsy 1 till my next turn)
Frightened 1 on critical hits.
Frightened Creatures hit can’t reduce frightened condition below 1
Frightened Creatures are Flat Footed to Snarlfist.

Snarlfist hits something that he can't see. And then again!

A voice cries out, and with a soft THUMP the shape of a fallen humanoid appears in the sand. The bloody sand.

Not a crit, but doesn't need to be. That adds up to over 100 damage, and she only had 90 HP.

After realizing that he doesn't need to add more arrows to the melee, Theo moves to Angvim with his healer's kit at the ready.

"Let's see what we can do about that puncture wound."

Healing check DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

That's a deep wound. Probably better to let Snarlfist handle it.

Seelah can lay on hands and refocus until everyone is healed, assuming we have the time. After that, she will suggest writing back to the V-C; asking Star about Aslynn, the dagger and the automatons we fought; and eventually visiting the other site indicated by our dowsing dagger.

"Well, that was certainly a tough one" coughs Angvim as he joins the rest near the now dead body of Sounrel.

He agrees with Seelah about writing back and then resumes his "conversation" with the resting automaton to pass the time.

Are you all okay? Star's voice asks sincerely, I could see and hear them, but I couldn't move to do anything about it. Did that elf say her mother has my other dagger?

I hear that one wants to leave, but would you stay with me? At least until others arrive. I'm afraid of being alone again...

It's about half an hour before the party can use the slate again, though nothing else troubles them.
Eando responds that he will send a larger team with supplies and excavation materials their way, emphasizing that he is happy the party is safe. Over the span of a few hours and a few short messages, he leaves it up to them if they want to remain with Star or return to the Inspiriting Wellspring, supplies permitting.

"Yes, we are mostly fine, thanks for caring. I almost got blown by a shot by thankfully we have Snarl here to patch me up." he replies to the telepathic voice of Star.

"It does seem that Aslynn has the other dagger, and that's bad news for everyone involved, she's just quite awful" he continues although he recalls little about the hag besides that she's one of the society's antagonists.

"I'd like to remain with Star, if possible" replies Angvim, touched by the loneliness of the automaton. "He's been alone long enough already."

He then looks at the rest of the party, somehwat unsure if this is at all possible "Do we have enough suplies for that?

If possible and with enough time, Angvim will select with Star two topics each day and use his tome to chat to him about them, starting with the Pathfinder Society and then moving to other themes the automaton might be interested in.

"I can offer some interesting stories if we spend enough time and you are interested..." he offers them.

Star is keenly interested in Angvim's stories. They're eager to learn about what's been happening in the world over their long isolation. Less interested in what became of their ancient homeland than one might expect--perhaps bitter about their abandonment--they are still very concerned about the wellbeing of other automatons and lament that survivors seem few in number.

They're very grateful to any Pathfinders that stay with them until Eando's team arrives.

Zarta isn't thrilled that the sites were damaged, but she doesn't begrudge the party choosing against her. She understands that they were given conflicting instructions and had to way competing priorities. Seelah still wants to explore the remaining site, and given Snarlfist's triangulation she's able to pinpoint it. Zarta is thrilled at this surviving site.
Seelah leads the brief expedition to locate it. They find a haunted ruin where the spirit of someone who fell to their death tries to push others from the tower. Intact ruins! Well, ruined. But more intact than the others!

Aldonza decides to stick around as well. ”Catching up on history is all well and good, but what about culture? Do you have any songs? Poetry? Dance? Gotta keep the traditions alive!”

Staying and talking to Star seems like a good thing to do. If nothing else, he can talk Engineering Lore with Star.

Far be it for Theo to miss out on an event like this, so he plans to stay as well.

Seelah is busy, so she sent a friend.