GM Miteke - The Twisted Circle (7-12) (Inactive)

Game Master miteke

"Caves? Ugh, horrible. Dank, dirty, and likely filled the droppings of bats or bears. I think we should stick to civilisation, thank you very much. Unless we think there's treasure inside, of course."

I'm perfectly happy to investigate the cave, though it does seem a stretch plot-wise. (oh, and I love dogs, so please don't take Nistivo's attitude toward Fluffy personally!)

Grilgoth nods.

"Of course I think that there is treasure in there. Why else would I suggest that we explore it?"

Does anyone have Survival trained? A 13 is dead easy check on a take 10.

No offence taken out of character. Plenty of offence taken in character. :)

There is no such thing as an empty cave in fantasy RP. The fact that it was mentioned twice in the description is a dead giveaway that something must be up. :)

We all know that, but don't say it out loud!

Surivial to track: 1d20 ⇒ 6 She look at the ground for footprints but found nothing but dirts and sands.

Eredur shows the same wand to Baldrum.

No problem, it's a good investment to do. I have a few wands by myself.

Before they enter the cave, Eredur uses Baldrum's wand on the monk and himself.

Then he uses his own wand on his familiar, out of respect for his fellow dwarf

Pay 91 gold for an equipped light riding horse (no combat training); 2 charges used on Baldrum's wand, 1 on mine.

Grilgoth shrugs at the party's inability to find a simple trail.

"It is a good thing that we are not planning on sticking around here in the wild. It would seem that no one in the party knows a lick about woodcraft."

Grilgoth and Fluffy are ready to enter the cave.

Baldrum looks for tracks.

The trail looks intriguing enough to explore. The fact that it leads to a cave is unusual enough to pique their interest and they move forward.

stealth, concealed: 1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 5 = 28
stealth, concealed: 1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 5 = 14

Baldrum: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 darkv. 60’
Patchouli: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 DV
Grilgoth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11DV
Fluffy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 Scent,LV
Ekadan: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Nistivo: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Eredur: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
Ack! You guys got to stop looking at the ground for tracks all the time!

As you approach, Fluffy starts growling at something off to the side. Ekadan's head immediately jerks to the right and happens to see a torso pop out from behind some rocks followed by an arrow, soon joined by another arrow from the opposite direction. These are gnolls, and odd looking ones at that. Patchy, matted fur covers this mutated, hyena-headed monster, and acidic green drool pours from its ravenous maw. one leg and arm look more like a tentacle than a normal appendage. Each one is accompanied by a nervous looking hyena lurking behind it.

to hit longbow, Baldrum: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Fluffy's warning is not enough and Baldrum is caught flat-footed, taking an arrow to the chest. Thanks for including the AC breakdown on your characters sheet. I do believe your AC is 11 while flat-footed, correct?

to hit longbow, Nistivo, flat footed: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
The arrow from the other side comes from the top of a 15' cliff (DC 10 climb check) and catches Nistivo completely by surprise, opening a hole in his back. Oh, the ingomy!

Combat Card Round 1
Ongoing effects not mentioned below: The north team is on the top of a 15' cliff with enough rocks piled up below to make it a DC 10 climb roll to ascend.
Bold may go. See slide 5.

Eredur (-0 HP, surprise round, 1 ACTION ONLY)

North gnoll (-0 HP)
North hyena (-0 HP)
East gnoll (-0 HP)
East hyena (-0 HP)

Ezekial (-0 HP)
Patchouli (-0 HP)
Grilgoth (-0 HP)
Nistivo (-5 HP)
Baldrum (-4 HP)

Block initiative, so we will apply PC actions in the most favorable order possible.

GM: did you take into account the Mage armor spell on Baldrum? Used the wand on myself too, so my current AC is the one between brackets (16/16/14). Doing what any decent wizard would do; cast Fireball (one action, 400+ range, 20 feet radius, DC 18 (16+ Elemental Focus (Fire) and Spell Focus (Evocation)

Eredur doesn't move much, just enough to roll a small ball of guano between is fingers and throw it at the gnoll.

The ball of excrement seems to catch fire mid air, and engulf the east gnoll and its hyena companion, to the dwarf's satisfaction

Fireball: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 4, 3, 6) = 21

Just learned it, had to try it.

Ecellent. I did forget Baldrum got that cast on him before headed down the trail. You just saved him 4 HP (though I'm sure he would have reminded me too:)!

The pea sized projectile races across the battlefield to erupt into flames like some kind of malevolent fireworks display.

reflex save gnoll: 1d20 ⇒ 8
reflex save hyena: 1d20 ⇒ 11

It is a bit much for the pair of them and they collapse, twitching, on the ground to the Wizard's satisfaction, leaving the wide eyed partner overlooking the dangerous team.

Combat Card Round 1
Ongoing effects not mentioned below: The north team is on the top of a 15' cliff with enough rocks piled up below to make it a DC 10 climb roll to ascend.
Bold may go. See slide 5.

Eredur (-0 HP)
Ezekial (-0 HP)
Baldrum (-4 HP)

North gnoll (-0 HP)
North hyena (-0 HP)

Patchouli (-0 HP)
Grilgoth (-0 HP)
Nistivo (-5 HP)

Ezekiel calls out, Well done Eredur, the Dawnflower smiles upon us this day! he draws his scimitar. Looking at the escarpment, he sees too many potentials for problems at the top, instead looping around it to the east and using the more open terrain to work toward the pair.

on mobile, can someone double move me please? 60 feet

@Ezekiel: I moved your token 60 feet (hopefully the way you wanted).

@GM miteke: Actually, my flat-footed AC is in my header, and it's higher than 11 even without mage armor (see quote of the monk’s class feature below). But I will put my actual AC at the beginning of my combat posts - being enlarged and fighting defensively will alter it even more.

When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and CMD. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four monk levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

There it is! I knew there was something and I even searched for it. Thanks for the quoted rule because somehow I managed to miss it.

Baldrum's current AC is 19, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (mage armor, enlarged).

Baldrum sees Eredur's fireball defeat the two enemies on the right and looks at Nistivo.

"You'll survive until we eliminate the threat, right?"

The monk starts to grow twice his own size and hustles - way faster than one would expect - towards the cliff.

Using a swift action to activate my domain power Enlarge (Su) (works like enlarge person for 1 round), then spending the ki point from my alternative racial trait Iron Within to increase my base speed by 20 feet (to 40 feet) for 1 round.

Arriving there, he starts to climb...

Climb, accelerated: 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 5 = 19

... reaching the top witin a few seconds. Baldrum then draws his sansetsukon, goes into a fighting stance (just RP fluff), moves even closer and calmly addresses the gnoll: "That was a mistake."

Double move at speed 40 ft. Baldrum moved 30 feet on the ground, then 15 feet at half speed (=accelerated) climbing, then 5 feet on top of the cliff (see map). Total distance: 65 feet.
Also, he has currently 10 feet reach and therefore threatens both enemies.

(edited to draw the weapon and change the AoOs to reflect that)

Nice, didn't expect you to get there so quick!

Dwarves are NOT supposed to move that quick, but somehow Baldrum zips past everyone and up the cliff like he is some kind of insect. Ezekial Sun-Blessed takes the more conventional route and begins the long trek around the cliff. Will he even make it before the battle is over?

Combat Card Round 1
Ongoing effects not mentioned below: The north team is on the top of a 15' cliff with enough rocks piled up below to make it a DC 10 climb roll to ascend.
Bold may go. See slide 5.

Eredur (-0 HP)

North gnoll (-0 HP)
North hyena (-0 HP)

Patchouli (-0 HP)
Grilgoth (-0 HP)
Nistivo (-5 HP)

Baldrum (-0 HP)
Ezekial (-0 HP)

Eredur takes a wand out his bag, humming a little song all by himself.

But in his eyes, the flames of his first fireball still burn dangerously.

Taking his wand of Magic missile

Seeing he's out of range for the spell to work correctly, he gets closer to the hillside

@Eredur - The range of a wand of Magic Missile wand (assuming caster level 1) is a minimum of 110 feet. It is a medium ranged spell. Also you can generally draw a wand (in easy reach) and move your speed in the same move action as a wand is considered a weapon-like object (assuming a Bab of +1 or higher). This is a good fact that all casters should know. :)

Agree. Eredur can definitely get a magic missile off if he wants.

Still grinning, Eredur sends a powerful dart of magical energy toward the gnoll

Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Eredor scores first blood on the gnoll on the top of the cliff. The odd looking gnoll with green drool takes a poke at Baldrum and waves its other tentacular arm at him for good measure. The hyena leaps forward and helps spread the drool.

to hit spear: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

to hit slam: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

to hit hyena: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Nothing connects, though, as the wiley monk ducks and weaves. Other than getting a little wet and green, Baldrum is unharmed (no mechanical effect, just gross special effects).

Both of the opponents were close enough so that an AoO was not triggered. I'm surprised you placed Baldrum's icon there if you wanted to take advantage of an AoO. Don't think it will matter though.

Combat Card Round 2
Ongoing effects not mentioned below: The north team is on the top of a 15' cliff with enough rocks piled up below to make it a DC 10 climb roll to ascend.
Bold may go. See slide 5.

Eredur (-0 HP)
Patchouli (-0 HP)
Grilgoth (-0 HP)
Nistivo (-5 HP)
Baldrum (-0 HP)
Ezekial (-0 HP)

North gnoll (-5 HP)

Grilgoth decides to place her potion of Mage Armor into her a secure pocket in her leather apron as she effortlessly steers Fluffy into position using only her knees. Once in position she attempts an easy shot to catch both the gnoll and hyena with some fire splash damage.

To hit touch AC, Hit AC 5 only, 2nd range increment: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 7 - 2 = 25

7 Fire Splash damage Relfex DC 16 for half damage.

Right, now when I go for the easy square intersection (AC 5) I roll a critical. Still much better than a 1!

Guiding Fluffy with knees only is an automatic success as the DC for the ride check is only 5.

Patchouli 5 foot steps closer to her teammate, pull out a wand of Bless and cast it.

A small correction the splash damage should be 6 fire damage or 3 on a DC 16 Reflex save.

Nistivo screams in shock and pain as the arrow lodges in his back. He falls to his knees, clutching his head, before suddenly his skin erupts in thick fur and his hands elongate into sharp claws! Foam dribbles from the mouth of this wild beast as it leaps onto the cliffside and starts to scale it, red eyes intent on nothing but the utter savage death of the creature that wounded him!

Free action to enter bloodrage, then a double move (ten feet of movement to get to the cliff wall and then spending remaining 70' of movement (at 1/4 speed) to Climb. That will get me to the top, but I may provoke an AoO if the gnoll has a melee weapon out.

Climb (w/ Bloodrage): 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 2 = 22

Patchouli blesses the lot of you, making your attacks even more accurate.

reflex vs bomb for gnoll: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
reflex vs bomb for hyena: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

They both manage to avoid the brunt of the splash from Grilgoth's bomb. The land, on the other hand, is the victim of a crit and has a small crater in it!

@Nistivo
It will take you two actions to get up the cliff so you will need two climb rolls. Baldrum did accelerated climbing so he could get there in one move, and then up as part of a second move so only one roll for him. You will indeed draw an AoO, provided you make your second climb roll, unless you had the move to climb one west of where it seems you climbed.

Combat Card Round 2
Ongoing effects not mentioned below: The north team is on the top of a 15' cliff with enough rocks piled up below to make it a DC 10 climb roll to ascend.
Bold may go. See slide 5.

Eredur (-0 HP, bless)
Nistivo (-5 HP, bless, need another climb roll)
Baldrum (-0 HP, bless)
Ezekial (-0 HP, bless)

Gnoll (-8 HP)
Hyena (-3 HP)

Patchouli (-0 HP, bless)
Grilgoth (-0 HP, bless)

Baldrum's current AC is 24, touch 19, flat-footed 18.
(mage armor, enlarged, fighting defensively(-2/+5) with Crane Style plus 3 ranks in acrobatics plus a +1 shield bonus from the Sansetsukon)

Both of the opponents were close enough so that an AoO was not triggered. I'm surprised you placed Baldrum's icon there if you wanted to take advantage of an AoO. Don't think it will matter though.

I just wanted to prevent the gnoll from shooting arrows at my allies again. Even stepping away with a 5-foot-step would not help it because it would still be in a threatened square.

Baldrum cautiously retaliates with 2 quick blows with his weapon, aiming at the gnoll. (full attack action: flurry of blows)

MW cold iron Sansetsukon, fighting defensively: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 - 2 = 9 (+1 if blessed, +2 if flanking)
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 = 13

MW cold iron Sansetsukon, fighting defensively: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 2 = 22 (+1 if blessed, +2 if flanking)
Bludgeoning: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (1, 1) + 6 = 8

Magic missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Eredur sends another powerful magic missile toward the gnoll and his hairy companion

First target Gnoll, if already down on Hyena

@GM: Second Climb check below (will provoke AoO, as in this state Nistivo wouldn't try to avoid it).

Climb # 2: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 = 6

Nistivo struggles to get up the slope, just to see the gnoll fall and roll past him in an unconscious heap. The hyena turns tail and runs away.

You can AoO the hyena if you want, but it will not matter as far as the scenario goes.

COMBAT OVER!

The gnoll at the bottom of the slope is alive but closing in on death. The one to the east is dead.

Growling like a wild animal, Nistivo pounces on the fallen gnoll, disemboweling it! He rubs his face in the steaming blood before staggering some distance away and collapsing into the fetal position. Seconds later, his claws and bestial features seem to melt away.

"What--what was that thing?" Nistivo asks, getting to his feet. "Ugh! I'm filthy!" He pulls out a wand and taps it several times, trying to activate the magic it contains to clean himself. "Obviously a defective product! I shall present my warranty upon return and ask for a refund!"

I'll mark off a second round of bloodrage. Then, trying to activate a wand of prestidigitation.

UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
UMD vs DC 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Yeah!

Grilgoth shakes her head at the monstrosity that was ... is Nistivo.

"You have some nerve complaining about Fluffy (her dog) when you change into that ... thing."

"If we want to question the gnoll then we should do it now before he expires."

@miteke - Are you sure that was 4-5 encounter? It seemed way too easy. :)

Fluffy does not understand what they are talking about but recognizes his name and can tell that Grilgoth is defending her in some way. She barks in agreement.

"Woof! Woof!"

Ezekial looks down from the escarpment, and then crosses to where the downed gnoll lays, and inspects its filthy clothing for anything of import. Turning to Nistivio, he asks Are you okay? Seems more than a little challenging for you. If you need to talk, I am good at listening. he looks at Baldrum, Well done master dwarf! Shall we inspect the cave these things sought to bar us from? Strange mutations here in the mana wastes for certain. Ezekial will head toward the cave and inspect it.

Patchouli would like to salvage any usagle equipments from the gnolls

@miteke - Are you sure that was 4-5 encounter? It seemed way too easy. :)

A well aimed Fireball will do that most of the time.

Nistivo looks Grilgoth quizzically. To Ezekial, he nods. "Yes, apt speculation! It must have been a mutated monstrosity from the cave--I hope we don't encounter it again. And there had better be some treasure inside after all this trouble."

Grilgoth suspects that Nistivo is not aware of his condition. How ironic.

"Alright look around quickly and then we should get going."

@miteke - Are you sure that was 4-5 encounter? It seemed way too easy. :)

I know, right? The scenario says with the 4 player adjustment 'Subtier 4–5: Replace the two gnoll champions with Mana

These are 13 HP wimps. Even without the fireball, they would have been a cake walk. I hope that this is just an example of PFS scenarios starting off slow and the other combats will be more of a challenge.

Well, any hope of talking to the gnoll expired along with the gnoll when the bloddthirsty Nistivo made a mess. You checking out the cave with Ezekial? Nothing to discover on the outside. Of course you are.

Pictographs on the walls of this shallow cave show an indistinct winged creature navigating through a sea of swirling patterns and black dots. A clumsily constructed altar sits at the center of the cave. Dozens of small niches are carved into the wall, most filled with an odd assortment of items; teeth, scraps of clothing, a jar of white liquid, a wooden staff, several pieces of parchment, a cloth pouch, a leather satchel, and several identical wooden dolls formed into a young woman with brown curly hair.

The dwarf shrugs. "That was almost too easy. Whatever. Someone check the corpses for valueables, I'll go in with Ezekiel."

Right before entering the cave Baldrum casts guidance followed by detect magic. He scans the whole cave, recasting the spells as necessary.

Pointing at the strange dolls, Ezekial will ask, Aren't we looking for a dark-haired woman? Coincidence or purposeful? I wonder... I will dismantle this unholy thing, but I know not its signifigance. He crosses to the altar, looking it over. Finally he touches his holy symbol before dismantling it.

Knowledge, Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Know Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Have you spotted something interesting? Most gnolls worship the Mother of Monsters Lady Gaga? Lamashtu, but these seems quite unusual. This altar looks like something coming from raw chaos, something primal and wild

"A cave. What a strange place for the dolls to be in. Does baby monster likes to play with dolls as well? I thought they would just use humanoid body."

Grilgoth rides into the cave on Fluffy. She looks at the Pictographs.

@miteke - Is there any knowledge or skill that would help us make sense of this?

"People look around. Maybe there is something hidden or magical."

The alchemist scans the cave looking for anything of interest.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

She examines the satchel, the pouch, the scraps of parchment and the strange liquid in the jar.

Determining if the liquid is a potion and if so what kind of potion.

20 Craft-Alchemy on a take 10 (works as Detect Magic for potions for alchemists).

There is a secret/hidden door somewhere I know it. Now, it might not be in this scenario but if I keep looking I will find it. :)

Vexed by the sharp pain in his back and his recent ordeal, Nistivo decides to wait outside. Caves are so filthy.

You have no idea what the dolls are about and there is no secret door. Such a pity.

So, Nastivo is a complicated guy with issues with a taste for green blood, huh? That reminds me... Have fun rolling lots of dice, guys :)

Nastivo, give me a DC 13 Fort save. That blood seemed a bit off.

Fortitude save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

If disease is involved (germs? yuck!), I do have Plague Resistance.

If disease is involved (germs? yuck!), I do have Plague Resistance.[/ooc]

It does indeed! Normally transferred by one of its slam attacks, which never hit, but I figured slathering yourself with its blood counted as fulfilling the requirements of a disease transmitted by contact.

Grilgoth files all the trivial information away for latter.

Take 10 on all Knowledge succeeds easily (including the nested checks).

Always good for a skill monkey to give the other players a chance to ferret info out first. Makes it more fun that way. Please RP it all when and if you do divulge the info. I prefer that over instructions to just open the spoilers. And rewording things in a way your character would speak is good too.

Knowledge: Arcana t, guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 1 = 23 Yes!
Knowledge: Religion t, guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8 No.
Knowledge: Religion t, guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 1 = 13 No.
Knowledge: Nature untrained, guidance: 1d20 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 0 + 1 = 2 No.
Knowledge: Nature untrained, guidance: 1d20 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 0 + 1 = 8 No.
Perception, guidance: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19 Yes!
Perception, guidance: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13 No.

"There's dried blood on the altar - I suspect it's from the gnolls as it does have a faint green tint. Nistivo, please stay away from it."

Baldrum points out the pieces of parchment, a vial that is in the satchel, and two bullets.

"These are magical, we should take them with us. I will try to identify them after we complete our search here. Oh, and that's a spell component pouch, from someone who likes the darker arts..."

@GM miteke: How many Spellcraft checks to identify the magic items are needed? One per type or one per item?