Li'le Fella, finally hearing the command from the desperate Lybram, moves to protect his bubbies flank.
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Leon looks down at the blood on his scythe. The lots of blood. Then his brain processes what happened.
Ooooh shiiiit. What have I done! But, I thought… I was so sure!!!
*many curse words thought*
Leon puts his scythe away, ”Dis ting cursed. Use mah fists stead.” He moves over towards the Corba shooter.
Suddenly, a great flash of blinding light erupts over the city and, for a moment, there is silence. Then another terrible explosion rocks the city. An enormous black dragon can be seen circling above the Grand Lodge, near the ghostly light pillar. He roars and plunges toward the light. Combat ends as remaining enemies flee toward the Grand Lodge—it seems the flash of light and the explosion were a signal for something.
Defying all recent memory, the Grand Lodge’s great steel gates stand closed and fast. Now silent, the façade is heavily scarred with claw marks and acid burns. A long crack divides the arch above the doors, splitting the glyph of the open road. On the ground below, the shattered bodies of half a dozen men and women lie in the dust.
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The half-orc gives a toothy grin as he continues to close, easily resisting the feeble mind trick. His grin turns to a snarl of rage. "I'M GOING TO TEAR THAT SYMBOL OFF YOUR NECK AND FEED IT TO YOU!"
The cultist woman gives Raknir a wry grin and shouts at her goblin mooks,
"Let's get outta here!"They quickly dart in different directions, cackling maniacally as they disappear down the streets.
Seasoned pathfinders are at the gates willing to heal you. They have you gather close as they channel positive energy.
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Ok, everyone. We're gonna go Out of Character (or stay in character if you would like) to decide how you want to get over or through the gates.
The gates are not only locked, but heavily damaged. This damage destroyed part of the locking mechanism. The gates and the shining white walls are both 30 feet tall.
There are dozens of other Pathfinders (other tables) also trying to figure out how to get over or through the gates.
Working together and with other tables, Disabling the damaged lock, breaking down the gates, climbing over, or spells/SLAs are a few options.
Edit: I asked in the House GM thread if any of the higher tables are willing to fly or dimension door the 4 of you over.
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Yep! Belladonna.
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The host of assembled Pathfinders scramble into action as they collaborate to get everyone to the other side of the massive locked gate. Grappling hooks and rope stream toward the top of the wall while others climb, some magically aided and some not, to the top, ready to affix ropes to help their fellows. Magically aided, one senior Pathfinder flies up to help secure the ropes as well.
Still, many of the more heavily-armored Pathfinders struggle to find their way across the immense gates. A small group gathers at the base of the gates, consisting of an elderly human scholar, a dwarven wizard, a half-orc martial artist, a tall elven woman, and a rather pale-looking rogue. Working together, they set about trying to get the gates open using their combined knowledge of engineering and skullduggery. Some tinker with the lock while others act as guide, advising on what pins and tumblers should be jostled, and when. And just when it seems that their efforts will end in failure, the dwarven wizard utters arcane words and points at the lock. Shockingly, the great lock falls away and, with a heave from the waiting Pathfinders, the immense gates swing open enough to allow entrance!
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After getting over the wall, the party can see Skyreach, the heart of the Grand Lodge complex. It's under siege, defended by a valiant group of Pathfinders lining the towers and other strong points along the exterior of the great fortress. On the grounds in front, a huge black dragon lies in a crumpled heap, leaking acid and ichor, its corpse riddled with arrows. It appears that the loss of the dragon was too much for the attacking goblins, who have just begun to break and run directly towards your group standing at the gate.
Red, Blue, and Yellow goblins, each armed with a sword and shield, dart forward. Red and Yellow get behind a bulletin post, while Blue gets into melee with Lybram. The little goblin jabs his blade into Lybram's gut...
Ouch! The goblin sticks Lybram pretty good.
Pink, Green, and Black, armed with bows, spread out and fire arrows at your group.
Pink shoots at Lybram...
An arrow pierces Lybram's thigh.
Green shoots at Leon...
The arrow grazes his bicep.
Black shoots at Raknir...
The arrow whizzes past Raknir's head and through the open gate.
Red (sword):
Blue (sword):
Yellow (sword):
Pink (bow):
Green (bow):
Black (bow):
Lybram: -4 hp
Corba:
Leon: -1 hp
Raknir:
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Raknir glares at the swordfighters. "I have had enough of you lot!" Snarling, he strides forward, beginning an arcane chant and leveling his outstretched hands at the pair behind the bulletin post, palms down and thumbs touching. A fan of flames streams from his fingertips as he concludes his spell, immolating the pair.
Red is severely burned. Yellow is reduced to a pile of charred remains.
Corba shifts over and fires at the soot-covered goblin in red. Her bolt sticks into the bulletin post.
Leon performs a roundhouse kick at blue. Breaking the goblin's neck, it drops like a wet sack of potatoes and he hustles towards another goblin.
Red (sword): -4 hp
Blue (sword):
Yellow (sword):
Pink (bow):
Green (bow):
Black (bow):
Lybram: -4 hp
Corba:
Leon: -1 hp
Raknir:
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Lybram quickly nocks an arrow and draws back on the string. With a confident twang of the string, he releases the arrow, but it wasn't properly set. The missile unceremoniously drops to the ground at his feet, a small hiccup in the midst of battle.
Wisps of smoke wafting from the scorched red goblin, the little creature runs at Raknir, his crude sword pointed straight forward. He thrusts his blade at Raknir's belly...
Raknir twists his hips and avoids the blow.
Seeing the big brute run at them, Pinky and Green fire arrows at Leon...
One arrow strikes true, the other soars over the wall.
The two goblins high-tail it to the bushes to the southwest.
The goblin wearing saggy, black fishnet stockings shifts over a dozen feet and fires his bow at Corba atop her hound.
In a fortuitous turn of events, just as the goblin releases his arrow, the iron sewer grate between him and Corba unexpectedly pops open. The projectile shatters into splinters upon impact with the open grate. From the darkness below, a massive tentacle, nearly ten feet in length, unfurls and reaches out, groping its surroundings. After a brief, eerie moment, it swiftly retracts, the grate clanging shut behind it, leaving an unsettling sense of the unknown lurking below.
Red (sword): -4 hp
Blue (sword):
Yellow (sword):
Pink (bow):
Green (bow):
Black (bow):
Lybram: -4 hp
Corba:
Leon: -4 hp
Raknir:
Li'le Fella moves to the pink goblin and strikes out with his bite.
Just as the Pathfinders wrap up their respective battles, a great shadow passes over the battlefield. The cause is obvious--an enormous black dragon that sweeps over Skyreach, breathing acid on the defenders in the towers. Its angry roar is almost deafening as it wheels and soars over toward the Mausoleum.
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Leon, Raknir, and Lybram manage to take out Green, Red, and Pink.
Corba's bolt is deflected off the goblin's armor.
As the last goblin makes a run for the exit, the four of you are able to dispatch it quickly as the enormous dragon soars overhead.
“Come quickly!” a voice from the shadows calls out. Wedged into one of Skyreach’s darkened doorways is the enigmatic Pathfinder, Osprey. He’s paler than usual, several arrows pierce his skin, and his hands are smeared with blood.
“I have little time to speak; however, I must now burden you with a suspicion that is now a reality.” Lowering his voice to a soft hiss he whispers, “The Shadow Lodge is real.”
After making his declaration, he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small pouch filled with a fine, powdery substance.
“Please, take this. It's dust of disappearance. It may help you defeat Charvion.”
It is not a matter of good and evil. It is rather a question of methods and goals, limits and horizons. One cannot tell a member of the Shadow Lodge simply by appearance. Even personality and past deeds are unreliable measures, as the Shadow Lodge counts among its ranks some of the most storied and trusted agents in the Society. Anyone could be a member. The Shadow Lodge is ambitious, to be sure, but its members are not careless, so they build slowly, methodically, and—so far—quietly, beneath the radar of the Society at large.
After giving you the gift and telling you about the Shadow Lodge, Osprey limps into Skyreach and disappears into the shadows.
Groups of Pathfinders race towards the Mausoleum, in the direction the dragon is headed.
Your group races to the great Mausoleum on the Lodge's grounds with dozens of other Pathfinders. Two minutes later, you stand before the imposing mausoleum where a massive black dragon is perched on the edge of the roof, guarding the area. A large set of double doors below the dragon leads into the courtyard. A large hole can be seen in the roof next to the dragon. Charvion must have fled into the mausoleum.
More seasoned groups of Pathfinders quickly engage in combat with the formidable beast while others attempt to sneak or run into the courtyard below it. The great dragon exhales a stream of acid at a flying Pathfinder attempting to cast a spell at the beast. The unfortunate Pathfinder is partially dissolved by the corrosive breath and falls lifeless to the ground below. Noticing a group running into the courtyard below, the dragon slaps her massive tail against the edge of the roof, sending a shower of rubble down on the hapless Pathfinders.
A veteran Pathfinder, a female human cleric wearing a holy symbol of Desna turns to your group.
"The best way to get past that beast is to sneak or run past it! Hurry, Pathfinders, while the others keep it distracted!" she shouts to you over the din of battle before running off to join her group.
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Leaving the courtyard, Leon body checks the last goblin into a wall. Its lifeless body bleeds out as the group is pulled to the side. Grabbing the dust, the big man hands it to Corba, ”When ya need ta get outta trubbah o be sneekeh, use dis.”
Up ahead he sees the dragon and makes a run for it while holding his cloak up high over his head.
”Protec meh, majik cape!”
”Protec meh, majik cape!”
A group of Pathfinders make a mad dash to the door. They struggle for a moment with the door, but eventually get it open.
Braving the dragon’s wrath, a team of Pathfinders has forced open the door to the mausoleum!
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"Woof!"
Rocky speeds forward.
The group makes a mad dash for the door now that it's been opened. The dragon above swings its massive tail on the edge of the roof, sending down bits and chunks of rubble. You all try to avoid the falling pieces of brick, stone, and slate shingles.
Everyone gets pelted with hail-sized pebbles , leaving small bruises. Lybram, however, with head down, gets hit in the middle of his back with a chunk of brick .
The open courtyard is strewn with pools of acid and piled with rubble and other debris. Your group quickly heads through the western door ...
Lybram quickly restores the group to full health.
The complex of rooms through the door from the courtyard contains large steel surgical tables. Their perimeters are lined with additional work areas whose tables are covered with texts, surgical instruments and tools, alembics, scales, abacuses, and similar devices used in alchemical and biological tests. The rooms also hold barrels of wash water, along with bottles of various fluids and salts used in sterilization and embalming. The center of the floor contains a drain for run off, as well as a few waste buckets. There are no signs of any enemies here, and the Pathfinders who preceded the party have moved on. There are passages leaving the dissection rooms to the west and north.