[GameDay XII] DM Carbide's CORE Year of the Shadow Lodge (T8-9) (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

She’s a cleric of some sort!

"Indubitably if that spell is any indication. Still, I have heard of sorcerers with the right bloodline that can cast it."

Did the character use a holy symbol in the casting?

There are no conscious civilians present. Silgil, she wss brandishing some sort of symbol when she cast her spell.

The woman scrabbles at the edge of the pit, teetering for a moment before falling in.

Sylvester casts another Fireball before scurrying on Shaggy for total cover behind a building.

The Fireball should engulf the two archers and two goblin dogs.

(Goblins yellow and blue. Dogs red and green.)

Fireball,Reflex DC 19, Draconic Bloodline: 6d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 4, 5, 3, 4, 6) + 6 = 29

People complain about the effectiveness of this spell but it never seems old to me. :)

Round 1 (ongoing):

Sylvester's spell takes down both of the goblin dogs and two of the three archers.

Khellek and Bella to go!

"Pathfinders. These creatures would stand between you and our home. Be as Durvon and sweep them before you." calls out Khellek.
IC +2 to hit and damage

He then demonstrates how, firing Bessie at the last archer.

attack,IC,hero: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 23
damage: 1d8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 2 = 4

That evil cleric looks familiar ;)

Her incredible speed an astonishment to all, Bella darts up to the fountain while arming her crossbow (her speed is 50' with longstrider).

She takes cover behind the fountain and loads a bolt, ready to fire a shot.

"Nice work with that fireball! Any plans on taking out that cleric!?!" she shouts to her teammates.

It's not plagiarism, it's recycling.

ETA: Also, she's not evil, just misunderstood chaotic neutral.

Khellek severely wounds the last archer, and as soon as it's able to (i.e., now) it flees for its miserable life. From the pit comes a shaky voice: "I surrender!"

Out of combat!

Bella hears the shaky voice call out in surrender.

"Nevermind!” she shouts to her teammates.

Sylvester checks the goblins for loot. He wonders if one of them has a potion of healing so he will not have to use his wand.

Detect Magic is cast.

"Well, that was fast. The dragon was way scarier!"

Silgil saunters up to the edge of the pit, waiting for the others to join him before dismissing it. While he waits he calls down,

"What was the point of that. Did someone recompense you to commit suicide?"

She shakes her head. "The plan wasn't to face people of your abilities, or Charvion would have put a stronger group here." She sounds disgusted. "Damned fool. So, if I willingly tell you what I know about the plot, will you let me go?"

"Assuredly, and I doubt anyone here would object. I hope you got paid up front." There is a tone in his voice that says if she didn't she is a moron, in true dwarven spirit.

"Damned fool. So, if I willingly tell you what I know about the plot, will you let me go?"

Bella cautiously approaches the edge of the pit. With a grimace, she delicately and carefully removes the arrow piercing her shoulder and tosses it aside.

"Charvion? What does he have to do with this?" asks Khellek.

Khellek stops his inspiring words and reloads Bessie. Just in case.

Tell us what you know, and we will not pursue you further, but if you have heals, use them on us. says Ibaz.

Sylvester searches the bodies of the fallen goblins and in addition to their crude weapons finds only a few copper pieces.

The woman shakes her head ruefully. "I don't have any curing magic." At Khellek's question, her expression changes from regret to surprise. "You didn't know? I suppose his little charade with the dragon was convincing, if you weren't in on the secret. Yes, he's in charge of the operation. He wanted to get the cage out of the vaults and use it to access some secret scrolls hidden beneath the Mausoleum in the Grand Lodge complex. This--" She gestures in the direction of the barricades and fallen enemies, and points back at the Irorium. "--was supposed to be a distraction, not a slaughter. The man's gone too far. At best, this was ill-advised and rash, and if we'd known his plans we wouldn't have helped him."

"If you were a distraction... Guys, we better hurry!"

Silgil begins making his way forward, fairly sure the woman would not have any additional information to share.

Khellek, having been grateful for the short stop to catch his breath, nods to Silgil.

"Agreed. Can anyone spot a carriage. I'm afraid my exploits on the dance floor earlier may have taxed me more than I expected."

Sylvester whips out his wand, touches his focusing crystal and then attempts to bend the cure wand to his will. His wand over performs healing him completely and then some. He quickly put his wand away in a ready pocket.

UMD DC 20, CLW, Heroism: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 16 + 2 = 20

CLW CL1: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Sylvester laughs at Khellek.

"No time for that. Alright everyone. It is time to go!"

Silgil looks at Khellek in surprise, once again caught off guard by the fragility of humans.

"I could use a scroll of floating disk if you need to rest. It will only last an hour, but that should do it for you, right?"

"No, no... I'll not be carted around like sack of potatoes!" exclaims the elderly scholar, who seems to have remarkably enough recovered his breath.

"Carted like a noble maybe, not not a potato. Let us be on our way. To the Grand Lodge!"

Happy to wield anyones heal wands if you need a touch up. I have a couple of my own if you are running short.

As they moves towards the Grand Lodge, Ibaz asks Khellek to be healed.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

5 charges from my wand

I'm good going by foot.

Sylvester pats Shaggy and is glad that he does not have to run around like all these silly humans (or half-humans).

"To the Grand Lodge then."

Shaggy contributes a bark to the conversation not wishing to be left out.

"Woof!"

Bella, propelled by supernatural speed, races toward the Grand Lodge. As she quickly outpaces her teammates, she eases her pace, allowing them to close the distance. This dance of acceleration and deceleration continues, with Bella alternately sprinting ahead and then slowing down, ensuring her companions stay within reach.

**House GM Announcement**

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.
______________

Tables have two days to decide how they will contribute to getting past the gates. GMs, please report your group's plan through the success reporting link as soon as you have it.

@GM: If it's been less than 7 minutes since the fight in the arena, Bella's fly is still in effect. She can fly and dimension door PCs across or over.

Silgil has a knock spell prepared and casts it on the door (+18).

Khellek looks at the doors for a moment. He considers their hanging, and the damage to the structure around them.

"I think if you push just... no. further right..further... yes. Just there. See how this uses the principal of leverage to maximise your pressure exerted.."

engineering, T10: 10 + 27 = 37

"And hopefully minimise the time and cost to repair this. Look at it. This was a work of art. Stood for ages. " He shakes his head sadly. "Of course it was likely magically reinforced too. Those dragons did quite the number of the poor thing."

He sounds much more concerned about the fate of the old doorway than he does about most of his students.

It's taken more than seven minutes to reach the Grand Lodge, so Bella's fly spell has expired.

Any other plans to get past the gate?

Engineering check reveal anything helpful? Can do something similar for architecture if that is more use.

Crossing the gate will be accomplished as a collective with the other tables. Once I have everyone's proposed actions, I'll be submitting them to the House GM and they'll describe the completed process.

Bella has rope & grappling hook. As a suggestion, we could work together to help each other climb over.

It's crude, but I have knowledge of opening locks if needed.

+11 (+13 with heroism) with disable device

Sylvester can easily be carried over the gate (he is very light) but is not an exceptionally good climber himself.

"Yes, perhaps the rope and grapple is the best option if Ibaz cannot open the lock on the gate."

"Maybe one of the unfortunate dead people here has a key?"

Sylvester has a quick look to see if any of the people on the ground survived. He also looks to see if they have a key to the lodge (or useful treasure to bypass the obstacle).

25 Perception on a take 10.

Having stayed in the Grand Lodge before, Ibaz knows from previous experience that under normal circumstances he doesn't have the skill to pick the lock, even with Khellek's spell boosting his abilities. Sylvester finds no sign of a key on the bodies.

"Let's get our rope and grappling hooks up there. Looks like we're climbing over."

Khellek sighs. "I have to get some of those boots to help with situations such as these." The elderly scholars arms really don't look like he would be able to climb.

"Could you lower a basket to carry me up?"

Khellek stays at the bottom to begin with, ready with a feather fall incase anyone falls.

If someone fails to open the gate, Silgil will use his Transmutation School's Change Shape ability for a round to turn into an earth elemental and earth glide under the gate or, if the ground is cement or something, an air elemental and fly over. Naturally, like any self-respecting dwarf, he would prefer the more grounded path.

**House GM Announcement**

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!
______________

Well done, everyone. Table GMs, Area C2 is now open. You have 3 days to run the encounter in Area C2.

Good job! You'll notice that this party contributed three of the team that actually opened the gate.

Once 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 strongpoints along the exterior of the great fortress. On the grounds in front, a large 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...right at the open gates the party is in front of. A gang of eight are headed your way.

Since I'm working from my phone, the rest of the combat setup will have to wait until tonight.

"I hope they get my name correct for the Chronicles. No way that upstart Jones is going to top this!" mutters the elderly scholar.

Round 1:

Initiative order
Bella
Sylvester
Goblins
Other goblins
Ibaz
Silgil
Khellek

Bella and Sylvester can act!

Bella glances over each shoulder at her companions, wondering why their reactions are so slow.
"Hey! C'mon, guys! The cleric isn't supposed to go first!"
With a shrug, she mutters a quick prayer to Desna. A soft, silvery light envelopes her, protecting her with a ward of sanctuary.
She then darts through her group to get next to Silgil.

DC 15 Will negates sanctuary.

Sylvester's eyes brighten as he comes to realise that all of the goblins can be caught with a single Fireball. The gnome unleashes a ball of flame and then moves with Shaggy to hide behind some shrubbery for cover.

Fireball,Draconic bloodline, Reflex DC 19 for half damage: 6d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 4, 1, 6, 1, 4) + 6 = 23

Round 1 (ongoing):

Bella invokes protective magic, then Sylvester potentially obviates the need for it. His spell reduces six of the goblins to charred bones and greasy ash and severely injures a seventh, but the last one is able to find some cover and avoid much of the spell's effects.

The worst-looking goblin goes after Sylvester, reaching him and stabbing him for 3 HP. The other one rushes Ibaz, but even taken unawares the monk's training saves him from damage.

Everyone can act!

Sylvester guides Shaggy away with only his knees. He then completes his spell and three magical bolts speed at the purple goblin.

Shaggy takes a 5' step.

Magic Missile, CL 6: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3, 3) + 3 = 11

"Friends, pathfinders. These goblins have no place in our home. Evict them!" calls out the elderly scholar.

IC, +2 to hit and damage

He then follows his own advice, pointing Bessie at the goblin threatening Sylvester.

attack,IC: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 = 24
damage: 1d8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 2 = 6

Is that spellcaster/cultist at this fight? There's an icon of her on the dead dragon, but there was no mention that she's here.