DM Carbide's Sandstone Secret (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

reflex save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

↺Retributive strike strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 Shield Boss: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7x2 critical and 3 damage reduced to Vanizadi

When the swarm strikes Vanizadi, Sar defends him and punishes it for attacking him by bashing it with his shield.

The champion protects Vanizadi and squashes a swathe of centipedes. The kineticist, unfortunately, misses with his attack.

Chuckles to go!

Those who have played Summoners before, please feel free to correct me since this is my first time

Taking a deep breath, Chuckles reaffirms his link with Cupcake and summons a large rock to drop on the pile of writhing critters.

TKP vs Centipedes: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Bludgeoning: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

"Smash them Cupcake! SMASH THEM!!" his cries grow shrill.

Cupcake calmly raises a flipper and also brings it down on the wriggling mass.

Wing/Flipper: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Bludgeoning: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Crit, Deadly?: 1d8 ⇒ 4

◆◆◆ Act Together
◆◆ - Chuckles, TKP
◆ - Cupcake, Strike

I think that's the way to do it, but I've only seen a few people playing summoners.

Both Chuckles and Cupcake manage to hit, but only the rock seems to have any effect on the swarm.

Round 2:

Atlach
Sar Damalion
High in the Mountains
Centipedes
Chuckles
Vanizadi

Atlach, Sar Damalion, and High in the Mountains can act again!

Centipede swarm: AC 18 HP taken: 16

I've a summoner and I'm very confused about act together myself. I rarely play it for that reason.

Sar lashes out with his shield against the swarm. He then draws his sword, and raises his steel shield - bracing for another attack.

"If someone can, bind the wounds of Kline over there!"

◆strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
◆draw weapon (bastard sword)
◆raise shield

We don't have access there.

The cleric tries again to harass the swarm with his magic.

Needle darts: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Damage: 3d4 ⇒ (3, 2, 4) = 9

Then he casts Shield.

◆ Recall knowledge (Nature +5) to know weaknesses of the centipedes.

◆ Hunted Shot: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 251d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 7 - 5 = 18
Piercing damage: 1d8 ⇒ 11d8 ⇒ 1

◆ Swap bow for gaff

The eidolon misses twice.

Round 2 (ongoing):

Both Atlach and Sar Damalion miss with their attacks. The leshy tries to remember useful information about the swarm, but nothing comes immediately to mind. Both of their arrows hit, but with negligible effect.

The swarm stays put and chews on the half-elf some more for 1 point of piercing damage (basic Reflex save) plus 8 points of poison damage and flat-footed (DC 20 Fort save to avoid). Sar Damalion realizes that his armor and shield don't protect him from a carpet of hungry arthropods.

Chuckles and Vanizadi are up!

GM I just posted... Cupcake missed twice

Ah--I thought that was a retcon of the first round.

Nobody has treated the "Head Pathfinder." Perhaps this group is not effective at magical healing. They probably should have discussed that. Vanizadi has some magical healing... but it requires either cooperation from the patient, which is less helpful when they are unconscious, or time and exposure to sunlight, which is also currently inconvenient.

It is good to note this limitation.

The task must then be completed in a physical way. The conrasu moves over to him, extracting a bandage from his medical kit. "This will not hurt a bit, because you are unconscious."

"Oh. Maybe it will. No, no I've got it. Animal, not vegetable. Yes."

◆ Stride (to the corner? Wherever he is.)
◆◆ First Aid to stabilize Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Ugh, fine, Hero Point: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Striding to the corner will take you through the vat (difficult terrain), if you want to avoid the swarm and the pit.

Not fast enough for that. You can move through a swarm's space since they're made of Tiny creatures, right? Not ideal, but through the swarm, if I must!

You can go through the swarm, at the risk of taking some damage.

Without another clear route available, Vanizadi ears back through the centipedes to get to "Kline." He should be appreciative.

Vanizadi sprints as best he can through the swarm (3 points piercing damage with a DC 20 basic Reflex save; 7 points poison damage with a DC 20 Fortitude save), only to find that the "head Pathfinder" is beyond saving. Save the hero point, and you still have two actions left.

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Fortitude: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15 Ah, another use for that Hero Point: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

This time is worse. Vanizadi turns and grows a heavy cudgel again, smashing it down into the bugs. Alas, elemental magic is temporary, and his weapon has mostly withered to nothing before it hits.

Two-action melee Elemental Blast: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 for bludgeoning damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 1 temp hp replenishes

I think Sar Damalion may be able to help you with the piercing damage, though.

@DM Carbide, I'll roll my saves as well even if its not my turn

reflex save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

↺Retributive strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 P: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Vanizadi gains resistance 3 to all damage

Sar looks horrified as he takes on more than he can chew.

OK.

The champion protects Vanizadi from the panoply of pincers, but misses with his retributive strike.

Round 3:

Sar Damalion, Atlach, and High in the Mountains can all act!

The cleric casts Guidance upon Sar Damalion and Runic weapon on his shortsword.

"Thank you Atlach!"

Sar strikes the swarm with his sword twice, then heals himself with Ragathiel's healing power.

◆strike runic weapon and guidance: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 19 S: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 1) + 4 = 12
◆strike runic weapon MAP: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 - 5 = 5 S: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 1) + 4 = 6
◆lay on hands (+6 Hit Points)

Round 3 (ongoing):

Atlach-acted
Sar Damalion-acted
High in the Mountains
Centipedes
Chuckles
Vanizadi

Atlach empowers and guides Sar, who takes advantage of this and mows down a swathe of centipedes, coating his sword blade with ichor and centipede bits. The swarm is looking pretty depleted in numbers.

Sar, give me another DC 20 Fort save.

High in the Mountains?

Centipede swarm: AC 18 HP taken: 26

fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
fort save hero point: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

High in the Mountains will swap back to its bow and take a five-foot step back.

Hunter's Edge Flurry: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 211d20 + 7 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 3 = 23

Combined damage: 1d8 + 1d8 ⇒ (4) + (2) = 6

I can't catch a break :(

Pardon my naivete; is the damage combined before applying any resistances?

Pardon my naivete; is the damage combined before applying any resistances?

Yep. That's the point of Hunted Shot.

Thanks, I figured there was a feat for that.

Round 3 (ongoing):

High in the Mountains uses training and skill to do a bit of damage to the swarm.

Sar shakes off the effects of one batch of centipede toxin just in time for another one as the swarm shifts to cover Vanizadi again.

Sar and Vanizadi, take 8 HP piercing damage with a DC 20 basic Reflex save, and 2 HP poison damage with a DC 20 Fortitude save.

Chuckles and Vanizadi can act!

Centipedes AC 18 HP taken 27

Hoping 3rd time's the charm

Chuckles again touches Cupcake's flipper to give her strength.

"Save our friends Cupcake! Smash 'em!"

Cupcake lifts her flipper and attempts to flatten the centipedes.

◆ Act Together:
Chuckles - Boost Eidolon
Cupcake - Stride

Cupcake strides forward and attempts to smash the centipedes.

Flipper: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Flipper, MAP: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Cupcake misses the centipedes with both strikes... and misses Sar's head by inches.

◆◆ Whiff Whiff

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Fortitude: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

"I am finding the little biting unpleasant. Please STOP."

This last word is punctuated by another attempt to bash the bugs with a freshly-grown wooden hammer. Vanizadi is not yet certain if smashing them is the right tactic, but hasn't yet landed a solid enough blow to check. He moves away from the swarming critters.

◆◆ Elemental Blast Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 for bludgeoning damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8, and gain 1 temp HP from wood impulse junction.
◆ Step

With a bang that echoes through the room, Vanizadi's wooden hammer comes down on the swarm, and by the time the sound has died away the remaining centipedes have scuttled back into the pile of rubble.

Out of combat! More to come later.

Good thing! How can so much vermin haunt these ruins?

Looking around he asks: Is someone hurt? I mean a part of the pretended pathfinder?

reflex save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

what is the current hit point count?

Sar is down 13 HP and is at Stage 1 of the last dose of poison.

Vanizadi moves closer to each Pathfinder and penguin. A small nut or berry grows in each one's open hand--or at their feet for those with hands full.

"These are magical and contain vital energy. Eat them and they will heal you."

Fresh Produce isn't the greatest in-combat healing, but it's pretty good when you have a little time. Each person Haka 1d4+1 and gains Void resistance 2 for 10 minutes. During that time you feel full and can't eat another piece of produce.
Healing: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"If anyone needs further treatment I can help, but I can also give out more berries when those wear off."

The cleric treats Sar's poison.

Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

And he casts a Heal spell on Sar.

Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

I think you should feel better now.

Atlach is able to treat the poison, and after that normal healing magics suffice to repair Sar and Vanizadi. It appears that the centipede swarm was the only hostile creature in the ruin...at least, the only one that manifested as anything other than a drop in the light level and a sense of dread. The party spends a couple of days finalizing their notes, recovering the artifacts that "Durvin Kline" had secreted away, and then returning to the Windswept Halls to report.

Venture-Captain Balentiir greets you warmly, although he seems embarrassed about something. "I did tell you that you'd be meeting my old friend Durvin Kline at the site, didn't I? After you left I couldn't remember."

How do you want to report what happened, and is there anything else you'd like to do at the site before leaving?

"Thank you Vanizadi and Atlach! You both saved my life."

Sar writes a report for Venture-Captain Balentir detailing the meeting with Durvin Kline and his demise at the end of Sar's spear by being eaten alive by a swarm of centipedes. While the team wasn't able to save Kline's life, Sar emphasizes that he wouldn't be alive today were it not for the swift actions of his fellow Pathfinders - in particular Vanizadi and Atlach.

The garundi man nods to the point that the team couldn't help Kline to be eaten by the swarm of centipedes.

But here are our notes about the site.

Vanizadi makes sure to explain the things that happened to the guard--to warn her about the presence of dangerous swarming vermin, to explain that they suspect the "Head Pathfinder" was an impostor, and to inform her of his death.

"We did not kill or even fight with him. His death was caused by the venomous insects. I can demonstrate if you care to examine the body."

He has nothing further for the Venture Captain, though he does back up Sar and Atlach in his formal written report.
"It is no matter. This is why it is important to have a medic available."

What, if anything, are you telling the Venture-Captain about the apparent impostor?

Sar outlines the group's suspicions regarding the unknown name which combines 2 named Pathfinders, use of the unknown title "Head Pathfinder", noting that the documents submitted to the guard passed the guard's scrutiny, and that he was investigating the area ahead of our group. The report would also mention the name "Elrekah", saying that Durvin Kline had thought the party was him.

The cleric also shows the wayfinder Durvine Kline had with him.

"He did not know the Society motto. He said 'corroborate.'"

Sar outlines the group's suspicions regarding the unknown name which combines 2 named Pathfinders, use of the unknown title "Head Pathfinder", noting that the documents submitted to the guard passed the guard's scrutiny, and that he was investigating the area ahead of our group. The report would also mention the name "Elrekah", saying that Durvin Kline had thought the party was him.

Sar, I don't think anyone made the Society or Pathfinder Society Lore check to open that spoiler. Also, he never referred to himself as the head Pathfinder--that's just what the guard called him. Lastly, something that I never posted, but which the characters would know--"Elrekah" is the name of the guard who greeted you on your arrival.

On reading over your report, Balentiir thanks you for your thoroughness. "I'll try to find out who he was. This permit is going to be the best clue, because it's authentic. Not many people have access to the records and seal." He smiles. "It's a good thing you got there when you did--my guess is that he was going to take the most valuable items and leave us looking like thieves. That would have been the end of our access to archaeological sites in Osirion for a long time."

Eventually you learn that "Durvin Kline" was a clerk in the permit office in Sothis who made a duplicate and hired some laborers to do the excavation. Luckily, though, you stopped him before he could escape.

And with that we are done! Thank you all for playing, and I'll get the chronicles sent out in the next day or so. I hope you enjoyed the game despite my lack of experience running 2e.