A Fistful of Flowers + A Few Flowers More (Inactive)

Game Master Delta Arena

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Bottlespeaker stares at the crystals unaware of their danger. "They are so pretty," he says staring at them oblivious to everything around him.

Sorry Paizo ate my post

Popcorn runs after Reaching Rings into the other room.

Her third action will depend on what's on the other side.

As soon as Rings opens up the room, the concentrated smell of flowers becomes even stronger than it was upstairs. Inside the room, that appears to be some sort of laboratory, there are long wooden tables along the south wall that are covered with candles. A large, unlit stone fireplace takes up the room’s rounded southwest corner. The north wall features two rounded tables, one holding a cauldron of stew and the other riddled with burn marks and covered in wax. Similar scorch marks and splatters appear on the floor at the center of the room, beneath a massive cauldron of gently bubbling wax. Next to the bubbling cauldron, a towering set of sturdy wooden shelves are laden with a hodgepodge of tools for candle making and alchemy. There is large man between the shelves and the cauldron, holding a filled vial in one hand and an improvise wax sprayer in the other. Two small homunculi accompany him around the cauldron.

I have revealed the room in the map.

With a rogue’s instincts, Reaching Rings immediately flattens themselves low to the ground and sneaks into the room, hiding behind the shelves. Peeking through a small gap, the fungus silently observes while trying to figure out what is going on.

2nd action: Sneak into room. 3rd action: Recall Knowledge about what Darius is doing and what role flowers play. Both are secret checks for the GM to roll.

Popcorn sneaks alongside Reaching Rings using Rings' Quiet Allies and silently draws her weapon.

"Great, more decorations for my patron," says Darius. "Quickly, get them!"

He drinks the vial he's holding in his hands and smashes it into the ground once his done. You can see sharp crystals growing from his nails and his teeth, growing into claws and fangs made to tear. With his transformation complete, he approaches Rings and Popcorn.

Action Breakdown: Point out*, Interact* (to consume the vial) and Stride*

***

On the other room, the crystals vibrate and shriek as concentrated sound waves flow from them to blast at those nearby.

Crystal 1 Targeting Bottlespeaker sonic damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6DC 20 basic Fortitude Save.
Crystal 2 Targeting Popcorn sonic damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6DC 20 basic Fortitude Save.
Crystal 3 Targeting Bottlespeaker sonic damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1DC 20 basic Fortitude Save.

One of the crystals continues to hum uncontrollably before shattering on the spot.

***

The homunculi move to either sides of the shelving, reach in to take handfuls of wax from themselves and throw them at Rings and Bottlespeaker.

Seeing the first glob miss the target, the Homunculus throws another glob at them.

In the meantime, the other Homonculus approaches from the side. The smell of lavander emanating from the creature is overwhelming to the senses. I need a Fortitude Save as you enter the Homonculus aura.

Action Breakdown: Blue: Stride*, Strike*x2. Purple: Stride*, Strike*, Stride*

***

All three of you can take your turns.

Fort save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

“Great spores below!” Reaching Rings exclaims, gagging uncontrollably on the overpowering lavender scent. “The stench and sound are unbearable!” Surrounded and overwhelmed, the rogue beats a hasty retreat back up the stairs. “Quickly!” they urge Popcorn, knowing that she would rather stay and fight, “I conjecture that retreat is the better part of valor today!”

Stride x3 out of the basement

Fortitude (crystal): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Fortitude (lavender): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Persistent fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Popcorn reluctantly runs away. Stride x3 out of the basement

HP 49/53, still on fire.

Rings, you are sickened 1

***

As the leshies rush upstairs they notice Galan cowering on the other side of the counter, covering his head with his arms. "What is going on? What were those noises? Where is Darius?" He says upon seeing the leshies come through the basement door.

***

Darius and the Homunculi stay in the basement.

Back to exploration for the time being.

As soon as all their friends are out of the basement, Reaching Rings slams the door shut and then doubles over, retching repeatedly from the nauseating floral stench. Only after thoroughly purging themselves does the rogue respond to Galan.

Fort save vs sickened: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11Fort 2nd attempt: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

“Our theory has been conclusively proven. Darius turned himself into a monster and tried to kill us. For your own safety, you may wish to retire from your current employment. The shrieking crystals appear to have an extensive range of effect and we may not be able to protect you here.”

Upon noticing one companion on fire and another bleeding from his ears—or his gourd—Rings quickly retrieves a healing kit and tends to their injuries.

Treat Wounds (Popcorn): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15regain hp: 2d8 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4
Treat Wounds (Bottlespeaker): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18regain hp: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Bottle speaker casts good berry berry : 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 62: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

" Never fear these delicious berries will help you get back into shape. We just need to regroup and focus less on the shiny crystals," Bottlespeaker says while picking crystal shards out of his body.

Looking under to Popcorn he adds,"Also put out popcorn."

Popcorn, wielding her flail like a cooking implement, attempts to scrape the hot wax off herself.

Persistent fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 18

She then eats a goodberry. Extinguished and back to full health

"A monster?! What do you mean a monster?! This is not in what he told me about the job when he hired me. "

”I believe he’s actually human, but he seems to have drunk some kind of mutagen or something like that.”

Popcorn tries to estimate how long it will take Darius’s mutagen or potion to wear off. Crafting +8, +9 for food/drink/potions

You know that it can take anywhere between 1 minute and 1 hour depending on the potency of the mutagen.

“We should go back down soon - all four of us this time. It’s been over ten minutes, which may or may not be long enough for the mutagen to wear off, but I don’t think we have much time to waste.”

“Your theory is sound,” Rings replies to Popcorn. “Our leshy friends remain in danger, and their predicament will not improve by waiting longer.” With that the fungus ensures that everyone else is ready, then opens the door and sneaks downstairs.

" Yes now that we're healed up let us go back and confront this evil man. I'm sure we'll succeed this time. ," Bottlespeaker says proudly.

Quietly following behind his rogue friend he waits to see what he observes.

As the three leshis go back down into the basement, they realize that the three large crystals on the table have shattered. And that the door to the laboratory is, once again, closed.

Glad that they don’t have to worry about the shrieking crystals any more, Rings silently leads the way with rapier drawn, checking the path before them in case any new traps were laid. Should the way be clear, and the door unlocked and untrapped, Rings will carefully open the door with their free hand.

No new traps have been laid down in the time that had past, but that doesn't mean they had let their guard down. As Rings opens the door, they realize that Darius had set the two homonculi on the shelves to serve as sentinels.

You can roll initiative and place yourselves wherever you want in the crystal room, except for Rings who is opening the door. If you roll above 27, you can take your turn.

Popcorn stands next to Reaching Rings, weapon already drawn.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

She isn't able to get a very good look through the door from her angle.

initiative: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Bottlespeaker carefully grips his staff waiting for their second chance at rescuing their friends.

Rings initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Fluff Fang initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Fluff Fang stands ready behind Popcorn, while Rings braces themselves for combat as soon as they see the homonculi sentries.

Darius rushes towards the door to cover himself behind the wall. You can see that his nails and teeth are back to normal, although he does have one more vial on his apron. He engages the mechanism on the wax sprayer he is holding and pulls the trigger. Boiling wax speys forth against the leshys.

DC 20 Reflex Save from Popcorn, Rings and Fluff Fang

Then, Darius drops the wax sprayer.

Action Breakdown: Stride* and Spray Hot Wax**

***

The Homunculi each reaching inside themself once again to pull a glob of wax and through it at the leshys.

The wax glob hits the door frame, way above Rings' head.

The trajectory of the glob is a direct arc towards Fluff Fang, but the poor little Homunculus didn't take into account the wall that's in the way and the glob strikes it instead.

Then they both jump off the shelf and advance, one towards Rings and once towards darius' dropped weapon.

As the Homunculus blue advances to where Rings is, the stench begins to fill the space around it.

DC 15 Fortitude Save from Popcorn, Rings and Fluff Fang.

Then the Homunculus opens his mouth to bite at the first Leshy.

But Rings nimbly dodges out of the way.

The other Homunculus Purple decides to pick up the dropped weapon from the floor.

Action Breakdown: Blue: Strike*, Stride* and Strike*. Purple Strike*, Stride* and Interact*.

***

You can all take your turns

Let me know if the movement arrows help or disrupt.

Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Valiantly disregarding the boiling wax marring their beautiful leaves, Fluff Fang inspires their allies with rousing words and leaps to the attack, stabbing at the homunculus twice with their rapier.
1st attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 1 = 26Piercing damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 1 = 8
2nd attack: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 1 = 22Piercing damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 1 = 4

Inspire Courage*, Attack*, Attack*

I like the movement arrows. Rings will delay to after Fluff Fang (and wow, do bards bring a lot of extra options to the table).

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Popcorn dodges the worst of the hot wax, but still gets hit by enough of it to hurt. 8 damage

Fortitude: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
The smell of the homunculus is almost overwhelming; Popcorn's keen sense of smell works against her. Sickened 1

"Finally, it's time to crush them!" shouts Popcorn as she becomes surrounded by a fiery aura.
◈ Rage

She then retches, somewhat spoiling the moment.
◈ Retch
Fortitude: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
No longer Sickened

Finally, she tries to give the blue homunculus a good whack with her war flail.
◈ Strike
Attack roll: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 1 = 29
damage (B): 1d10 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11
damage (fire): 4 = 4

HP: 45/53, but with 5 temporary HP

Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

The shower of boiling wax lands directly upon Rings, searing their spores with persistent flames. To make matters worse, the homunculi’s nauseating stench once again overwhelms the fungus, causing them to retch once again, even though nothing comes out.

Fortitude (retch): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Persistent Fire Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Flat check to end persistent damage: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Overwhelmed by fire and smell, the leshy focuses on self-preservation, slamming the door shut while trying to recall what they know about homunculi.

Retch*. Interact* (close door). Recall Knowledge.*

After Fluff Fangs inflicts deep wounds with their rapier, Popcorn swings her flail and crushes the Homunculus under it, splashing wax on the floor and walls.

Blue Homunculus is down.

Rings, you know that, as a construct, Homunculi are immune to a great number of things, such as bleed, death effects, disease, doomed,
drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks,
paralyzed, poison, sickened and unconscious.

the door is closed for now and it's Bottlespeaker's turn.

dice=fortitude]1d20+9[/dice]
Move
Cast Guidance on reaching rings
Take out scroll of enlarge

"Popcorn I have something that will help you hit our enemies harder. When I get a chance Ill make sure that you are even bigger than you are now," Bottlespeaker calls out to his angry compatriot.

Bottlespeaker, the Blue Homunculus is down, so you are safe from the aura effect without the safe.

From the other side of the door, all you can hear is the sound of a vial smashing on the floor and the bubbling of the cauldron.

You can all take your turns again.

Rings gratefully accepts Bottlespeaker’s spell, even as they retch again and again.

Fortitude save: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13
Fortitude again: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Finally the fungus seems to recover from the homunculi's stench, though they are still on fire and in no shape to currently confront the enemy. So Rings backs away to the rear to regroup, letting someone else take the lead.

ongoing fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Retch* (use Guidance), Retch*, Stride*. No longer sickened but still on fire.

Unlike the cowardly (or sensible fungus), Fluff Fang is no wilting wallflower. Spurred by their success against the first homunculus, the leaf leshy dashes forward with daring aplomb, opening the door and darting to the opposite side of Darius, creating a flanking opportunity. “For glory!” they urge the others onward. “Let’s turn him into a shish-kabob!”

Step*, Interact* (open door), Stride*

Popcorn moves to take advantage of the flanking opportunity provided by Fluff Fang, then attacks Darius twice.

First Strike: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
damage (fire): 4 = 4

Second Strike: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
damage (fire): 4 = 4

Move
Ray of Frost on weird man attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

"Listen you vile man. Give us back our family!!!!"

Flank or no flank, Darius manages to avoid getting hit by either Popcorn's flail or Bottlespeaker's stream of cold.

"I don't even know who your family is, little plant. Now, get out of my laboratory!" His voice is deep and growly, like that of crazed beast.

He then unleashes a series of attack against those surrounding him.

Slashing Damage: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Slashing Damage: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

His claws slice through both Leshys, but Popcorn is fast enough to avoid his bite.

Action Breakdown: Strike*x3

***

The Homunculus finishes recharging the wax sprayer and flies towards Fluff Fang, right by Darius.

DC 15 Fortitude Save from Popcorn, Rings and Fluff Fang.

Then, it launches towards Fluff Fang, its jaws open, to bite a piece out of them.

Slashing Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3 plus 1d4 persistent fire damage.

Catching Fluff Fang by surprise, it manages to bite a leaf off of them before Fluff Fang catches on to their opponent's movement.

***

You can take your turns.

Fluff Fang, you are taking 1d4 persistent fire damage.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Popcorn is less bothered by the smell this time. She stays focused on attacking Darius.

Strike: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
damage (fire): 4 = 4

She still feels angry, so she attacks again.

Strike: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
damage (fire): 4 = 4

And again.

Strike: 1d20 ⇒ 14
damage (B): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
damage (fire): 4 = 4

Strike x3

HP: 36/53

Despite being sliced, bitten, and set on fire, Fluff Fang perseveres, undaunted. “Onward, my friends! Darius, this is your last chance—what have you done with the leshies you kidnapped?” The brave bard twirls their free hand in a magical gesture, telekinetically yanking one of the heavier tools off the nearby shelf and hurling it at Darius, then calls out to the barbarian. “Popcorn, after you’ve had your fun, make way for Rings to have their turn.”

Spell attack: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 1 = 29damage (B): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3) + 1 = 7

Inspire Courage*, Telekinetic Projectile**.

Persistent fire damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Popcorn focuses all her energy in her first strike against the alchemist. Her flail breaks through his armour and leaves him battered and weakened.

Before he has any time to respond, one of the hammers on his shelf flies against him, breaking his skull. He drops against the wall and then to the ground.

With the flanking, Popcorn's first Strike and Fluff Fang's Telekinetic Projectile are Critical Hits and deal enough damage to take Darius out of the fight for good.

Focused on self-preservation, the still burning ex-hermit takes a goodberry from Bottlespeaker and consumes it. It’s much too fresh, not having decomposed even a little bit, but the fungus forces it down to feel a little better and a bit more brave. Rings then enters the workshop, but takes care to hide themselves behind the shelves for now. “If I recall correctly,” they counsel, “homunculi are immune to a great many things, but both blade and club will have their normal effect.”

ongoing fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Flat Check: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Thankfully as the fungus presses up against the shelves, the flames finally die out.

Interact*x2 (get goodberry and eat it for 8 hp), Stride

Forgot to roll Fort save for Fluff Fang: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

move
ray of Frost homoculi: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
damage: 3d4 ⇒ (3, 3, 3) = 9 cold

Bottlespeaker moves into the room being startled by the weird creature. "Ahhhh its on fire. Put it out put it out," he yells as he shoots a ray of cold towards the creature.

Bottlespeaker aims and holds the ray directly at the homunculus' chest. The cold starts to spread around its body and soon it freezes it in place.

You were on fire with the crits in this encounter. The critical damage from the ray of frost is enough to take down the homunculus.

Soon the only sound in the room is that of the bubbling wax burning in tha cauldron at the center of the room.

As soon as the second homunculus solidifies into motionless wax, neutralizing both it and its horrific stench, Reaching Rings recovers their courage. “Fluff Fang, your leaves are still on fire!” Rushing forward, the fungus tries to smother the flames with their soggy burlap sacks of rotten fruit, while encouraging the bard to roll on the ground to extinguish the fire.

Rings will try an Assisted Recovery to help end the persistent fire damage to Fluff Fang. I’m not sure how exactly this works—it seems to be up to the GM—so I’ll just roll a single flat check and let you handle the rest.
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 20

After all the fires are out, Rings takes a moment to survey their surroundings more carefully. “I conjecture that Darius will no longer be able to tell us what he did to our friends. But perhaps he carries some record on his person that will lead us to the leshies? He did say something about ‘more decorations for my patron’, which theoretically suggests that he was merely acting as an agent on behalf of another, and consequently is not the mastermind behind this nefarious plot.”

The fungus, however, does not search Darius, instead leaving that task to the others. Rather, they focus on healing Fluff Fang with some supplies from their healer’s kit.

Medicine (Treat Wounds -> Fluff Fang): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17regained hp: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5
Fluff Fang should be at 17 hp now

"Perhaps there is some sort of paperwork or information that we can find that will lead us to the next location," Bottlespeaker says while he just starts meandering around the room a bit aimlessly.

Assisted Recovery either reduces the DC of the flat check, the amount of actions it takes or gets rid of the condition immediately depending on the help being given. In this case, not that it changes the outcome, it would have dropped the DC of the flat check to 10.

In the room, there are tools of varius types strewn around, a oven-like fireplace in one corner and a couple of tables. On one of the tables there is a cold stewpot of bland, undercooked vegetable stew with an excessive amount of salt. There are also two adjoining rooms on either side of the room with their doors closed.

After treating Fluff Fang, Reaching Rings tends to their own wounds for some time.
Treat Wounds on Rings: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25Crit success; regain hp: 4d8 ⇒ (7, 2, 8, 3) = 20

Only when their medical ministrations are concluded do they turn their attention to Darius, rummaging through the human’s corpse for any clues about their leshy friends.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Popcorn calms down somewhat after the enemies are defeated. She tastes the vegetable stew. ”For an alchemist, Darius seems to have been surprisingly bad at cooking.”

She then opens the door to the northern adjoining room to search it for paperwork as suggested by Bottlespeaker.

There is nothing on Darius besides the tools he was using.

The northern door leads to a cluttered storeroom packed with alchemical tools in various states of of disrepair, some prototype candles, and fragments of different crystals.

If there are no written documents in the northern room, Popcorn looks in the southern room.