Iron Gods for PF2E by DM Doctor Evil

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

Alpha-47 will stride into the room, taking in the weird creature, thinking back if he knows anything about them.

Recall Knowledge, Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"This creature resembles the skeletons, a survivor? How long lived must these things be then. Shame it is not friendly."

Alpha-47 will use his new powers, throwing a magical rock at the creature.

Focus Point Hurtling Stone: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Then finish with Guidance on Karina.

> Stride
> Recall Knowledge
> Hurtling stone focus power

"New routine, Luther! Let's go and show them what we can do without playing strictly to the bard routine!" Karina intones as she takes out a conductor's baton and the lute familiar, still playing without her direct input, hovers to the middle of the room along with the scissor-walking viol as ice erupts from the floor around the familiar, and snow starts falling from the ceiling. All creatures in the blue rectangle get dazzled. Using Luther's Action from Independent to move to the middle of the room. The blue rectangle is dazzling snow, red triangle is the Spirit Object viol, and the blue square surrounding the familiar is the difficult terrain ice. One-Action cast: Spirit Object.

She then holds out her conductors baton as a hard, bludgeoning ball of ice ripped from the ground flies towards the Kasatha's head. This originally was going to be Electric Arc, but that would waste Alpha's Guidance, so here's a Telekinetic Projectile roll for the other 2 actions:

Attack, Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 1 = 25
Damage (Bludgeoning): 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8

I'm assuming w/ 4 arms this is a kasatha.

That "difficult terrain ice" should say "dazzling snow," edited it quite a bit because I forgot it changed ice to snow. Oops.

She stows her crossbow, since it is not very useful against a skeleton, and moves up.

Just to be clear, the creature you face is NOT a skeleton. It is the same body type (4 arms etc) as the skeletons you faced, but it does have flesh on it. You can re-post an action with those facts in mind, if you wish.

Observation Room - Round 1 - continued

30 Hetuath
22 Zaria (pending new actions?)
21 Alpha-47
20 Karina
19 Ba'hahk
15 Aglippa

Alpha-47 checks his data banks for any information on such a creature, and finds a very rare entry for something called a kasatha. Little is known of these creatures as they seem to be alien to Golarion. Even as he recognizes a bit about the creature, Alpha can tell there is something off about the movements and affect of this creature, something not quite right about it.

Alpha is also able to send a stone flying into the creature, scoring a hit. Finally, Alpha gives some of Brigh's guidance to Karina.

Karina's familiar, Luther, enters the room on its own accord, then as she casts Spirit Object on the viol, snow bursts around the lute, causing the kasatha creature to be dazzled temporarily. Following up on the actions of her instruments, Karina tosses a snowball at the foe, smacking it upside the head.

Giving Zaria a chance to repost given her misunderstanding. Also waiting for actions from Aglippa and Ba'hahk

"We can take a look at how ancient they are after we're done making 'em stop maving!"

Aglippa is going to charge in, either after Zaria or ahead of the pack depending on how Zaria's action goes through. Once she's strided in she's going to be swinging her greatsword.

"For Gorum!"

Stride twice and go for a swing.
Hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Damage: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

I'll call it an IC oops on my part and keep my action as posted.

Observation Room - Round 1 - continued]

30 Hetuath (15hp dmg, dazzled)
22 Zaria
21 Alpha-47
20 Karina
19 Ba'hahk
15 Aglippa

Zaria drops the crossbow and takes out her club, moving around the four-armed foe. She is a bit surprised when the foe reaches out to attack with its blades. The wound is deep one that stops Zaria in her tracks, unable to move forward anymore.

Aglippa's attack misses against the alien creature, after she also moves to its rear.

Hetuath AoO reaction vs Zaria, dazzled: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33 critical
Dazzled DC5 flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 16 success
Dmg vs Zaria: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 5) + 3 = 10 20 hp dmg

Zaria get his with creature's reaction for a crit she is at 11/32hp after. By rule, a crit on an AoO stops the action that triggered it, so Zaria is stopped in the square she departs in range. Waiting on action from Ba'hahk. I will post for him tomorrow night if no update meantime.

Observation Room - Round 1 - concluded

Ba'hahk moves into the room along with his new elemental companion, then sends a familiar arc of electrical energy at the four-armed foe. Even though the creature nimbly avoids most of the blast, it does get struck, but the fleshy body seems to simple absorb the voltage, and no effect seems to be apparent.

End of Round 1

Hetuath DC17 Reflex: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20 success
electrical dmg vs Hetuath: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3

Observation Room - Round 2

30 Hetuath (15hp dmg, dazzled)
22 Zaria (11/32hp remain)
21 Alpha-47
20 Karina
19 Ba'hahk
15 Aglippa

Squinting against the sudden interior snow fall, Hetuath steps back, keeping allies in front, and makes a series of attacks against Aglippa. Both hits the dwarf, cutting slices from her in chunks.

Aglippa takes 22hp dmg. All the party is up now.

Hetuath shortsword vs Aglippa: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Hetuath shortsword, double slice vs Aglippa, MAP: 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 12 - 4 = 22
Piercing Dmg, 2 hits: 4d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 5, 4, 2) + 6 = 22

Frowning at his own assessment, "Its the same creature as the skeletons that much is obvious but there is something else about this creature that is off, maybe it is some sort of intelligent undead,"

recall knowledge religion?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Maybe its like a ghoul or something?

Alpha moves up closer to Aglippa and to the creature to get a better look at it, before casting Guidance on Aglippa, saying "Aglippa, Zaria you are wounded, standby shortly for Brigh to restore your wounds,"

"Much harder to pull off this dance, but it will be worth it. Now would you kindly stop moving for me?" Karina says as she tries another type of damage at the creature... missing entirely. Meanwhile, both viol and lute continue to move closer to the creature as she chuckles softly to herself.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Bets on variant zombie, a ghoul would have tried ghoul things by now. Do I have any Hero points left? Cackle, Stride, Telekinetic Projectile

And she swears when the frozen shards miss the undead kasatha.

Observation Room - Round 2 - continued

30 Hetuath (15hp dmg, dazzled)
22 Zaria (11/32hp remain)
21 Alpha-47
20 Karina
19 Ba'hahk
15 Aglippa (14/36hp remain)

Alpha moves closer to the melee, providing a bit of divine guidance to Aglippa and preparing to heal wounds on his hurt allies. He does peer closer at the fighting creature, and notices it seems to move and act like a zombie but with more enhanced features and purpose. It is clearly undead.

You can get one question answered about the Hetuath if you wish

Karina moves her pieces around like a chess-master, but the attack of frozen precipitation miss the lone target.

I show Karina with 1 Hero Point still. Aglippa, Ba'hahk, and Zaria are up still for the party. Aglippa has guidance available for her actions this round.

Aglippa feels her body get sliced through and grunts in pain, but grits through it; her blood flowing is but another sign of her divine purpose by Gorum.

"Kneel!"
A gurgling voice of pure anger stems from within her as she's cut, her Iron Command ringing in the air.

Her hands begin to glow as she infuses them with divine power. Zombie, ghoul, all that mattered that it was undead. She then goes for two swings with her greatsword.

Using my Iron Command react since I took damage, Hetuath either drops prone or takes 1d6. Used Lay on Hands on it too for another 1d6 and the potential AC drop. Then going for 2 swings. Guidance on first.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 221d12 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 151d12 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Zaria sees that the foe is significantly superior to the group, given the ease with which it strikes them.

"We need to fall back.", she calls out.

She does just that, swapping back to her crossbow and retreating.

Swap, then double stride.

"If he backs up again, I'm healing one of you," Karina says, her tone somber, no longer sing-song as she wheezes in pain.

Observation Room - Round 2 - concluded

Zaria swaps back to her crossbow and calls for a retreat, moving back into the hallway quickly.

Calling out a firm command, Aglippa is not terribly surprised when the zombie creature refuses and suffers mental damage as a result. The she follows up with a pair of powerful strokes from her greatsword. The first one hits, lopping the head from the alien creatures body, and ending the fight.

End of Combat

Iron Command Mental damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

"Alpha, let me know if you wish to Channel Energy to heal us all, otherwise I shall heal my own wounds," Karina says as she turns to Alpha.

She then searches the corpse and the area for anything that might be useful. She then goes to pick up the lifeless viol as luther floats idly by her, "Regardless, how are you doing on daily allotments of spells? Do you think we should call it for the day?"

Or because we need a new member.

The fallen zombie has a remaining javelin, a cloak, and two shortswords on its person. No other items are found on the body.

Can I still get my one question? What kind of weaknesses did this zombie have?

Looking at the creature dead, "We should save our spells, I can treat your wounds given a little bit of time. Had that lasted any longer, I would have channeled a healing burst,"

Do we wanna take some time to heal up out of combat? Otherwise I can channel, Aglippa and Zaria took a fair amount of damage, to get them to full with just spells I'd have to burn my two remaining heals

Alpha-47 finds information on zombies in his data banks, and while they have many immunities and resistances, they do not have any known weaknesses.

"I have already used all my healing spells for the day," says Ba'hahk as the subject is being discussed. "And I have not yet found what I seek in this strange place -- besides this new companion that is -- I would support returnign to the surface to recuperate before we dig deeper into the ruins. If that last creature was any indication, it will only get harder the further we go."

Aglippa breathes heavily after combat, sheathing her sword and taking a seat right there on the ground. For a worshipper of Gorum, she seems surprisingly calm after combat, more concerned with laying her sword out on her lap to quickly clean it.

"Aye, could do with a breather longer than a few blinks.." A rumbling exhale. "Took a mite out of me, that one."

Accepting that a return to the surface is wise at this time, Alpha-47 will quickly Heal Aglippa and Zaria.

2 action heal on aglippa: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

2 action heal on Zaria: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

"That should hold us over till we get to the surface again,"

Soothe: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Karina hums a tune as she heals herself with Soothe.

Accepting that a return to the surface is wise at this time, Alpha-47 will quickly Heal Aglippa and Zaria.

[dice=2 action heal on aglippa] 1d8 + 8

[dice=2 action heal on Zaria] 1d8 + 8

"That should hold us over till we get to the surface again,"

It's a little strange that the healing here just doubled both players active HP. Zaria is at 22/32 and Aglippa is at 28/36 after the spells.

[dice=Soothe] 1d10 + 4

Karina hums a tune as she heals herself with Soothe.

Karina is back to full HP after this self-soothing spell.

Are you deciding to backtrack to the surface? What do you do in this room before you go, if anything?

Karina will take time to thorougly examine any of the later rooms they visited.

Zaria will ask the casters if any of the items are magical. If so, she will grab them so they can be identified in town, and if not, she still grabs one of the short swords as a better melee option than her own club.

Karina helps out with identifying where-ever she can those are all secret checks, right?

With a few gestures, Karina casts a detection spell on the items in the room and finds that one of the shortswords and the cloak are magical. Taking time to study them in detail, she determines the shortsword has a +1 striking rune associated. The cloak, which is worn and matted is a coyote cloak. The javelin is not magical, not is the second shortsword.

Examining the room further leads to no other finds for Karina.

I added these magical items to your inventory list. I will attribute the magical shortsword to Zaria for now. LMK about the cloak or if you keep the mundane weapons.

Holy 11 batman

"A shortsword with the first accuracy rune. I never knew why people called these things '+1'. This is a Coyote Cloak, we can probably give it to Ba'hahk or sell it to some other druid."

Striking is damage, +1 is for Potency, which is to hit. They are separate runes. Does it have both (which makes it a really good, really early find), or is it just +1 for Potency? Also, in universe, I doubt they call it +1 :)

"And a striking rune... once I master it, I can transfer this to any of your weapons. I doubt it would work inscribed on an instrument."

Oh dear god 2x level d4 damage. Hoohoo that'd be something!

fixed

"Would appreciate the rune. Got a feeling we'll be fighting worse and worse things when we come back..."

Ptui.

"Nowhere close to wielding the godblade I seek yet."

The conversion text says +1 striking rune, but I will rule that is only the striking part, since the damage dealt by it was significant as you will recall. Scratch the +1 part. Runes are transferable to other weapons, but it takes some time/money/skill. Is Zaria keeping it for now?

Yes, until we can safely transfer it to Aglippa's weapon. She can probably make better use of it than I can. Not that it would be bad for me, but I think it's more practical for her.

Wait. There's a conversion already made for this? Tech rules and all?! Was this pre- or post- SF2e? Either way, we'll be able to transfer it at level 4 since it's planned for Karina.

It's probably 3PP. There are a lot of conversations for PF1 APs on Pathfinder Infinite. I'm using one, with my own modifications, for Shattered Star for my home group right now.

Looking at the others oogling over the weapons, "I have reconsidered my earlier suggestion. If we can lock the doors here and rest here, would save us some travel time,"

Looking to Karina, "We could practice Androffan, being in this environment is sparking something in my data banks, we may be able to compare and together unlock more of this language,"

"I disagree. We need to withdraw. We need to warn the town of this complex underneath it. This is not going anywhere. But if the things here spill up and into Torch, hundreds may die. It's my home, and it has to be warned.". Zaria says firmly.

It's probably 3PP. There are a lot of conversations for PF1 APs on Pathfinder Infinite. I'm using one, with my own modifications, for Shattered Star for my home group right now.

Yes, its not an official conversion but does help with stat blocks and loot. I use it but also veer from it liberally so far.

"You tempt me, and I'm not really sure I can offer a concrete reason yet as to why we should head back. Call it intuition, call it the patron whispering in my ear. Does anyone here know HOW to lock the doors though? Someone could simply come in the way we did, with this strange material."

I can't really think of an IC reason to head back. But I vote for heading back.

Sounds like Zaria and Karina vote for returning. That's not yet a majority. Ba'hahk's vote would be to return, but I am not voting for him in this decision.

Having given most of the day in exploration of the caves, and not found much sign of Khonnir Baine, the group chooses to make a strategic withdrawal and return later to the depths under the sulphurous lake.

Leaving the viewing room, the group wanders back into the hallway, and eventually to the area with the malfunctioning equipment that sends blasts of high voltage through the area. Recalling that it was time triggered they are able to get back through without issue. After that, they find themselves in the very large desert landscape space, but this time, instead of pitch darkness, the area is well lit. A slight breeze blows through what was before a very still area. The temperature has also increased to be hot, uncomfortably so as befits the desert landscape. Rather than a pitch dark space above, the area seems to be filled with a strange red sky filled with grey clouds. A red sun peeks out occasionally from behind the cloud cover.

You are able to follow your own tracks back through the now-shifting sand, but its clear the breeze will blow them away over time now. You recall there were skeletal kasathas here, and where you left at least two sets of bones, none exist now...

Seeing that the bodies are gone just reinforces Zaria's desire to warn the town leaders of Torch.

Confused as they pass through the dunes again, "I distinctly remember there being skeleton's here. Something has moved the bones. This is concerning, Zaria you expressed earlier your desire to warn the town leaders, I now agree. We should make haste, they may offer more resources to us in our exploration,"

Now that you can see in the large habitat area, you can navigate back across the space to the other side cave with relative ease. The group is jumped two more times by similar skeletal kasatha, but they beat them back fairly easily and eventually get back to the other side airlock. From their the backtrack back into the lair of the skulks led by the enigmatic Sef.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asks appearing to maintain your truce for now.

"We have not." Zaria says, though she does not say anything else.

Sef nods, thoughtfully. "So you will be back then? Or you are giving up for good?"