[PF2 / GMGlyn] CotKK - Falcon Hollow

Game Master GHembree

"Well, let's get rid of the swills at a distance. Pull up Squall. Between your alchemical bombs, and my Needle Darts, we should be able to destroy them all without harm or using resources."

Squall signals to be pulled up opting for attack from a distance. At 20ft up the tengu ranger fires an arrow just missing the green on. It reacts by spitting a flaming hot blob of oil back at Squall. Three blobs of hot oil strike the tunnel walls all around the Tengu as he is hastily pulled up. Squall and Azarim determine that anything but fire or poison will harm the critters.

Azarim mentally complains to the group :: Had to go and poke the hornets nest!::

Marguerite begins blasting them with needle darts, they try spitting hot blobs of oil back, but the advantage is with the party and the Squirming Swill are not smart enough to retreat or dive for cover. It takes about a minute of the group using minimal resources to dispatch the three Swills.

Azairim quips :: Like shooting Swill in a barrel. ::

With the Squirming Swill dispatched, the group can move up and down the pit at their own pace. Unfortunately you still have to swim from the center of the water to the dry tunnel leading south. All the time the slime eyes continue to watch you! Do you recover the Squirming swills to squeeze out potions from their oily hides?

Status:
Squall AC21 (54hp) (light)(hunt prey on Green)
Drake AC19(20) (36hp) (light. Mystic Armor)
R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)
Marguerite AC19 (36hp) (light)
Djalamora AC20 (54hp) (light)

Squall fails to stifle some curses in Tengu when the swills start spitting hot oil at him, but recovers his composure quickly when they prove to be lousy shots.

Once they're dispatched, he tells Tik what Azarim shared about harvesting useful substances from the remains, but it's clear that he finds the creatures far too revolting to help with that process. Instead, he volunteers to go down first once again, and quickly swims to the dry tunnel to keep watch as the others come down one by one.

He does his best to keep his complaints about being filthy to himself, but his body language speaks volumes as he tries to shake and wipe gunk off of his feathers and gear.

Athletics (T): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

After being lowered down, Marguerite will get busy (using Prestidigitation) to clean everyone up.

Djala lowers everyone down into the pit. Of the swill, she only says, "I am loath to leave behind a possible resource, but I also loathe this resource. Of the three options, healing is perhaps the most useful; however, the oil of potency is the most...palatable." Will go with whatever the party decides.

She thanks Marguerite for her consideration and takes up a guarded stance between the tunnel and the rest of the party.

As Drake prepares to be lowered down, Shadow jumps onto his shoulder and Drake places the cat into a special pouch on his bag. Drake does his best to keep Shadow from getting wet at the bottom by lifting the bag above his head while swimming to the dry tunnel.

"Thank you for the cleaning, Ms. Marguerite!"

After dispatching the Squirming Swills, Squall volunteered to be the first down and quickly swims through the filthy water to the hallway landing. The slimy eyes continue to watch from the walls of the pool room.

Marguerite is the second one down and uses her prestidigitation to clean the filthy water from Squall and herself. Repeating the operation for each person as they are lowered down and swim across to the landing.

Djala lowers everyone else down before lowering herself. She is loath to leave behind a resource, but the palatability of the potions, considering the source, makes her hesitant to ring positions out of the Swill's filthy hides.

Drake takes care to keep his familiar high and dry while making the swim. He thanks Marguerite for the magic dry cleaning service.

R!Kkit and Djala eventually join the rest of the group, leaving the chair lift tied neatly just above the water line for a return ascent later.

Djala recovers the three Swill bodies and collects the fluid by squeezing the hides into spare vials. (Three oils of Potency?)

Looking around, the tunnel opens into a large, cone-shaped room. The air reeks of decay, and an immense stone door looms in a wide alcove to the south. To either side of these doors are stacked several immense stone gears, each interlocking with the surrounding walls and visibly straining for release.

Your attention is drawn to two creatures in the dark that are howling and gibbering in the 15-foot-wide alcove in front of the southern door, some 75ft away. Those with darkvision can see them clearly, those with Low-light vision can see them dimly, and it is too dark for normal vision to see them.

Continuing to search, Squall spots a pendulum blade trap in the central part of the room.

Azarim mentally chimes to the group ” Beware of two traps ahead, pendulum blades and spike thrower!”

Status:
Squall AC21 (54hp) (light)
Drake AC19(20) (36hp) (light. Mystic Armor)
R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)
Marguerite AC19 (36hp) (light)
Djalamora AC20 (54hp) (light)

Quick retcon, if possible:

Before leaving the pool room, Tik taps Drake on the shoulder. "Is there anything magic in the water?"

Retcon if allowed:

While being lowered to the water, Drake reaches out with his senses and casts Detect Magic.

Retcon if allowed:

While being lowered to the water, Drake reaches out with his senses and casts Detect Magic.

Detect magic registers the presence of magic other than your own.

The ratfolk shudders. "This is not going to be much fun. Marguerite, keep that spell warmed up, all right?" He starts to search the water, swimming if he needs to.

The ratfolk shudders. "This is not going to be much fun. Marguerite, keep that spell warmed up, all right?" He starts to search the water, swimming if he needs to.

If anyone investigates below the water:

The water level is a foot deeper than the floor of the southern hallway and is 10 feet deep throughout the chamber. You discover below the water a tangle of rusted, fallen stairs in the middle of the pool—all that remains of the stairs that once connected to the level above. You find a rotting leather pouch of gems entangled in the fallen tangle of stairs worth 55 gold total and one gemstone is a magical fear gem talisman that flickers with an eerie green glow.

Looking remarkably like a drowned rat, R!Kktik emerges from the filthy pool with a rotting leather pouch in one hand. "Marguerite! Now would be a good time!" He shakes some of the water off, coughing and spitting.

Yes, oils of potency, unless someone really wants something else. Djala already has striking.

Shuddering slightly, Djala distributes the oils to other party members and gratefully accepts Marguerite's cleansing.

When Tik emerges from the water, "You are much braver than I, friend Tik."

She looks around at the party and once everyone is ready, continues carefully down the tunnel ahead.

(Hmm, I thought I'd posted this already, but I guess it failed to save.)

Where in the room are the traps? And who here is trained in Thievery? (Squall is not.)

ETA: Azarim is striking, so Squall is set there. And I don't think he's inclined to pour swill squeezings onto his armor, even for +1 to AC & saves for a minute.

The ratfolk clicks his teeth together in amusement. "No bravery involved...once you've cleaned the sump on the big saws a few times, you get used to filth. And at the mill I couldn't wash up until the end of the day! Believe me, this is better."

Marguerite is trained in Thievery, and has tools!

GM: Her modifier is +9. You may roll for her if that will move this on a bit faster.

Marguerite studies the two traps as the two creatures in the alcove to the south continue to howl and gibber drawing you attention. Marguerite determines that the traps are manually triggered, one from each of the two stacks of gears on either side of the alcove. She would need to be next to a stack or have some way to affect the gears at a distance to prevent the traps from being activated. Disable device is a 2 action activity.

Azarim mentally comments to the group ”If you run over to either gear stack the creatures will be able to attack you before you can jam up the gears on even one of the trap manual triggers.”

Status:
Squall AC21 (54hp) (light)
Drake AC19(20) (36hp) (light. Mystic Armor)
R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)
Marguerite AC19 (36hp) (light)
Djalamora AC20 (54hp) (light)

"Sounds like we need to try to pin them down in that alcove before they can get out to spring any traps on us?" Squall whispers to his companions. He draws his other sword, quietly moves up next to Djala, and studies one of the creatures. (Hunt Prey on Red.)

"Any idea what they are?"

They look like the undead Festrog's you fought in the second wave at the graveyard. The had Diseased Pustules that spayed poison then hit with slashing or piercing damage. They could also Feast on flesh of someone they just damaged, and they can run on all fours.

Tik readies a versatile vial. "It'd be a long throw, but I think I can hit those things from here if I get some light downrange."

"Tik I can get light down there for you. Give me the word when you are ready and I'll cast it." Drake says to Tik.

Djala grumbles about the slashing weapons again, but readies her glaive anyway. (Totally forgot to get a mace while we were in town) "Do you think we might prevail upon these creatures to come to us? I would much rather they took the brunt of this trap than our company."

If folks go with that, she has a +8 Diplomacy and a +8 Performance. No Deception or Intimidate, sadly.

Tik loosens up his throwing arm for a long pass.

Drake can cast light up to 120 feet away and choose any color.

Djala Grumbles about needing a mace and suggest drawing the creatures to them maybe by taunting.

(There is a guarding action to taunt, but it is 30ft range and on gives de-buffs if they attack without attacking you.)

Azarim mentally comments :: Three points to consider: They are intelligent enough not to stand there and get slaughtered if you attack from range. The traps have to be triggered manually, and they were hoping we wouldn't detect them an come charging in. The traps wont be a damage to them if they charge forward. ::

The two Festrogs continue to howl and taunt you from the alcove in front of the southern door! "Your father was a hamster and your mother smelled of elderberries!"

The ratfolk considers. "Well, if we stay out of the area affected by the trap and start using ranged attacks, they'll probably charge us or run away. If they charge us, they die. If they run away, we can reach the traps to deactivate them. How does that sound for a plan?"

Djala looks even more pained. "Attacking from a distance is challenging for me. I am happy to make the attempt; however, it will likely not be very effective. I do prefer it to running into danger."

She leans her glaive against the wall, where it can be easily grabbed up, pulls out a sling, and loads a bullet.

"I have a spell that will definitely hit them and we can see what they do from there. Just let me know when we are all ready!"

When everyone is ready Drake will cast Force Barrage at the blue festrog. Also the light is a soft yellow/red, like morning daylight, and I'll set it about 20 ft short of the festrogs so we can see them well and still see them if they move up toward us.

◆◆◆Force Barrage: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2, 3) + 3 = 11

"In the tavern, I was able to throw bits of stuff at unruly patrons. I can do that up to about 60 feet." Needle Darts

It looks like the festrogs are further than that, so you can use the spell once they start closing.

Seeing his companions preparing to attack the festrogs at range, Squall switches weapons to his bow.

The ratfolk looks around at Squall and Djala. "How fast are those things? If they're decent sprinters, maybe you should keep your hand-to-hand weapons out. I don't think they'll just sit there while we pick them off, so I figure Drake and I will target one of them while you two be the front line for when they rush us."

Azarim mentally comments to the group ”If you run over to either gear stack the creatures will be able to attack you before you can jam up the gears on even one of the trap manual triggers.”

Drake cast a soft yellow/red ball of light about 20ft short of the festrogs showering them in morning daylight.

The two Festrogs shield their eyes, one yelling at the heroes ”Your brief, flickering spark is an insult to the eternal dark." the other calls out "Come closer. I want to tell you a secret... it gets cold when the last of the warmth leaves you."

Squall gets the first strike in using his bow, he sends a volley of two arrows flying at the red monster both arrows hitting their mark. Squall switches back to Azarim which is in the form of a hammer?

Hissing in pain at two arrows, the red Festrog snarls back "Look at the fear in your eyes. Even now, your heart is beating a funeral march."

Having set her glaive to the side, Djala fires her sling twice at the blue undead thing hitting only with the first one.

Drake cast a Force barrage of 3 missiles at the blue Festrog, the force missiles flying without error striking the monster one after another.

The blue Festrog grunts from the pain ”Soon your flesh will heal mine”

The two Festrogs race forward on all four limbs covering the intervening distance with long strides. The red one strikes at Squall missing. The blue one bites Djala with a critical hit using its extended jaws

Ready for the start of battle, Marguerite uses the magic sling to strike the blue Festrog with a barrage of needles inflicting deep piercing wounds that pop diseased Pustules on its body covering Djala in poison pus. The blue Festrog crumples to the ground dead. Djala - DC14 Basic Reflex save vs poison

Squall, Djala, Drake, and R!Kktik can act now after the initial round actions

Round 2 A
* Squall AC21 (54hp) (light)
* Djalamora AC20 (54-18-1?= 35?/54hp) (light) (?DC14 Reflex vs 1 poison damage)
* Drake AC19(20) (36hp) (light. Mystic Armor)
Red Festrog (-4-3= -7hp)
Blue Festrog (-5-11-11= -27hp)
Round 1 B
Marguerite AC19 (36hp) (light)
* R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)

Tik transforms his versatile vial into a moderate alchemist's fire and hurls it at the remaining festrog before drawing another vial.

Bomb attack, including item bonus: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 1 = 24
Fire damage, including splash: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (6, 5) + 2 = 13

It also takes 2 points persistent fire damage.

Seeing the festrog that he already attacked go down, Drake focuses on the other creature, snapping his fingers and causing flames to jump toward the festrog. He then wills his Shield into place.

◆◆Ignition: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 243d4 ⇒ (2, 4, 4) = 10
◆Shield AC 20

Tik throws an alchemist’s fire hitting the red Festrog that yells from the burn.

Drake follows up with a fire bolt with a snap of his fingers that hits the Festrog putting it out of its misery and undead life. The smoldering corps drops to the ground as the battle is over.

Combat Over Djala has a reflex save still.

Azarim sighs mentally :: It will take more than two Festrogs to stop this group! Well done everyone!::

Round 2 A
Squall AC21 (54hp) (light)
Djalamora AC20 (54-18-1?= 35?/54hp) (light) (?DC14 Reflex vs 1 poison damage)
Drake AC19(20) (36hp) (light. Mystic Armor)
Red Festrog (-4-3-13-10= -30hp)
Blue Festrog (-5-11-11= -27hp)
Round 1 B
Marguerite AC19 (36hp) (light)
R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)

Seeing the creatures dead, Marguerite goes to the mechanism, and attempts to disarm it: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

As Marguerite works on disarming the traps, Drake investigates the bodies of the creatures, looking for any signs of the necrotic energy he saw in the graveyard.

With the creatures dead, Marguerite swiftly moves to the mechanism to attempt to disable it. Her first attempt to disable it is unsuccessful. She notices a foul-smelling stench. (Marguerite DC 16 Fortitude save or become Sickened 1. (critical fail add Slowed 1 as long as sickened))

Drake investigates the creature's bodies, looking for signs of the same necrotic energy from the graveyard. While studying the corpse, Drake sees a faint ripple of unpleasant yellow energy, reminding him of the necrotic energy at the graveyard. Looking around, he notes the entire complex has been infused with necromantic energy that periodically manifests as a faint ripple.

A new undead humanoid creature leaps out from the dark, where it was hiding behind the stack of gears. It sinks its teeth deeply into Marguerite’s flesh and hissed with pleasure "Your flesh is so tender. A shame to waste it on such a weak spirit." Eyeing the remaining heroes, it slides back behind the stack of gears for cover.

Everyone can act. Marguerite owes 3 fortitude saves DC16 stench, DC16 fever, DC16 Paralysis.

Round 1 A
yellow undead (0= 0hp)
* Marguerite AC19 (36-8= 28/36hp) (light) (Fort DC18 vs Sicken 1 (crit +slow1)) (Fort DC16 fever) (Fort DC16 vs Paralysis)
* R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)
* Squall AC21 (54hp) (light)
* Drake AC19(20) (36hp) (light. Mystic Armor)
* Djalamora AC20 (35/54hp) (light)

Fort saves (Stench, Fever, Paralysis): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 161d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 101d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

"Aaaagghhhh! Help Me!"

She will ◆ cast Shield on herself +1 circumstance to AC, then ◆◆ cast Protection on herself +1 status to AC and saves

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Hero Point
Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Djala shudders as pus sprays towards her, but she manages to dodge out of the way. She picks up her glaive again as Marguerite heads for the gears to break them.

When the undead monstrosity leaps out, Djala casts a spell and races towards the sorcerer. Warp Step She takes up a defensive position and casts Shield on herself.

With Azarim (still in hammer form) in one hand and his cold iron sword in the other, Squall sprints forward to help defend Marguerite.

◆ Stride
◆ Stride
◆ Hunt Prey on Yellow undead

Drake follows after Squall to try and see the creature and hope to get a spell off when he can see it. As he comes to a stop he again brings his Shield into existence.

◆Stride
◆Stride
◆Shield

Marguerite becomes sickened ( 1 ) by the foul stench around the undead creature, and when she was bitten she feels like she may have contracted a fever. Luckily, she is not paralyzed by the bite. Calling for help, She quickly uses magic to shield and protect herself!

Djala resists the poisonous Pus spray from the dead blow of the Festrog. Reclaiming her glaive she hears Marguerite’s yell for help, using warp step magic the moves to Marguerite defence and magically shields herself.

Squall sprints forward to help Marguerite as he begins hunting the yellow undead creature.

Drake follows Squall, casting a protective shield on himself.

BOT: R!Kktik
Wary of the traps, Tik sprints across the open hallway on his short rat legs to the southern alcove with the door. Leaning against the wall to catch his breath.

The undead creature snickers [b]"Enjoy your last breath. It smells so much better than the one that will bubble out of your rotting lungs.” as it reaches into the stack of gears and pulls a lever manually activating the spike trap! With a click and whine of gears, slats in the ceiling open and the chamber below is peppered with long metal spikes fired from spring-loaded tubes.

Both Squall and Drake see a wave of metal spikes hit the ground sweeping across the chamber and over them! Both feel a powerful metal spike strike their body driving deep into their flesh! (Squall takes 19, and Drake takes 15. Drake can use shield spell reaction to absorb 5 dam. Since, the creature did trigger the trap that damaged Squall and both are within Djala’s aura, I’ll let her retribute reaction reduce Squall’s damage, but total cover will prevent a strike on the creature)

The wave of spikes strike just north of Marguerite, Djala, and Tik.

Everyone can act.

Status:
Round 2 A
yellow undead (0= 0hp) (take cover)
* Marguerite AC19 (28/36hp) (light) (Sicken 1 ) (Protection +1ac status 9r) (fever 1 day)
* R!Kktik AC20 (38hp)
* Squall AC21 (54-19= 35/54hp) (light)
* Drake AC19(20) (36-15?= 21?/36hp) (light. Mystic Armor) (? shield spell reaction to asorb 5 damage)
* Djalamora AC20 (35/54hp) (light)

Squall urges, "Djala! Flank it!" as he rushes past her. He continues around one side of the stack of gears to close with and attack the undead thing hiding there.

◆ Stride

◆ Twin Takedown (if hits with both, add damage before applying resistance/weakness):
Azarim (warhammer): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23; damage (B): 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4) + 4 = 9
+1 striking cold iron shortsword, flurry MAP: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 11 - 2 = 17; damage (P): 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11

◆ Strike: +1 striking cold iron shortsword, flurry MAP: 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 11 - 4 = 21; damage (P): 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 6) + 4 = 14

Marguerite will retch: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 1 = 20

Then she will attempt to disarm again: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

RS glaive for Squall: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 for slashing, holy: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 2) + 4 = 11 plus deadly, if relevant: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Djala snarls as the thing triggers the trap. She reaches out to heal Marguerite...
Battle Medicine, Assurance: 2d8 ⇒ (7, 6) = 13 healing

...then moves past the gears to set up the flank with Squall.

glaive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14 for slashing, holy: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 5) + 4 = 16 plus deadly, if relevant: 1d8 ⇒ 8
Hero Point
glaive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
*facepalm*

Tik draws a versatile vial, then turns it into a moderate ghost charge and hurls it at the undead before drawing another one.

Bomb attack, incl. item bonus: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 1 = 12
Hero point reroll:

Reroll attack, incl. item bonus: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 1 = 18

It takes 2 points splash vitality damage.

Can Drake see the creature from where he is or are the gears in the way? Also I'll just take the damage from the trap.