BK glares at the wicked blue creature and weaves his music into something offesnive, hurling a piece of rubble at blue after restarting his courageous anthem.
You recognize these critters as Shadow Drakes. They are from the plane of shadow, demonstrate extreme sensitivity to bright light and have a weakness to fire
BK wards off some of the damage with his shield. He then grabs a pebble and bonks Blue with it, splitting its head open.
Ghardak Ref:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Ghardak appeals to his deity and the creature's attack doesn't seem as bad. He tries swinging at Green but doesn't quite hit it.
Quinthalas doesn't get out of the way in time but repays the creatures with bolts of fire. Both creatures suddenly obscure their positions, their forms shifting and blending reflexively with surrounding shadows.
Red Flat, Hidden:1d20 ⇒ 17 White Flat, Hidden:1d20 ⇒ 11
However the creatures' reactions don't matter and both get hit. They both scream in pain.
White flies into Desmond's face and attacks him with tooth and tail.
Jaws vs Desmond AC 24:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26 for Piercing:1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 Tail vs Desmond AC 24, MAP, Agile:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 for Bludgeoning:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Tail vs Desmond AC 24, MAP 2+, Agile:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 for Bludgeoning:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Green flies into Ghardak's face and tries to exact some revenge on his tormentor.
Jaws vs Ghardak AC 22:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 for Piercing:1d10 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 Tail vs Ghardak AC 22, MAP, Agile:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 for Bludgeoning:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Tail vs Ghardak AC 22, MAP 2+, Agile:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 for Bludgeoning:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Red flies into the corner and tries at attack J, Q:1d2 ⇒ 1
Jaws vs Jhiang AC 22:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 for Piercing:1d10 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 Tail vs Jhiang AC 22, MAP, Agile:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 for Bludgeoning:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 Tail vs Jhiang AC 22, MAP 2+, Agile:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 for Bludgeoning:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
BK would love to sound blast the buggers, but, as usual, the battle field is too chaotic. No area affect spells can be used as the tiny menaces keep latching onto his allies! Bah! So instead he conjures up a something that looks just like these creatures except fiery using Illusory Creature
That takes two actions. Not sure if it can attack this round, or if I need to sustain it to make it attack.
Male Human (Sylph) Magus 5 {Aloof Firmament} HP 63 / 63 | AC 22 (23 w/ shield) | F +11 R +11 W +10 | Perc +8 (low light) Focus Pool 1 / 1 | Active Conditions: Arcane Cascade, Spellstrike NOT reset
"T'ey're Shadow Drakes," Jhiang informs his allies. "T'ey don't like bright light and got weakness to fire." He says the last part with a grin as he casts a spell through his sword.
Spellstrike, ignition vs OG? :1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27 Damage, S and FIRE :2d6 + 4 + 4d4 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 + (2, 4, 4, 2) = 20 If Crit: 3d4 persistent fire damage
It seems as if the explosion of fire lifts Jhinag into the air as he flies away to the north. As he lands, he smoothly flows into his martial stance, sword held back and level and one hand out to the front, fingers pointed upward to the sky.
Tiny creatures have reach 0 - so it can only attack in someone's face. It can attack Quinthalas but not you. But you can attack it
Ghardak pulps green. Jhiang incinerates the already weakened Red. Quinthalas moves to BK's aid and perforates White. BK conjures his own drake and swats White with its tail.
Desmond blocks the tail strike and punches the drake twice, hitting once.
White spits another ball of liquid cold at both Desmond and Ghardak.
male half-orc medic 4 | HP 52/52 | AC 22 (24 shield) | F +9 R +12 W +11 | Perc +9 (low-light) | Stealth +10 | speed 35 |◆ | ◇ | ↺
Reflex Save (DC18):1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
Desmond takes the brunt of the shadowy breath, but breathes a sigh of relief once the others take it down. He begins looking at the party's wounds, starting with Ghardak and Quinthalas.
Male Human (Sylph) Magus 5 {Aloof Firmament} HP 63 / 63 | AC 22 (23 w/ shield) | F +11 R +11 W +10 | Perc +8 (low light) Focus Pool 1 / 1 | Active Conditions: Arcane Cascade, Spellstrike NOT reset
Jhiang watches with respect as the medic does his thing. He waves off any offered help, simply pointing to the aeon stone in his wayfinder.
Meanwhile, he waits to se if Ambrus Valsin ever comes to find out where that countdown timer originated from.
Pearly White aeon stone and only down 5 hp. No worries.
BK - what did you get for your Pathfinder Provision? At your level you can get a lesser healing potion. You can chug that if you want to save your scroll.
Just to move us along
Skyreach holds a number of archives, libraries, and storerooms, most containing important pieces of the Society’s history. These range from old records and ancient relics to simple items, like a quill that once belonged to a notable venture-captain. The archive on this floor is one such room, housing a number of unpublished logs and journals from far back in the Society’s past. While the Society may never publish anything from these items in the Pathfinder Chronicles, they are still a valuable resource.
When you arrive at the archive, you find Janira Gavix already there, surveying the scene.
"Thank goodness you've arrived! Some of the intruders have taken refuge in the archives. I tried to enter earlier to try to talk to them but was unsuccessful. I think they've realized that they're cornered without any real means of escape and, from what I've heard, you might be able to persuade them to surrender. I'd rather not have a fight break out in there, as irreparable damage could be done to the items inside."
So the first round is basically an appeal to the baddies in the archives. You each get one check. Failing means you'll need to go in and dig them out the old-fashioned way. Like I said earlier, if you play your cards right, you won't need to go into combat
The order will change if we go into initiative. This is just an indication that you have 4 baddies to convince to surrender peacefully.
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: n/a Tactical Map Active Conditions: Courageous Anthem
------------------
Those with ** may go
Red
White
Blue
Yellow
**Banterknell - AC 19, 26/36
**Quinthalas Kirath - AC 18, 34/34
**Desmond Vilks - AC 22 (24 w/shield), 25/52 (AC 24; Shield: H5; 15/20)
**Jhiang Jhones - AC 22 (23 w/shield), 63/63
**Ghardak - AC 22 (24 w/shield), 62/62
-------------------------------- CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE --------------------------------
Appeal to Shadowy Intruders; 2 actions:
A foe you can see is visibly shaken. You call out to a visibly shaken foe and attempt to convince them to surrender.
Deception/Diplomacy/Intimidation to convince them
CS: The foe is quick to surrender and attempts to convince their allies to surrender as well. You and your allies gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks to Appeal to Shadowy Intruders for 1 minute.
S: The foe takes your words to heart and surrenders to you immediately.
F: The foe brushes off your attempt and continues to fight.
CF: Your argument is severely flawed or laughable. The foe disregards your words and continues to fight. You take a –1 circumstance penalty to checks to Appeal to Shadowy Intruders for 1 minute
BK - what did you get for your Pathfinder Provision? At your level you can get a lesser healing potion. You can chug that if you want to save your scroll.
Nope. He took the dispel magic scroll.
BK pokes his head into the room and waves his flute at them, looking quite unassuming in spite of his bold claims of being a hero.
"Just me, the intrepid hero Banterknell. You guys seem to be in a bit of a pickle, and a sour one at that. You interested in getting out of here alive?"
BK and Ghardak convince a pair of shadowy humanoids to come out. BK's roll is a crit success. +1 on all checks to get them to surrender, which makes Ghardak's roll a crit as well. And in doing so reveals the DC to be 18...
DC 18 Diplomacy/Deception/Intimidate to get them to come out. +1 bonus on all rolls for this encounter.
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1 Tactical Map Active Conditions: Courageous Anthem
------------------
Those with ** may go
Red
White
Banterknell - AC 19, 26/36
**Quinthalas Kirath - AC 18, 34/34
**Desmond Vilks - AC 22 (24 w/shield), 25/52 (AC 24; Shield: H5; 15/20)
**Jhiang Jhones - AC 22 (23 w/shield), 63/63
Ghardak - AC 22 (24 w/shield), 62/62
-------------------------------- CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE --------------------------------
Appeal to Shadowy Intruders; 2 actions:
A foe you can see is visibly shaken. You call out to a visibly shaken foe and attempt to convince them to surrender.
Deception/Diplomacy/Intimidation to convince them
CS: The foe is quick to surrender and attempts to convince their allies to surrender as well. You and your allies gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks to Appeal to Shadowy Intruders for 1 minute.
S: The foe takes your words to heart and surrenders to you immediately.
F: The foe brushes off your attempt and continues to fight.
CF: Your argument is severely flawed or laughable. The foe disregards your words and continues to fight. You take a –1 circumstance penalty to checks to Appeal to Shadowy Intruders for 1 minute
Male Human (Sylph) Magus 5 {Aloof Firmament} HP 63 / 63 | AC 22 (23 w/ shield) | F +11 R +11 W +10 | Perc +8 (low light) Focus Pool 1 / 1 | Active Conditions: Arcane Cascade, Spellstrike NOT reset
Jhiang stays out of the way and lets the others do the talking. He's mightily impressed by BK's and Ghardak's combined success at coaxing these intruders out, but he keeps a wary eye on the ones that have "surrendered" lest they change their minds.
Untrained in any CHA skill, and a 0 CHA bonus. Pass turn.
Rechecking the text, it appears that you'd need to fail a check for combat to break out (worst case). So BK and Ghardak can try again to get the other 2 to come out
A third of the trapped baddies comes out and surrenders. He has white stripes on his tunic.
One more
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: n/a Tactical Map Active Conditions: Courageous Anthem
------------------
Those with ** may go
Red
**Banterknell - AC 19, 26/36
**Quinthalas Kirath - AC 18, 34/34
**Desmond Vilks - AC 22 (24 w/shield), 25/52 (AC 24; Shield: H5; 15/20)
**Jhiang Jhones - AC 22 (23 w/shield), 63/63
**Ghardak - AC 22 (24 w/shield), 62/62
-------------------------------- CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE --------------------------------
Appeal to Shadowy Intruders; 2 actions:
A foe you can see is visibly shaken. You call out to a visibly shaken foe and attempt to convince them to surrender.
Deception/Diplomacy/Intimidation to convince them
CS: The foe is quick to surrender and attempts to convince their allies to surrender as well. You and your allies gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks to Appeal to Shadowy Intruders for 1 minute.
S: The foe takes your words to heart and surrenders to you immediately.
F: The foe brushes off your attempt and continues to fight.
CF: Your argument is severely flawed or laughable. The foe disregards your words and continues to fight. You take a –1 circumstance penalty to checks to Appeal to Shadowy Intruders for 1 minute
BK sighs and enters the room, holding out his hand.
"No need to be afraid! The society is gracious to those that yield... Not so much to those that fight! That is what gives some of us the reputation for being murder hobos!" Carrot and the stick. "Come on now!"
BK convinces the remaining baddie to emerge. Janira assumes custody of the intruders and you return to Toldrar to report your success.
You return to Toldrar to report to him that the creatures have been taken care of and the trap disarmed.
"There is one final group that I need you to deal with. They barricaded themselves upstairs. Not sure sure what they're doing but it seems like they're trying to perform some ritual to escape. I've got some extra gear for you if you need it."
Toldrar produces a pack and hands it to you. It contains:
Male Human (Sylph) Magus 5 {Aloof Firmament} HP 63 / 63 | AC 22 (23 w/ shield) | F +11 R +11 W +10 | Perc +8 (low light) Focus Pool 1 / 1 | Active Conditions: Arcane Cascade, Spellstrike NOT reset
Jhiang looks over the gear and simply picks up a healing potion. He nods to the others and sets off towards the barricaded stairway.
male half-orc medic 4 | HP 52/52 | AC 22 (24 shield) | F +9 R +12 W +11 | Perc +9 (low-light) | Stealth +10 | speed 35 |◆ | ◇ | ↺
Desmond will hand one of the healing potions to Quin and take the last one for himself should he need to get to someone. While he trusted his own work more, he can't deny that magical potions work more reliably.
BK will begin the fight with an illusory creature already in play and a tanglefoot bag in his hand ready to be tossed. Make the creature is a big honkin' Kellid barbarian.
