A huge unnatural creature as much frog as dragon as abomination surges out from under the murky water in a spray of muck. It's giant maw surges at Yuri.
7-20 | NG male (he/him) human (Varisian) alchemist 13 | AC 27 (T 16, FF 23) | HP 120/120 | P +21, I +4 | F +16 (+18 vs poison), R +17, W +12 | Bombs: 7/23, Fly: 12/13, Clover: 3/3 | Active Conditions: ant haul, displacement
Knowledge:1d20 ⇒ 4 Arcana/nature +24, local/planes +21, all others +9
Diazepane spreads his wings and flies into the room (20' W-W-W-N and up 20'), and tosses a bomb. Frost > force > fire unles something comes up on Knowledge.
Bomb, PBS:1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 14 + 1 = 35 vs touch
Cold, PBS:7d6 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6, 3, 4, 6, 6, 4) + 8 + 1 = 40 plus DC 24 Fort vs staggered
Force, PBS:7d4 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (3, 2, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1) + 8 + 1 = 25 plus DC 24 Reflex vs prone
Miss?:1d8 ⇒ 5South, no bump
15 splash on a miss, 15 damage next turn on a hit (sticky)
Medium Male CG Dwarf Barbarian (chained) 12/Fighter 3 | HP 175/175 (raging 235/235) | AC 23 (raging 25) T 13 (11) FF 21 (23) | CMB +23 (26), CMD 39 (40) +3 vs Sunder, +4 vs Bull Rush & Trip| F +22 (26), R +12, W +10 (13) | Init +5 | Perc +18 (+2 stonework) & darkvision SM +0 | Speed 30' | Active Conditions: | Constant: Combat Reflexes, DR 2/-, Imp. Uncanny Dodge
Yuri steps 5' onto the dock and then enlarges himself and draws his dorn-dergar.
He is enraged to discover that the frog plans to have him for breakfast! Free action to enter rage (round 1 of 33)
Waggling his fingers at the frog, he mocks it, "Come and get me!"
Standard action: enlarge person (his Juggernaut's Pauldrons allow him to do this at will); Move action: draw weapon. Free action: enter rage.
Come and Get Me wrote:
While raging, as a free action the barbarian may leave herself open to attack while preparing devastating counterattacks. Enemies gain a +4 bonus on attack and damage rolls against the barbarian until the beginning of her next turn, but every attack against the barbarian provokes an attack of opportunity from her, which is resolved prior to resolving each enemy attack.
Up to 3 Attacks of Opportunity vs Frog, at up to 20' distance (reach weapon + enlarge person):
Diazepane recognizes the beast as a froghemoth, a strange, amphibious titan, yet there are things about it that suggest that it is more, though he cannot quite determine the differences. He knows that froghemoths are immune to, but slowed by electricity and are resistant to fire. It has a fearsome number of natural weapons, tentacles, claws, tongue, mouth and its three eyes on independent eyestalks mean it cannot be flanked.
It has no resistance to cold and is as big as a barn, which he has no problem hitting.
Fort:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22
And, it is shocked by the chill, rearing back and hesitating.
Round 1 the BOLD may act
Daedin
Yuri -23hp
Diazepane
Teenage Mutant Sewer Frog -45
Svetlana
Nadya
Kal'Ryon
I'm on the skiff, whats the story with movement in this place? Can we boat over or do I need to hop off and run around the edge of the waterway? I assume the water is quite deep
Medium Male CG Dwarf Barbarian (chained) 12/Fighter 3 | HP 175/175 (raging 235/235) | AC 23 (raging 25) T 13 (11) FF 21 (23) | CMB +23 (26), CMD 39 (40) +3 vs Sunder, +4 vs Bull Rush & Trip| F +22 (26), R +12, W +10 (13) | Init +5 | Perc +18 (+2 stonework) & darkvision SM +0 | Speed 30' | Active Conditions: | Constant: Combat Reflexes, DR 2/-, Imp. Uncanny Dodge
GM, I think Yuri's dmg total should be 42, not 48 (He had 23 before this attack and then 21 more less DR 2, so 23+19=42 dmg, or 46 if you hadn't added the extra 4 dmg from Come and Get Me). Also, and more importantly, the creature's attack should have provoked the first of the listed AoOs from Yuri, with an attack roll of 37 and doing 35 dmg.
The creature grabs Yuri and the talisman around his neck begins to glow.
Lesser Talisman of Freedom activates upon being grappled, giving Yuri Freedom of Movement for 3 rounds.
Free action: maintain rage (round 2 of 33)
Freedom of Movement doesn't actually free Yuri immediately - it just means that if the creature tries to maintain the grapple, or pin, next round, it will automatically fail. So rather than using his standard action to free himself from the grapple, Yuri will instead just attack from grappled, using his Dwarven Boulder Helmet instead of the Dorn-Dergar since the Dorn-Dergar requires 2 hands, which is not permitted by the grapple.
From his squeezed position, Yuri taps his toes together three times. Free action to activate Boots of Speed to give himself Haste (round 1 of 10)
+3 furious horacalcum Dwarven Boulder Helmet, haste, Dazing Assault penalty, Power Attack:1d20 + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 = 36Dazing Assault: on a hit, DC 25 Fort or Dazed for 1 round. B dmg, PA:1d6 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23
HASTE +3 furious horacalcum Dwarven Boulder Helmet, haste, Dazing Assault penalty, Power Attack:1d20 + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 = 22Dazing Assault: on a hit, DC 25 Fort or Dazed for 1 round. B dmg, PA:1d6 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21
FIRST ITERATIVE +3 furious horacalcum Dwarven Boulder Helmet, haste, Dazing Assault penalty, Power Attack:1d20 + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 - 5 = 23Dazing Assault: on a hit, DC 25 Fort or Dazed for 1 round. B dmg, PA:1d6 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21
SECOND ITERATIVE +3 furious horacalcum Dwarven Boulder Helmet, haste, Dazing Assault penalty, Power Attack:1d20 + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 - 10 ⇒ (15) + 27 + 1 - 5 - 4 - 10 = 24Dazing Assault: on a hit, DC 25 Fort or Dazed for 1 round. B dmg, PA:1d6 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21
Then Yuri wiggles his eyebrows at the creature. "Come and get me, ya big galoot!"
If the creature is still alive on its next turn, and not dazed, each of its attacks against Yuri will be at +4 to hit and +4 dmg, but each attack will provoke an AoO from Yuri, executed beforehand, at full BAB. These attacks will also have the Power Attack and Dazing Assault penalties (and will also impose a DC 25 Fort vs Dazed on a hit). The attacks will be either with the Boulder Helmet or the Dorn-Dergar, depending on the distance when they occur and also whether or not Yuri is still grappled.
F Human Cleric 14/Pharasma|HP: 114/114|AC31,F30,T14|CMD: 21|F+15,R+9,W+20|Init+1|SPD40|PER +17|
Nadya pulls out her harrow deck and dramatically draws out a card at random, then holds it forth like a challenge toward the monster. It is The Big Sky.
"Begone, Lurker in the Dark! Or you will be destroyed!"
From the eye pictured on the card, a blinding blast of light shoots forth at the behemoth frog creature...
7-20 | NG male (he/him) human (Varisian) alchemist 13 | AC 27 (T 16, FF 23) | HP 120/120 | P +21, I +4 | F +16 (+18 vs poison), R +17, W +12 | Bombs: 7/23, Fly: 12/13, Clover: 3/3 | Active Conditions: ant haul, displacement
Diazepane will go for staggered and prone, switching to force bombs whenever the frog gets staggered to try and prone him.
Caravaggio has bitten off more than he can chew (literally.) A fact that becomes apparent somewhere in that combined volley of attacks. Many of them miss but enough get through that he is taken down by the overwhelming damage and he sinks down under the surface of the water which is soon stained with a spreading pool of his vibrant green blood.
A series of tunnels and stairs lead to the Aspis Building’s basement, and from there to the ground floor.
Once the you have broken through the sewer entrance, you must wind your way through the Aspis Building’s interior, a many-story array of workshops, meeting rooms, offices, storage, lounges, training facilities,
visitor accommodations, and more. Although only a fraction of the Consortium’s badge-holding members undergo complete training here, the Aspis pride themselves on maintaining the space and equipment necessary to conduct all aspects of their operations in their headquarters. There is far too much to explore in the course of a single incursion but fortunately, your objective doesn’t require breaking into each and every room.
The Aspis Building is no fortress, but it does sport scores of mechanical and magical barriers that can slow intruders. All of them have been activated, meaning someone believes there are intruders in the building.
You must find a way around mundane doors, portcullises, magical walls, and arcane locks as you follow Suliji's path.
You must make four of the following checks as a group - four of the following checks: Disable Device, Escape Artist, Intelligence, Strength, and Wisdom. Alternatively, you can attempt a dispel check using dispel magic or cast other spells that allow the group to negate a magical barrier or bypass it completely. Only a single spell or roll is allowed for each of the four checks, and you cannot use the same ability or skill check more than once; as you inevitably encounter something with no lock to pick or that resists physical force.
7-20 | NG male (he/him) human (Varisian) alchemist 13 | AC 27 (T 16, FF 23) | HP 120/120 | P +21, I +4 | F +16 (+18 vs poison), R +17, W +12 | Bombs: 7/23, Fly: 12/13, Clover: 3/3 | Active Conditions: ant haul, displacement
Diazepane has Disable Device +19, Escape Artist +3, Intelligence +8, Strength +0, and Wisdom +0. I'm pretty sure Daedin has an ultra-high Disable, so Diazepane's only contribution would be Intelligence. He'll gladly aid the other rolls.
Daedin handily picks a 3 part multi-tumbler interphasal lock before slithering through a narrow air duct to open another door from the other side.
But then they get to a door that has no lock and seemingly no way around.
As the only way out is through, Svetlana takes it, the largely empty halls echoing with the boom and crash as she physically knocks the doors off the hinges.
One more obstacle remains.
Who wants to try? Wisdom, Intelligence and magic are left. I'm goign to disregard Svetlana's Wisdom check so other characters can give it a try and participate.
7-20 | NG male (he/him) human (Varisian) alchemist 13 | AC 27 (T 16, FF 23) | HP 120/120 | P +21, I +4 | F +16 (+18 vs poison), R +17, W +12 | Bombs: 7/23, Fly: 12/13, Clover: 3/3 | Active Conditions: ant haul, displacement
He also puts on a new Lesser Talisman of Freedom to replace the one that has crumbled to dust.
And, just to be on the safe side, he actives his Sihedron Brand. 30 temp hp - the duration is a little unclear but consensus seems to be for 3 hours.
He will remain Enlarged unless the group enters an area that requires him to be Medium. And now that they have encountered a threat he will keep his weapon in hand.
...
Str is the only one of these checks that Yuri would be good at and it sounds like that is already taken care of. However he has a very high Sunder roll as well as the Spell Sunder rage power (which allows him to do a Sunder maneuver on an "ongoing spell effect."). Could he use either of these to clear one of the obstacles? If yes...
Yuri gets angry again (Using another round of rage - 3/33) and attempts to smash the obstacle in their way!
Diazepane guesses the password to a magical ward just before Yuri flies into a rage and smashes it in frustration. You can save your round of rage, Yuri.
Although the Patrons craft most of their proposals in the secure heart of the Aspis Building, early versions of those plans must still reach the desks of critical intermediaries and high-ranking agents who would be responsible for executing those initiatives. You come across a cluster of offices reserved for silver and gold agents, several of which have these drafts open atop desks for review. Even with a casual perusal, you can assess that these are proposals for action in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, in Mendev, in the Mwangi Expanse, and somewhere beyond the Material Plane.
Linnorm Kings - DC20 (Knowledge: geography):
A Patron named Stichalto the Cynic has secured key contacts and potential turncoats along the border between Irrisen and the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, enabling the Aspis Consortium to transport supplies to the beset Ulfen border towns. Once he has their trust and stable routes, he intends to poison their food shipments in advance of an Irriseni offensive—all in exchange for a generous payment from the White Witches.
Mendev - DC20 (Knowledge: local):
A Patron named Stichalto the Cynic has lifted the moratorium on underhanded practices in Mendev, following the successful conclusion of the Fifth Mendevian Crusade. His plan to overcharge Nerosyan for shipments of staples while eliminating local competitors is partly underway, and he has identified a sizeable population of low templars as idle mercenaries willing to raid the reclaimed territories for Sarkorian goods–even if it means undermining the Mendevian efforts to resettle those lands and construct fortifications against another demonic incursion.
Mwangi Expanse - DC20 (Knowledge: nature):
The Patron Iaovin Ratarion has spent the better part of 10 years expanding Aspis operations in Bloodcove in the Mwangi Expanse, but the vigilant Ekujae elves and people of Nantambu have prevented the Consortium from freely exploiting the Expanse’s riches. His proposal would weaken Nantambu’s eastern defenses and simultaneously goad the charau-ka of Usaro to attack, buying local Aspis agents several years in which to snatch up resources without local resistance. The office’s occupant has penned the question, “What happens if the charau-ka completely overrun the Expanse?” in the margins, but Iaovin has either not responded yet or believes that prospect is a non-issue.
Beyond the Material Plane - DC20 (Knowledge: planes):
Patron Kaera Hightower reports good progress on the Plane of Earth, where the Consortium’s investment in a mercenary company known as the Carnelian Corps has paid significant dividends. She cites her past successes tied to the Hao Jin Tapestry campaign to justify directing further resources to the Opaline Vault, the seat of the shaitan genie empire.
More GM Bidness:
Random:1d6 ⇒ 5
As you continue to explore you discover a high-ceilinged hallway lined with portraits and busts.
DC30 Knowledge (Local) Check:
Not every passage sees regular use, and some routes through the Aspis Building have insidious effects on all but a few operatives. Among these is the Gallery of Fortune, a high-ceilinged hallway lined with portraits and busts of the Consortium’s greatest leaders, moneymakers, and innovators—at least those whose identities and involvement the organization hasn’t kept secret. The area has a grim reputation for granting future prosperity to a rare few and afflicting all others with bad luck. As a result, agents-in-training sometimes use the Gallery of Fortune as a hazing ritual, pushing recruits to travel its length and gaze upon the deceased moguls. Those who don’t look at the art at all tend to escape unscathed but earn the ridicule of their peers.
7-20 | NG male (he/him) human (Varisian) alchemist 13 | AC 27 (T 16, FF 23) | HP 120/120 | P +21, I +4 | F +16 (+18 vs poison), R +17, W +12 | Bombs: 7/23, Fly: 12/13, Clover: 3/3 | Active Conditions: ant haul, displacement
Knowledge (geography), Linnorm Kings:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 vs DC 20
Knowledge (local), Mendev:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38 vs DC 20
Knowledge (local), Mwangi Expanse:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (5) + 21 = 26 vs DC 20
Knowledge (planes), Beyond the Material Plane:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (9) + 21 = 30 vs DC 20
"Alright, boys and girls, story time ..."
"A Patron named Stichalto the Cynic has secured key contacts and potential turncoats along the border between Irrisen and the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, enabling the Aspis Consortium to transport supplies to the beset Ulfen border towns. Once he has their trust and stable routes, he intends to poison their food shipments in advance of an Irriseni offensive—all in exchange for a generous payment from the White Witches."
"He has also lifted the moratorium on underhanded practices in Mendev, following the successful conclusion of the Fifth Mendevian Crusade. His plan to overcharge Nerosyan for shipments of staples while eliminating local competitors is partly underway, and he has identified a sizeable population of low templars as idle mercenaries willing to raid the reclaimed territories for Sarkorian goods–even if it means undermining the Mendevian efforts to resettle those lands and construct fortifications against another demonic incursion."
"The Patron Iaovin Ratarion has spent the better part of 10 years expanding Aspis operations in Bloodcove in the Mwangi Expanse, but the vigilant Ekujae elves and people of Nantambu have prevented the Consortium from freely exploiting the Expanse’s riches. His proposal would weaken Nantambu’s eastern defenses and simultaneously goad the charau-ka of Usaro to attack, buying local Aspis agents several years in which to snatch up resources without local resistance. The office’s occupant has penned the question, 'What happens if the charau-ka completely overrun the Expanse?' in the margins, but Iaovin has either not responded yet or believes that prospect is a non-issue."
"Patron Kaera Hightower reports good progress on the Plane of Earth, where the Consortium’s investment in a mercenary company known as the Carnelian Corps has paid significant dividends. She cites her past successes tied to the Hao Jin Tapestry campaign to justify directing further resources to the Opaline Vault, the seat of the shaitan genie empire."
Knowledge (local), portraits and busts:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27 vs DC 30
Diazepane is so fixated on telling stories that he doesn't even realize there are portraits and busts.
F Human Cleric 14/Pharasma|HP: 114/114|AC31,F30,T14|CMD: 21|F+15,R+9,W+20|Init+1|SPD40|PER +17|
The priestess of Pharasma can only shake her head at this litany of villainy.
"Why would anyone in this world ever do business with these people? How many times must they make it plain that they would sell their own grandmothers for silver penny." she marvels. "If I didn't suspect that Suliji Pushar would be even worse, I'd happily leave these snakes to her tender mercies."
"Come, we've lingered here long enough. We have assassin to catch, and we don't want to be caught."
As you traverse the gallery, you feel the dozens of judgmental gazes upon you. They seem to be assessing every failure you've ever made and weighing your worth and worthiness by those failures. It is hard to tell which particular busts or portraits are staring at you, which ones' eyes follow you as it feels like all of them and none of them at the same time.
Passing down this 100 foot long gallery subjects you all to a Gaze attack (and you can avert your gaze.) Everyone please make Will checks.
Feeling the unsettling gazes from the busts and portraits, Daedîn pulls his hood lower to better cover his eyes, trying to avert the staring artwork as they move down the passage…
Will:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22(+2 if it’s an enchantment)
F Human Cleric 14/Pharasma|HP: 114/114|AC31,F30,T14|CMD: 21|F+15,R+9,W+20|Init+1|SPD40|PER +17|
Will Save:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 38
Nadya seems to take the insolent stares of the various busts and portraits as a personal affront and glares right back at them muttering old Varisian folk imprecations right back at them.
Medium Male CG Dwarf Barbarian (chained) 12/Fighter 3 | HP 175/175 (raging 235/235) | AC 23 (raging 25) T 13 (11) FF 21 (23) | CMB +23 (26), CMD 39 (40) +3 vs Sunder, +4 vs Bull Rush & Trip| F +22 (26), R +12, W +10 (13) | Init +5 | Perc +18 (+2 stonework) & darkvision SM +0 | Speed 30' | Active Conditions: | Constant: Combat Reflexes, DR 2/-, Imp. Uncanny Dodge
"Hmmph, I don't these here Asspiss notables are too fond 'a me and I ain't thinkin' too much about them neither!"
Yuri looks away from the busts and portraits, not only to protect himself from their gaze but to show his contempt for their organization. He drinks from his pocket flagon as he strolls along. If he has time to do so, he'll also put on his smoked goggles.
Will:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24+8 if smoked goggles apply; Yuri also has a variety of situational modifiers to his saves, not sure if any of them would apply here but if it's mind-affecting (+2), fear (+2), or a spell/SLA (+4) those would also be added.
7-20 | NG male (he/him) human (Varisian) alchemist 13 | AC 27 (T 16, FF 23) | HP 120/120 | P +21, I +4 | F +16 (+18 vs poison), R +17, W +12 | Bombs: 7/23, Fly: 12/13, Clover: 3/3 | Active Conditions: ant haul, displacement
The hallway overcomes the will of half the Pathfinders.
Daedin, Kal'Ryon and Diazepane all suffer the Curse of Failure!
They become unable to remove any magic items that grant them a luck bonus, and all luck bonuses instead apply an equal penalty to the affected rolls and statistics. They are unable to benefit from any effects that allow them to roll multiple dice and take the better result, and whenever they
would reroll a die, they instead roll two dice and takes the lower result. Finally, they always rolls initiative checks twice and takes the lower result; if they would normally roll multiple dice and take the better initiative result, they instead roll a single die.
Busy GMing:
curse:1d3 ⇒ 2 curse:1d3 ⇒ 3 treasure:1d3 ⇒ 1
Diazepane is also Haunted by malevolent psychic resonances that latch on to him from the hall. These resonances cause minor mishaps and strange occurrences (such as unexpected breezes, small objects moving on their own, and faint noises). Retrieving any stored item from his gear requires a standard action, unless it would normally take longer. Any item he drops lands 10 feet away from him in a random direction.
Meanwhile, Kal'Ryon feels unshakable malaise overtake him, reducing his base speed by 10 feet.
It's not all bad luck, however. Resting on the pedestal holding one of the busts is a gold Aspis badge that detects strongly of magic.
You have a decision to make now. You are fairly sure that you can get to Suliji quickly and complete your primary mission. On the other hand, when will you have this sort of access to the headquarters of the Aspis Consortium and be able to loot them?
You can go after Suliji or attempt more obstacles to find more treasures. Any treasures you don't find will be crossed off the chronicle sheets. As usual, I'll await two agreeing votes and move us on.
