Once you’ve worked out loot distribution, you still have the question to answer: What will you do with the deserters? You recall that they will likely face trial for desertion if returned to North Winds Watch. Enough of the Twenty-Four Masks remain healthy enough to watch over the captured deserters and eventually march them back to North Winds Watch to stand trial, should you so choose.
Alternatively, you may either judge and execute them yourselves, or set them free. The Twenty-Four Masks and uncorrupted aasimar soldiers are unlikely to condone either of the latter options. Also, though a small group can easily pick their way through the blight fire, the limited number of firebreaks and safe paths make it nearly impossible to move a larger force safely through the flames. To reach the heart of the blight, the PCs must travel on their own from here on.
Aoi asks the 24 Masks how long does it take to travel to the heart of the blight, and if there's any supply they can provide to the Pathfinders. Might as well give them to those who have to do the fighting if the soldiers can't travel with us further anymore...
male Human Cleric 8, HP 75, AC 22, T 13, FF 18, F +10, R +7, W +11, Initiative +1, Perception +9
i think they should go back to stand trial...Goran wouldn't be for just executing them here...and they were corrupted...so there is that. he would vouch for them to be showed some leniency...but he would be ok if they were found guilty and executed i think...
Male Halfelf - Skald 8 - AC21/T13/F16/CMD14 |HP 59/59 | Fort:+9;Ref:+6;Will+7 |Percept.+6 | Init.+4 | { heroism , rage} (8/23 song used) { +16/16 hp } staggered
Omar shares the information
”They seem to be under some compulsive Or coercion. So it may not be their fault if we can figure out a way to break it and cure them.“
Captain Tai Dan nods. "We will escort them back to North Winds Watch to face trial. The source of the blight, then, we will leave in your capable hands."
At Aoi's question, Tai Dan beckons a few of the two contingents' spellcasters over. "I believe they may be able to provide some aid."
You have two tengu and four aasimar aid tokens still available. It will take one aid token to have the Twenty-Four Masks escort the deserters back, leaving one tengu and four aasimar tokens. You can spend the rest of the tengu and aasimar aid tokens as follows: You can spend a token to convince your allies to cast heroism on two PCs. You can also spend a token for healing. If you choose this benefit, each PC heals 9d6 points of damage. You may purchase each benefit more than once if you have remaining aid tokens.
Also, forgot to answer the question about travel time. The scenario doesn’t spell it out, but assume that you’re close enough that a minimum-CL heroism won’t wear off—so, within an hour‘s travel time.
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 50/50|F +3, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|25/25 Perform, 3/3 Sooth, 3/3 FWIT, 1/1 comic relief
Please see Discussion vis-a-vis the new loot.
After checking over his minor injury and equipment, Xasay speaks up. "What is the penalty for desertion? If they are found guilty as it seems they obviously would, well, I suppose that would be justice...but would it be Justice?" How he manages to enunciate casing you have no idea, but do it he does.
He looks over to Goran. "You say they were Enchanted, or driven mad? I quite agree with you, they need an asylum more than a military tribunal."
He then looks...off into the distance, somewhere. "I suggest perhaps we let them go rather than trust in any tribunal; the future is ever concealed in searing light, but that light, it seems to me, casts shadows within which their freedom may serve a greater Good."
CN Male Nagaji 19/T 11/FF18, BAB +8 F+13/R+6/W+3 CMB +15(+17 w/Disarm) CMD 26(28 vs disarm) rage 10 of 12 left Bloodrager 4/Brawler 2/Fighter (High Guardian) 2 HP 72 / 72 Init +3, Per +13
Khugron looked at the prisoners and then to the Twenty-Four Masks. "Given the terrain, it looks like we will need to part ways. Since the group of you will not be able to travel with us, I say they take the prisoners back to be judged by their own. he said to the group.
Male Halfelf - Skald 8 - AC21/T13/F16/CMD14 |HP 59/59 | Fort:+9;Ref:+6;Will+7 |Percept.+6 | Init.+4 | { heroism , rage} (8/23 song used) { +16/16 hp } staggered
Omar nods to Khurgron then turns towards the Twenty-Four masks lead.
Aye, if we cannot fix them here, then there is no glory in guard-duty. I did not signup to be no baby sitter. If you two dozen can take them back, we will handle the rest.
The party sends the Twenty-Four Masks and the Tianji aasimar contingent back with the deserters. Before they go, some of the Tianji spellcasters incant heroism spells on the party, and Tai Dan personally wishes the group good luck before leading the troops out of the forest and toward North Winds Watch.
You then proceed deeper into the blight. Within an hour, you see a break in the tree line. A scorched, barren clearing marks what must be the center of the blight. Pale orange flames occasionally burst from tears across the ground, bathing the area in an unnatural light. A ruined building sits atop a nearby rise, its half-crumbled walls featuring imagery of angelic beings attempting to hold back a horde of alien horrors pouring forth from gaping wounds in the land.
A lone tengu stands near one such tear in the ground. What he is doing is anyone's guess--it looks like he might be inspecting it, or might be attempting some sort of spellcasting. He notices you and pauses his inspecti-casting, and calls out, "Have you come to shut down the rift as well? Come, help me!"
Knowledge (arcana) or (religion), DC 24:
There seem to be several key components missing from the sort of ritual to close a rift a knowledgeable spellcaster might expect.
Aoi casts Fly and Mirror Image upon arriving at the site.
Mirror Image:1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Kn Arcana:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31 "I'm not sure you know what you're doing," Aoi uses her scroll of Magic Circle against Evil on Khugron. "But we do have ways to find out."
"I am a priest of Hei Feng. My god showed me this place in a vision," the tengu says in answer to Hekk. "My name is Obika. Hei Feng sent me and told me that help would arrive. I have not closed a portal like this before, but he gave me the instructions on how to do it--and that I cannot complete it alone."
The tengu points to places strategically located around the rift and adds, "If you all will stand there, we can close this portal for good."
CN Male Nagaji 19/T 11/FF18, BAB +8 F+13/R+6/W+3 CMB +15(+17 w/Disarm) CMD 26(28 vs disarm) rage 10 of 12 left Bloodrager 4/Brawler 2/Fighter (High Guardian) 2 HP 72 / 72 Init +3, Per +13
Khugron nodded in agreement about closing the portal. When he got into place, he cast a spell, growing into a larger version of himself.
Cast enlarge person on himself in case the portal tries to draw him in.
"Oh, sure. A god of destruction wants to close the portal to chaos. Brilliant logic there." Aoi hovers twenty-five feet above the ground, smirking at the so-called priest. "What's next, 1 + 1 = 11?"
New slide is up. Go ahead and place yourselves where you want. I've placed Khugron where Obika indicated, since Khugron posted that he was going to move into position to help close the portal.
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 50/50|F +3, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|25/25 Perform, 3/3 Sooth, 3/3 FWIT, 1/1 comic relief
Hmm, what was the CL on those farewell-heroisms?
Xasay shows up looking oddly dashing in his new cape and belt.
”This is a complicated ritual...and he even foresaw he could not do it alone! They say prophecy in this world died with Aroden - or whatever happened to Him - but that seems to check out! Why be suspicious? If help this pilgrim requires, then help he shall have!“
I don't know about you guys, but a week of enforced downtime from the webstore upgrade completely broke my posting momentum.
And the heroism spells from your escorts were at CL5.
The party's suspicions prove well-founded. As soon as it seems no more of you will be coming any closer to the tear, the air around the tengu seems to be engulfed in a menacing aura. "Destroying portals is still destroying," Obika croaks, his voice taking on a slithering quality as he finishes the sentence. "But killing you will hasten my plans more, methinks!"
With that, the tengu's form sloughs away from it, revealing an aberrant creature that seems part tentacle, part snake, part sea urchin. Knowledge (planes) to identify it.
The sight of the monstrosity seems to threaten your perceptions of reality, as you all feel horrified fascination threaten to overwhelm you! Everyone must make a DC 20 Will save at the start of their turn.
DC 20 will save, heroism:1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 2 = 21
No surprise here, but Hekk will rage and engage.
To hit bardiche, power attack, rage, flank:1d20 + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 15 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 33I think he is flanking, but not sure if he actually needs to be one further south. Slashing cold iron damage, power attack, rage:1d10 + 13 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 10 + 2 = 34
CN Male Nagaji 19/T 11/FF18, BAB +8 F+13/R+6/W+3 CMB +15(+17 w/Disarm) CMD 26(28 vs disarm) rage 10 of 12 left Bloodrager 4/Brawler 2/Fighter (High Guardian) 2 HP 72 / 72 Init +3, Per +13
Will save DC 20:1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 24
Khugron smiled at the threat made from the tengu as it transformed into an otherworldy creature.
Hekk takes a swipe at what Aoi identifies as an utukku qlippoth, and his cold iron bardiche cuts the creature with ease.
A moment later, the tear in the blight opens and a second abomination steps through. A pale creature, this second one has four suckered arms that end in pincers and a gnashing maw that gapes in its head between two staring eyes. You likewise feel your minds rebel at its appearance (this second Will save is only DC15), though it hardly stops as it assails Khugron with its tentacles before attempting to bite him with its gaping maw. (Knowledge (planes) to identify this one as well, though it's a safe bet it's a qlippoth.)
Two tentacles connect with the nagaji, and he feels his mind fog over a little with the first hit. The second hit simply bludgeons him, though the pincered tentacle then wraps around his waist in a grapple. "Obika" then slams its two arms into Hekk, who feels something of his soul torn away with each blow's impact.
Hekk additional WILL save needed plus 2 FORT saves needed -31
Qlippoth
"Obika" -34
Aoi additional WILL save needed
Sputnik, arbiter familiar 2 WILL saves needed
Khugron additional WILL save needed -5 (4 WIS dmg, grappled)
Xasay 2 WILL saves needed
Goran additional WILL save needed (staggered for 4 rounds)
Omar additional WILL save needed (staggered for 4 rounds)
The rest of the party is up!
Hazard: The rifts channel the extreme cold of the Abyss. Any PC that enters a square containing the blight fire takes 3d6 points of cold damage 6d6 points of cold damage (Reflex DC 18 half). PCs that end their turn adjacent to the blight fire take half the indicated damage (Reflex half, at the same DC). PCs that fly over a square containing a tear at an elevation of 40 feet or lower have a 50% chance to be exposed to a gout of blight fire and the resulting cold damage. Thankfully, the rifts currently only function in one direction and, though it may be disconcerting to stand atop a tear, it otherwise functions as solid ground and the PCs do not risk falling into the Abyss.
Aoi's Knowledge (planes) roll:
This is an utukku qlippoth. With that roll, you can choose 3 additional things to know about it.
Also, I forgot about Aoi's familiar, so I added it in just after her in the initiative order.
Knnowledge question would be Resistance, Immunity, Special Attacks
Aoi Will:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27 Sputnik are immune to mind-affecting effect.
Aoi will fly 10ft higher, invokes her patron, and drops a Fireball on the two qlippoth (in a way that don't hit her allies of course).
Fireball DC 22:8d8 + 8 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 6, 2, 2, 4, 6) + 8 = 35
CN Male Nagaji 19/T 11/FF18, BAB +8 F+13/R+6/W+3 CMB +15(+17 w/Disarm) CMD 26(28 vs disarm) rage 10 of 12 left Bloodrager 4/Brawler 2/Fighter (High Guardian) 2 HP 72 / 72 Init +3, Per +13
Will save:1d20 + 3 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 3 - 5 = 4
With a roar, khugron proceeded to teach the foe why it was not a good idea to grapple him as he proceeded to twist his foot into positions that showed that he was an aberrant himself.
Flurry of boots rage PA furious focus:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 331d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20 Flurry of boots rage PA attack 2:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 171d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20 Flurry of boots rage PA attack 3:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 221d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20
The second qlippoth's appearance phases the party less than the first, and though Khugron briefly finds himself fascinated by the creature's hypnotically wriggling tentacles and the shimmering colors in its eyes, the tentacle around his waist snaps him out of it. Hekk, too, manages to resist some of the effects of "Obika's" tentacles, but still finds himself feeling weakened.
Aoi invokes her patron and sends a fireball down toward the two qlippoth. It explodes past them, catching them in the blast but sparing her party members. Both fiends are slow to react to the spell and catch the full effects of it, but they also both seem less injured by the blast than would be expected.
Khugron proceeds to tear into the qlippoth grappling him, landing two of his three strikes solidly. The qlippoth staggers under the weight of the blows, but remains upright.
A moment after that, Goran invokes his own deity and a burst of divine radiance explodes in the midst of the pair of fiends, leaving them dazzled and singed.
Finally, Omar manages to force out the words to a battle song, inspiring his comrades to continue the fight.
Init Order - Round 1
Hekk +18 temp hp -31 (4 CHA dmg, raging song)
Qlippoth -76 (dazzled for 2 rounds)
"Obika" -75 (dazzled for 2 rounds)
Aoi (flying at 35' up, raging song)
Sputnik, arbiter familiar (raging song)
Khugron -5 (4 WIS dmg, grappled, raging song)
Xasay 2 WILL saves needed (raging song)
Goran (staggered for 4 rounds, raging song)
Omar (staggered for 4 rounds, raging song)
Xasay is up!
Hazard: The rifts channel the extreme cold of the Abyss. Any PC that enters a square containing the blight fire takes 3d6 points of cold damage 6d6 points of cold damage (Reflex DC 18 half). PCs that end their turn adjacent to the blight fire take half the indicated damage (Reflex half, at the same DC). PCs that fly over a square containing a tear at an elevation of 40 feet or lower have a 50% chance to be exposed to a gout of blight fire and the resulting cold damage. Thankfully, the rifts currently only function in one direction and, though it may be disconcerting to stand atop a tear, it otherwise functions as solid ground and the PCs do not risk falling into the Abyss.
Aoi's Knowledge (planes) roll:
Utukku qlippoth have some resistance to fire, electricity, acid, and sonic damage, and are immune to cold and mind-affecting effects. For special attacks, you are aware that the horrifying appearance of its true form can stagger those around it, and that it can warp and deform its enemies with its tentacles' touch, causing Charisma damage.
@Hekk: I'd say you're just at the edge of the rift, so no save necessary unless you move south.
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 50/50|F +3, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|25/25 Perform, 3/3 Sooth, 3/3 FWIT, 1/1 comic relief
Sorry, sorry, very sorry...anyways, I actually won't take the Raging Song, since regrettably it would get in the way of my magic - although if I could still Perform (including Puppetry), then I might!
I'm pretty sure this should be a fear effect, so...: Will save, Haunted Eyes, heroism #1:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31 Will save, Haunted Eyes, heroism #2:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28Well now!
Upon seeing the "pilgrim" reveal itself to be a monstrous horror from Beyond, Xasay merely frowns at it.
"I am very disappointed in you."
Knowledge (Planes), heroism RE snake-urchin:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31 Knowledge (Planes), heroism RE 4-arms:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30 WELL NOW!! One thing I'll want to know about both right off the bat: Senses (and I want to know ANYTHING unusual, not just Darkvision/Tremorsense/etc)?
Just because he has the skill, even if at a low level...
knowledge(planes) quippy 1:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 knowledge(planes) quippy 2:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
CN Male Nagaji 19/T 11/FF18, BAB +8 F+13/R+6/W+3 CMB +15(+17 w/Disarm) CMD 26(28 vs disarm) rage 10 of 12 left Bloodrager 4/Brawler 2/Fighter (High Guardian) 2 HP 72 / 72 Init +3, Per +13
Rage song bonus:2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 Forgot to add it, so 6 more damage to the one that I am fighting
would raging song interfere with my spells as well as my channels and other SLA's?
spells and SLAs YES, channel NO
For the record, raging song is not something automatic, and need the character to explicitly accept when the song start & at the beginning of their turn. Aoi will not accept the song.
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 50/50|F +3, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|25/25 Perform, 3/3 Sooth, 3/3 FWIT, 1/1 comic relief
