GM Batpony's PFS 2e Level 1 Marathon

Game Master Batpony

Flurry of posts indeed. I slept through the first challenge!

"I can only access the magic built into my frame, and I doubt additional electricity will make this challenge easier. Still, there is no harm in the attempt."

marI/Os moves to the farthest range of the spell (and waits for others to do so) and casts electric arc into the pool.

Unless that somehow cancels out the lightning pool, he continues, "I am capable of the swimming portion of the task, but the electricity would likely prove deleterious to me."

"How about we change the liquid of the pool? We do have a decanter of endless water..." notes Brask as he looks at the lightning liquid with curiosity.

Leena's eyes go wide at Brask's suggestion, "Oh, that will be fun..." then her look of excitement fades, "...but would that cause the electric water to spill out onto the floor? I love a shocking good story, but prefer not to get actually shocked simply by standing on the ground."

Then her up-and-down excitement/deflatement perks back up as she asks Sorrina, "You said scrolls were the right track! I thought blink scroll because you can quickly port one place nearby and back again...that's how K does it! Do we need shadows to use the blink scroll, Sorrina?"

The arc of lighting does nothing to the pool but causes it to crackle a little.

You flicker quickly between your current plane and another. You gain resistance 5 to all damage, except force. At the end of each of your turns, you automatically teleport 10 feet in a random direction, as determined by the GM. You can Sustain the spell to teleport in this way.

If I understand the text correctly, you don't get to choose where you blink to. i.e. it will be by chance to teleport directly to where the gold ingot is. But the teleport doesn't trigger unless you spend an action to sustain the spell. But the other spell effects still last for the duration of 1 minute even if you don't sustain the spell to teleport? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, this is more a question for me to check my understanding of the spell.

Sorrina muses before she responds to Leena, "Well.. no, shadows are not required, but everyone has shadows..."

Azorch points his thumb behind him. "Want me to go fetch the platform from the other room?"

The revised version of the spell also automatically teleports you at the end of your turn. But either way, the direction is random, so it might never get you to the bottom of the pool. And if the GM is evil, it might teleport you into solid stone. The resistance might be helpful, though, and if someone swam down, they might teleport out in relative safety (unless, you know, evil GM).

The revised version of the spell also automatically teleports you at the end of your turn. But either way, the direction is random, so it might never get you to the bottom of the pool. And if the GM is evil, it might teleport you into solid stone. The resistance might be helpful, though, and if someone swam down, they might teleport out in relative safety (unless, you know, evil GM).

Ok I see my confusion, I somehow thought the end of the turn teleport was triggered by the sustain. But the end of turn teleport always happens, and the sustain to teleport is incremental. Got it.

Biold walks around the fountain at length and inspects it.

There must be some way to disable the electricity... he trails off, thinking.

Perc +4 or could he use Crafting +7 to find an "off" switch? :D

The fountain is 10 feet across and three feet deep, mechanical if you dive in and grab it to swim out, it's 2 rounds of activity

Leena moves her right hand up to get her boarding pike in hand, "Will electric water damage metal and wood? If not I could snag the gold with my boarding pike."

She sets her boarding pike onto the ground, unstraps her steel shield and places it onto the floor, and gets her boarding pike in a two-handed grip.

Boarding pikes have reach and shove. Taking the form of a longspear fitted with crossbars or hooks, a boarding pike provides its wielder a sharp implement that's as adept at shoving enemies off a ship's railings as facilitating the boarding of other vessels.

As if in response to her own question, using her feet she slides her shield farther away from the fountain 15 feet from fountain, then places her boarding pike onto the ground by her shield also 15 feet away from fountain, retrieves a crowbar from her sack, and tosses the crowbar into the fountain.

LOL!

Having a good look in and around the pool, there are no mechanical means of disabling it.

The splash from the crowbar isn't significant enough to reach the shores, as the crowbar sinks to the bottom of the pool. The crowbar doesn't disintegrate nor does it show signs of significant damage.

"Metal seems okay. Now to test wood."

Leena unslings her club from her side and carefully puts just the edge of the business end barely under the surface of the electrified water for a few seconds, lifts it out of the water and drops her club onto the ground beside the marble fountain, to see if her preferred weapon of bashing foes with was damaged...and if it was, if it is still being damaged.

The liquid would seem to have the same effect on the wood, wetting it but not damaging it.

The gold ingot for intent and purposes is bulk 1. If you can convincingly be able to grab it with your equipment from a distance we will call it a challenge success.

Satisfied that the liquid does not harm neither metal nor wood, Leena retrieves her boarding pike and uses it to push/pull the gold ingot to the edge of the marble fountain, than uses the gold ingot as leverage to retreive her crowbar with her the boarding pike, spits on the crowbar before touching it with her hands to make sure it does not sizzle or anything...and when it does not, she says, "One of you use my crowbar to help keep the ingot against the side of fountain while I pull it up with my pike."

Biold nods, swiftly taking the crowbar and using it to brace the ingot as instructed.

Quick thinking!

"Sometimes I see solutions in chaos," Leena half-reflexively says, then when she realized she replied to Biold adds "is something K says sometimes."

"What's our next test, Sorrina? Something that we will need to use our weapons in the usual way?", Leena asks, as she does a careful inspection of her boarding pike to make sure there was no noticeable damage done to it from the liquid in the fountain.

With just a little bit of help from Biold, Leena finds some leverage to pull the ingot from out of the pool. Sorinna claps once more and smiles , "Clever that, your ingenuity will prove useful in the field, remember that."

Keeping with jovial attitude, she asks the group to follow her to an antechamber off the main hall. She points at the end of a hallway, and says "All of you must get to the other side" in a stage whisper. Occupying most of the 20ft long hallway is a large, plush, stuffed red dragon with green scales. In a deadpan voice, she then says, "If the dragon wakes up, you die... but you have a chance to appease him before he devours you with his pillow teeth" As she ends, she giggles, but quickly turns her expression to a more serious one. "You will fail if the dragon attacks. So choose your plans wisely." She then smiles again and takes three steps back.

The challenge is rather simple, everyone who attempts to cross to the other side with usual means of sneaking past the dragon, must make a stealth roll.

Without verbally replying, Leena nods to acknowledge she understands the goal, then makes sure her weapons, shield, sack and contents are all securely bound so they will not rattle around as she moves, begins to slowly crouch her away past the plush dragon.

Leena has a +6 Stealth modifier

@GM: Please remind me if we are making secret checks or if you are making them for us.

You will make your own stealth rolls for this encounter.

Thank you.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Without skipping a beat, Leena jumps right into action and sneaks past the plush dragon. Sorrina looks impressed at the halflings agility, and the dragon doesn't even move an inch.

Party Members On the other side
Leena

marI/Os pulls a scroll from the satchel. "Miss Westyr, my joints are not constructed for silent movement. Would you be prepared to return the dragon to slumber should I create too much of a racket?"

Sorinna politely nods as the automaton hands the scroll of sleep to her.

Players to take action to cross the hallway
If you choose to sneak across normally, it is a stealth roll

MarI/Os , Biold, Aroch, Brask, Zoila

Players on the other side of the halway
Leena

marI/Os tries to cross quietly.

Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

*clank clank clank*

Zoila follows.

Stealth (U) vs Dragon: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

She tells marI/Os to "Ssh!" which is incidentally equally as loud as his clanks!

Azorch sighs, and rummages through the satchel for the boots and cloak of elvenkind. He slips them on, spooling out the rope while he walks.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Once across, he bundles the boots into the cloak, and ties the rope to the bundle, to be pulled back to the start.

Zoila and MarI/Os make quite the racket, bumping into each other as they try to slither around the giant plushie. The dragon stirs, and rumbles but as soon as it's eyes open, Sorrina makes a performance out of reading the scroll and putting the dragon back to sleep. "Count yourselves lucky" She whispers from afar and winks.

Azorch on the other hand, proves to be quite quiet orc as he easily slips past the dragon.

Players to take action to cross the hallway
If you choose to sneak across normally, it is a stealth roll

Biold Brask

Players on the other side of the halway
Leena, MarI/Os , Zoila, Azorch

Leena silently waves at Biold to get his attention, then points to the rope, then turns so Biold sees her side profile and mimics reeling in a fish.

Brask takes a deep breath and with his eyes almost closed tries to get past the dragon.

Unexistant Stealth: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17

Biold looks on horrified as two of his teammates make an excruciating amount of noise as they pass the dragon.

He looks back at Leena, confused, but dare not speak up to disturb the dragon.

Reeling in a fish? Will you pull me the rest of the way across? And that's supposed to be quiet?

He shrugs and throws one end of the rope to Leena to see what happens.

Azorch sighs, and rummages through the satchel for the boots and cloak of elvenkind. He slips them on, spooling out the rope while he walks.

[dice=Stealth]1d20+3

Once across, he bundles the boots into the cloak, and ties the rope to the bundle, to be pulled back to the start.

Biold looks on horrified as two of his teammates make an excruciating amount of noise as they pass the dragon.

He looks back at Leena, confused, but dare not speak up to disturb the dragon.

Reeling in a fish? Will you pull me the rest of the way across? And that's supposed to be quiet?

He shrugs and throws one end of the rope to Leena to see what happens.

The rope is already streched across from the start (your) side to the finish, with the boots & cloak of elvenkind tied to the end of the rope on the other side from you, Biold. You can 'reel in' the rope (with the boots & cloak attached to other end of rope).

As Brask moves across, the dragon stirs in it's sleep. But not enough to wake it up.

Biold is the last one left! What is Leena up to?

Leena looks perplexed at Biold's action of throwing his end of the rope towards the finish instead of reeling the rope to his side so that he could use the magical clothing of stealthing. She reels in the remainder of the rope slowly...so very slowly...then she motions for the others to give her room, as she picks up the bundled cloak (with the boots inside) with her right hand and grabs the rope a bit further down from where the bundle is attached...and she starts to spin the bundle above her head (cowboy-style) and then lobs the bundle high (but not high enough to hit the ceiling) as far as she can throw it back towards Biord's side.

improvised thrown weapon range 10 feet, maximum 5 range increments ==> 50 feet; default rules characters are not trained in improvised weapons...so Dex mod (+3), minus 2 for improvised weapon penalty for total of +1....

improvised throw of bundled cloak/boots/with rope attached: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Oh, hehe.

He dons the cloak and boots. Most importantly, he draws the hood of the cloak before attempting to pass by the dragon.

Stealth, untrained, invisible: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Invisible, but noisy, Biold bumps into the dragon but surprisingly it's not enough to awaken it. Perhaps it was because Sorrina didn't notice the bump, or something else. But nonetheless she claps and congratulates the group on their success of the trials and shows you to the arena where the Master of Swords eagerly awaits for your arrival.

Mechanically you needed to roll 8 or less to have failed that! Given the circumstances.

Emerging in an amphitheater covered in sand, Marcos Farabellus extends his arms out wide. “The Trial of Swords is a bit simpler than those of my fellow deans,” he says merrily. “Since I’m the Master of Swords, I want to see how you lot use your swords. Or maces, or bows, or what have you. Now, don’t worry yourselves; this is all nonlethal, wouldn’t do to take our newest prospects off the map before they have a chance to do anything for us, eh?” He laughs. “This arena is under a ritual effect that stops any of these fights from getting too out of hand. Mind you, you can still be knocked unconscious, and if you all go down, it’s not getting you good marks here, so do try and nonlethally ‘kill’ your opponents first, eh?”

He points to the other side of the arena. “You’ll face three waves of foes, emerging from there and charging down the field at you. You’ll have ten minutes or so to rest between waves, enough to patch yourselves up. Good luck!”

You will be given one round for any prep you want to take prior to combat, refer to the map! Reposition your starting position as you see fit

Leena moves over by the wall near the 'prestige box seating', removes her sack, and tosses it up over the rails into the stands (not into the prestige box seating'- the regular seating beside it), then adjusts her shield so it is properly fitted on her left forearm, and using her left hand to grip the shield's handle firmly. She then gets her club in her right hand and moves back to the rest of her team, "Back to back, lads and lasses! Let's not give the enemies a chance to flank us, eh?" She then looks at Zòila, "You're with me, as we want back to back, not arse to face."

Leena breathes shallow, then deep, and shallow again, readying herself to get ready to focus her strength for what's about to begin, "If you got protection tricks for the lot of us, cast them or get ready to cast them. Whoever drops the biggest foe has their drinks paid by the rest when we celebrate our victory tonight at The Wounded Wisp, yeah?" the last word uttered noticebly louder than the preceding words.

She stomps her right leg to the ground three times, as she looks from one entrance gate of the arena to the other.

She will be making use of Quick-Tempered to enter rage when initiative is rolled.

Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

marⅠ/Os doesn't notice that Sorrina didn't actually use the scroll.

He has no preparation other than moving to the front and holding a shield ready to intercept an attack.

Do we know what direction the attack will come from? If not, he will stay near the center.

Brask will channel elements and get his armor in earth up as he waits for the fight to begin.

Azorch heads into the center of the group, casts Benediction, and draws his spear. Hot winds swirl around, pushing things away from everyone.

+1 AC for everyone within 15' of me. Also, I'm on my phone and can't move my token right now.

I moved our tokens so that Azorch is back to back with Marl, with Leena and Zòila (who are back to back to each other) on one flank of Marl & Azorch, with the two dwarf PCs being back to back (on the other flank of Azorch & Marl), with each of us facing the direction of one of the two entance gates.

Does the reposition look good to everyone?

Marcos does not indicate which side the fight will come from.

Marcos takes a seat in the otherwise empty stands, then gives a nod to an assistant stationed nearby. Moments later, one of the gate begins creaking open and high-pitched cries in Draconic tumble from the darkness. Marcos
calls down to the arena, “Let me extend my thanks to the Society’s allies, the Sewer Dragons, for their assistance in today’s event!” Five kobolds emerge to be your opponents for the opening match.

Someone needs to show me how to make the character tokens rounded.

Taken off guard by the small stature of your opponents, they quickly act and fly into battle. They take out their slings and start hurling pebbles at a distant to the front line screaming war chants! But what an appalling display of combat ability as the pebbles just fly in every direction.

Black: weapon, strike (Leena), reload
Sling, B: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 2 = 41d4 ⇒ 1

Red: weapon, strike (Leena), reload
Sling, B: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 2 = 51d4 ⇒ 3

Yellow: weapon, strike (Azorch), reload
Sling, B: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 2 = 91d4 ⇒ 1

Blue: weapon, strike (Azorch), reload
Sling, B: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 - 2 = 61d4 ⇒ 2

Green: weapon, strike (Biold), reload
Sling, B: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 - 2 = 61d4 ⇒ 2

~~~ ~~~
Combat Round 1
Bolded names are up!

Kobolds
Brask
Zoila
Azorch
marlI/Os
Biold
Leena

Faster than the current, Zoila enters a parallel(-ish) temporal slipstream whereupon the entirety of multiple possibilities overwhelm her mind's eye, nearly giving her analysis paralysis!

♥️ 12/12, ☀️□□
◆) Time Sense
◆) Glimpse Weakness vs Black
◆) Strike vs Black
↺) Amped Guidance (Trigger: If an ally's strike would miss by exactly 1)

Staffsling (B, 2h, 1r, 80-ft) w/ Time Sense (+1) vs Black: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 = 221d10 ⇒ 5
Glimpse Weakness Damage: 2 = 2

Fortunately, her mental calculations correct themselves, and she "catches up" by hyperfocusing on one favorable outcomes - one in which her sturdy walking stick / sling shot bullseyes the frontmost kobold totally unknown reptilian foe speaking Draconic!

Leena has darkvision when she is raging, which she currently is, as she started raging when initiative was rolled.

Forget to mention which version of rage - her default is to use benefit from her barbarian instinct - she's spraying a bit of poisonous spittle from her mouth during this fight...not enough to harm allies, as she yells at a foe she strikes...with the foe getting an unhealthy faceful of poisonous spittle.

Leena looks back at the other gate to see if it there is any activity that way then readies to smash one of the foes upside its head when it gets within reach. one action ==> Seek, two actions ==> Ready Club strike

Perception seek: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

readied club strike: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 plus 4 poison damage = 10 total damage

marI/Os moves closer to the kobolds and raises an arm. Two streams of energy lance out at the kobolds in the lead.

◆ Stride

◆◆ Cast a Spell: Electric Arc vs. Yellow and Black

Electricity Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7
Basic DC 13 Reflex save

Brask will stride forward and call upon the earth to rain on the kobolds.

◆ Stride
◆◆ Tremor (10ft burst centered on yellow + diffucilt terrain) Fort Save 17: 1d8 ⇒ 1 bludgeoning damage.

The winds whip around Azorch with increasing strength, like a scirocco in the arena, and he rushes forward, cackling as what appears to be smoke rises from him.

◆ Sustain Spell, increasing the radius of the Benediction emanation to 25'

◆ Stride

◆ Demoralize Red
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

I forgot to mention but all combat damage is magically changed to non-lethal

The Kobold wearing some sort of black headband, is totally confused by Zoila's action's and finds itself hit straight in the head!

Leena steadies herself for strike but by some poor effort of team coordination, the others run ahead! No action from the other side, Leena can retcon her readied action if she wishes.

The automaton release a form of energy against the kobolds, one deftly moves aside, so does the other but not quickly enough! Black is down

Yellow Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Black Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

The kobolds hold on to each other as the ground shakes beneath them! Proving a useful way to stay stable, but they are still a little shaken from the ordeal.

Yellow Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Red Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Blue Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Green Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

The kobold in red appears to be terrified after watching Azorch approach the group

~~~ ~~~
Combat Round 1
Bolded names are up!

Kobolds -1 Red (Frightened 2)
Brask
Zoila
Azorch
marlI/Os
Biold
Leena may choose to retcon

Thanks for the option. I will retcon her readied action.

Seeing that her team decided to charge ahead instead of staying formed, up, Leena charges towards the kobolds, charges towards the two that attempted to harm her one stride and as one of the two gets dropped by Marl, she hurls her club at the other one that attacked her the red one who is no longer gaining the benefit of cover from the one in front of it.

club range increment is 10 feet, so that is another -4 to her attack for it being 25 feet away from her, but also another +1 for throwing it (+3 Dex as opposed to +2 Str), for total AC she hit being AC 11.

I wonder if Zòila's reaction Guidance (that has a 120 foot range) will be triggered...

Welp, it's time to try this thing out...

He slowly stalks across the dusty surface, twirling his hammer in one hand as he goes.

◆ Stride 20ft
◆ Stride 20ft

He makes good on the promise of the hammer.

◆ Strike YELLOW: warhammer attack, B damage: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 131d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Yellow Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Black Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

The kobolds hold on to each other as the ground shakes beneath them! Proving a useful way to stay stable, but they are still a little shaken from the ordeal.

Yellow Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Red Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Blue Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Green Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Where do we get dice like those?

My dice are clearly weighted! First rolls were 1,2,6,3,3 then 19,11,18,16,19,18? Absolutely bonkers!

Inspired, as the group already knocked cold one of the kobolds, Biold and Leena also charge into the fray! But the kobolds are on their guard this time as the block both attacks before delivering their own counterattack!

Forced into melee, the yellow faced kobold drops his sling and draws a spear striking twice at Biold! The first strike gives a good punch into the gut, but the second narrowly misses.

Spear: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 231d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Spear: 1d20 + 3 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 3 - 5 = 141d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

The remainder of the kobold's continue to throw pebbles at the oncoming Pathfinders. Strike, reload, strike
A bunch of stones hit Leena and Azorch.

Red Sling LEENA, B: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 2 = 191d4 ⇒ 3
Red Sling LEENA, B: 1d20 + 5 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 4 - 2 = 141d4 ⇒ 1

Blue Sling Azorch, B: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 191d4 ⇒ 3
Blue Sling Azorch, B: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 4 = 161d4 ⇒ 4

Green Sling Azorch, B: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 241d4 ⇒ 2
Green Sling Azorch, B: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 4 = 141d4 ⇒ 3
~~~ ~~~
Combat Round 2
Bolded names are up!

Kobolds -1 Red (Frightened 1)
Brask
Zoila
Azorch -9
marlI/Os
Biold -6
Leena -3