AbominationVaults_DM's page

Mac, yes, that weapon is available --- see below.
Jon, even though firearms are not common, given the town's proximity to Absalom, the center of the world, you can procure the item in a week if you have the necessary gold.

The party escorts Lasda back to town. Beyond the physical harm that he has suffered, which will heal, it is clear that he also suffered psychological trauma from the year of torture that he was subject to, which will take possibly years to overcome. Every little noise causes his body to tense and flinch in fear. It is clear that Lasda is a little broken now.

When you arrive back in town, you head over to the Rowdy Rockfish, where tears stream down Brelda's face, when she sees her son alive and she rushes to hug him. She looks over to the party and especially to Mac, and mouths "thank you" over and over during the tearful reunion. After a few minutes, she composes herself, as she invites you all to stay for a late breakfast.

As you enjoy your meal, Brelda excuses herself and returns bearing two family heirlooms as gifts: a minor sturdy shield emblazoned with an angry-looking rockfish and a +1 dwarven dorn-dergar. Brelda heaps praise upon the party and promises that you will all forever eat for free at her establishment for saving her son.

Pen's attack actually crits since he flanked the scarecrow and since the construct is weak to fire, so he inflicts 65 damage, one shotting it! Hero Point to Pen!

Pen moves and his blow burns the scarecrow to cinders! Combat over.

You move over the to the dwarf who is manacled to the table and Jon's thievery skills come into play, as he picks the locks and you save the dwarf, who is gasping for breath. The ribbon of necromantic energy disappears as you free the prisoner.

Mac, in particular, recognizes the dwarf, since his background is related to Brelda Venkervale, the current dwarven proprietor of the Rowdy Rockfish. This is her son who has been missing for the past year: Lasda Venhervale!

This is further confirmed when Lasda introduces himself and falls to the ground crying for joy, "That bastard scarecrow tortured me for so long, keeping me barely alive, just so I can be the battery for their "ultimate weapon". Thank you for saving me!" A grip of fear overcomes Lasda, "Wait! What about the leech master?! We must hurry and flee! If he finds us, we're all dead!"

We can continue the rping but WELCOME TO 5TH LEVEL! Now would be a good time to go back to town with Lasda and rest/re-equip/respec/retrain/etc. Or you can head to the NW and fight the blue vesltrac chained fiend or you can go NE and look for the secret lair of the Voidglutton. Or you can go back to town and start searching for the 3 missing relics of the Roseguard (since you have Otari's thieves' tools already) if you want to proceed further down. Let me know what you want to do.

Unfortunately, for Jon, the scarecrow is immune to fear and his attack misses. Pen and Hagrym are up.

Round 1: Scarecrow

Mac's blow knocks some straw off the scarecrow. 14 damage. Mac is Frightened 1 and will continue to be so while within 40' of the scarecrow.

The menacing scarecrow senses the fear in the dwarf, "More souls to torture!" It unleashes a devastating claw attack that nearly rips out Mac's heart and then another gash across his back!

Claw on Mac: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33 -- critical
Damage: 3d6 + 7 ⇒ (5, 4, 2) + 7 = 18 x 2 = 36!
Claw on Mac: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 --- hit
Damage: 3d6 + 7 ⇒ (5, 1, 1) + 7 = 14
Claw on Mac: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 --- miss
50 total damage on Mac!

Party is up!

Forgot: everyone must make DC 18 Will save at start of turn or be frightened, as creature has a fear aura.

Jon, Mac, and Pen discover the secret door in the eastern wall and hear the sounds of moans every few seconds. You move 5' forward and find another secret door. You open the door to reveal:

The walls of this circular chamber are smooth and gray. A flickering, nauseating ribbon of pale blue light churns in the center of the room. Where the light touches the ceiling, the stone bubbles as if it were infected flesh. Below, a thrashing dwarf bound onto a metal table, his body covered in blisters, while a dark figure delights in its torture.

A figure stands over the dwarf, its hand glowing with black energy, causing the dwarf to thrash. As you open the door, the figure turns, revealing itself to be a pumpkin-headed malevolent-looking scarecrow! The figure speaks, "You are not Master Azrinae...", its carved smile seeming getting bigger, as a wave of fear threatens to grip you!

Initiative:
Scarecrow: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Hagrym: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Jon: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Mac: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Pen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Order: Mac, Scarecrow, rest of party.

Best use of last Hero Point ever....lol!

The drow swarm apprentice's bravado falters and turns to a wailing scream, as the raging dwarf unleashes a devastating blow that causes him to discorporate and collapse into a shapeless mass of leeches. The swarm tries to pathetically flee but Jon uses the lesser alchemist's fire in his hand to blow up the swarm and end the threat of Volluk for good. Combat over!

Everyone gets a Hero Point!

Among Volluk's possessions, you find:
Scroll of comprehend language
Scroll of paralyze
Lantern of empty light
200 gp

As you heal and recover for 20 minutes, you hear a male voice's faint moans coming from behind the eastern wall. Do you investigate?

Ok, will address the last posts:
1. Pen, while I appreciate you rolling for me to move the game along, I like to apply my rolls since the enemies are under my control, so Volluk's tendril attack missed you.
2. Hagrym, to express your turn better, you used 2 actions to wipe the leeches off of yourself, which gave you an immediate recovery check was successful, so you avoid the persistent damage.
3. Mac, your attack inflicted 6 damage on Volluk, bringing the total to 78. Persistent damage prior to the recovery check: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (5, 3) + 8 = 16 so Mac is at 40/62 with no more persistent damage in effect.

Round 4: Volluk
Volluk looks around the room. He is hurt and a little scared. The raging dwarf who appeared dead to rights has recovered thanks to his cousin, while everyone else is at or near full health. The former drow apprentice has underestimated the power of the group. He realizes now that his only option is to escape and come back better prepared. "You have won this round, heirs to the Roseguard, but Volluk Azrinae will be back, better and stronger, when you least expect it. I will feed your corpses to Belcorra's pets and I will have my vengeance as well as my Lady's favor! You cannot defeat me, it's why I chose the path of the immortal swarm!" A maniacal laughter spreads across the room.

With his laughter in your ears, the drow swarm apprentice begins casting magic, and for a brief second, you see his physical form begin to fade from reality.....

No one can prevent his escape.....except for Mac and his damn reactionary strike, because the spell has the manipulate trait. Volluk also could not step and cast because he needs his 3rd action, so he is risking it all on the chance that the strike misses. So Mac, let's see what you got....

Pen, forgot about your mirror images last round.
Volluk's Flat check to target you: 1d20 ⇒ 1 --- miss!
You have 1 image remaining. No leeches transferred.
2 1s in a row - wow!

EDIT: I also missed your Occultism roll above. My bad.
With a 26 roll, you discover that Volluk is a variant of the aberration known as a Worm that Walks (leeches instead of worms). You know that this is a voluntary transformation by the caster, usually in an effort to find some form of immortality. He is weak 7 against splash weapons and area effect spells, and resistant 7 to all physical damage.

Very good use of a Hero Point!

Jon's elixir of fire lands, inflicting 18 damage, bringing total to 72. Volluk screams in pain, quite angry at Jon!

Pen, Hagrym, and then Mac to start Round 4.

Hagrym, you have +12 on your Medicine check and Assurance so you automatically heal 2d8+15 without rolling. The only reason to roll the check would be to try and hit DC 30 so you can heal 4d8+15. but to do so, you would have to roll 18 or higher on the die, which means 15% chance. I do not see a reason to risk it unless your ally is at 1 hp and about to die. Otherwise the assured 2d8+15 without rolling is the obvious choice. Therefore, I assume you do not roll and get to keep your Hero Point. You extend, move, and use Battle Medicine on Mac, healing him for 20.
Persistent damage on Mac: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (5, 1) + 8 = 14 so Mac is at 42/62 hps.

Round 3: Volluk

Volluk smiles that he took no damage that round. He laughs at Mac's pathetic swings, convinced his leeches are protecting him. 54 damage. He enjoys that his leeches continue to feast on Mac, but is angered by Hagrym healing the dwarf. "You will pay for your interference!" Volluk lashes out and infests Hagrym with leeches. He then does the same to Pen.

◆Volluk attacks Hagrym with a tendril: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (11) + 18 = 29 --- hit, but not a critical.
◆Volluk attacks Pen with a tendril with 10' reach: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31 - Is that a critical, Pen? It's either a hit or a critical.
◆Step 5' North toward Jon
Flat recovery check: 1d20 ⇒ 2 --- fails, still on fire

Hagrym and Pen are subject to possible persistent damage. Party is up.

Absolutely right, Pen. Thanks! So 12 damage - 5 fire resistance = 7 damage and no persistent damage.
Jon, I did not list it because you have not taken it yet. But if you wanted to metagame, you can see that Mac took 2d8+8 for a normal hit, so your critical is going 2x that damage, so you should definitely try to get rid of the persistent damage before the end of your upcoming turn.

Ah, so Mirror Image is useless against him. That sucks. So, question. Can I cast Ignition on myself and auto crit? That would mean I take double damage from 3d4 and also 1d4 persistent damage, which I imagine means I catch on fire, possibly burning off my leeches? And my resistance can protect me from my own fire somewhat. If I can, I'll do that with 2 actions and recharge spellstrike with my 3rd.

Pen, very creative solution! I like it. Yes, proceed with that without having to roll a Recovery check. You have Fire Resistance 2, correct?

Damage: 3d4 - 2 ⇒ (2, 2, 2) - 2 = 4 x 2 = 8
1d4 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1 persistent fire damage

[dice=Mirror image, 1 is me]1d3

1 image remaining

Penflower replies "You have to find me first, bugface[/ooc]. Penflower continues following the creature, casts a special spell that allows him to attack and use his shield and thinks about what kind of creature that is.

Move after him, Shielding Strike conflux spell, then Recall Knowledge (I'm not sure what)

[dice=Shielding Strike]1d20+12
[dice=Damage]2d8+5

[dice=Recall Knowledge (maybe occultism?)]1d20+9

Pen, Volluk bypassed your Mirror Images with Tremorsense - you had a DC 11 flat check that he would miss but he made the roll. Read my post above about Persistent damage - you can retcon your action and you really really want to do that.

That was a really lucky round for me - 19, 18, and 20!
Here are the rules on Persistent Damage:
You make a flat DC 15 recovery check at end of your turn after taking the damage to end the effect.
If you can explain to me how you get the leeches off your body and use 2 actions on your turn, you can get an immediate DC 15 flat check before you take the damage or, if really creative, I may lower the DC of the check.
If any ally assists you and spends 2 actions, you can get an immediate DC 15 flat check before you take the damage.

Volluk's strategy may be to wait out the Persistent damage and see if he wins the fight that way!

Thank you for correction, Mac. I had forgotten. 38 damage on Volluk.
Pen's attack hits but is not a critical. Volluk resists 7 of the physical damage and takes the full fire damage, but it does not invoke his weakness to splash attacks. Total damage: 18.
Mac's use of Hero Point inflicts 8 more fire damage for a total of 64 damage.
Mac takes 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (6, 7) + 8 = 21 persistent damage at the end of the round from the leeches sucking his blood.

Round 3: Volluk
Volluk heals 7 but will take 2 persistent fire damage at end of round so 59 damage.

Despite the damage, Volluk enjoy Mac's persistent damage. "Suffer dwarf, as my leeches devour you!" He then looks over at Pen, "Scum elf, you dare burn me!" He lashes Pen with a tendril, depositing hundred of leeches all over the elf's body!

Pen, I just realized that Volluk, as a swarm, has tremorsense, which I did not apply last round. Tremorsense is an imprecise sense so you are hidden from him since you are both standing on the ground.
DC 11 Flat check to even hit you: 1d20 ⇒ 19 --- yes
◆Tendril attack on Pen: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36 --- critical
You will take Persistent Damage at the end of your next turn.

Volluk looks around and sees Jon, who just pelted him with a bomb. "You're next!" Volluk unleashes a tendril attack with 10' reach, that also deposits hundreds of leeches onto the gunslinger.

◆Stride 10' north - Mac gets a reactionary strike.
◆Tendril attack on Jon: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33 --- another critical!
Jon will take Persistent Damage at the end of your next turn.

Recovery check vs. Persistent fire: 1d20 ⇒ 9 --- fails!

Party is up!

Volluk has no more images. Thanks Hagrym. Hagrym's vial misses but inflicts an additional 8 damage to Volluk for a total of 43. Mac takes 2 damage - 1 from Jon's splash and 1 from Hagrym's splash. Moved you Hagrym with your 3rd action this round to get everyone within range of Bless.

The electricity damage still hurts Volluk, even with a splash. 8 damage for a total of 35.

Pen is up. Hagrym, need your Round 1 and Round 2 actions. Then Mac to start Round 3.

Total damage on Volluk: 27.

Moving game along as it has been 24+ hours...Hagrym can retcon his post in case it is different from moving + Bless.

Mac's alchemical bomb lands, blowing up and harming Volluk severely. 24 damage for a total of 27 damage.. He is pissed off now!

Round 2: Volluk
Volluk heals 7 but takes 2 persistent fire damage at the end of his turn. Total damage: 22.

You realize that since the the swarm literally has no eyes, Volluk cannot be flanked so he is not off-guard. "You think me a caster only?! That will be your downfall!"

◆Strike at Mac: 1d20 + 18 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 18 - 1 = 29 --- hits, 0 damage, but several hundred leeches swarm onto Mac's body!
◆Strike at Pen: 1d20 + 13 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 13 - 1 = 14 --- misses! Pen loses 1 image.
◆Stride: With its last action, Volluk confidently strides into Mac's square, provoking Reactionary Strike from Mac. After the strike, Mac takes 3d8 ⇒ (7, 7, 6) = 20 piercing damage from the leeches. Reflex DC 23 save for half damage. If save is successful, Mac can move to adjacent square as free action.

Recovery check vs. persistent fire damage: 1d20 ⇒ 5 --- Volluk is still on fire.

Mac will take severe persistent damage from the leeches transferred on the successful strike at the end of his next turn. Volluk is no longer Frightened.

Party is up - 1 image left on Volluk from Mirror Image.

Volluk hesitates as Jon mentions the Roseguard.
Jon's demoralize action is successful - Volluk is Frightened 1.
Jon's 1st attack hits: 1d4 ⇒ 2 --- strikes an image - 2 mirror images left + Volluk.
Jon's 2nd attack misses but does not critically fail - strikes an image - 1 mirror image left + Volluk.
Pen moves up.
Hagrym is up.

Volluk seems to almost growl as the dwarf insults his appearance. The raging dwarf moves up and strikes him, although some of the damage is resisted, as he is, after all, a swarm of leeches. He does not have reactive strike. Total damage: 10.

Round 1: Volluk
The former drow, now swarm, winces at the blow, but Mac sees that his leeches moves over one another, automatically healing him. Total damage: 3.

The apprentice to Belcorra is no fool so he steps away from the dwarf. Realizing that he is outnumbered, he casts magic and 3 more images of him appear. "Good luck hitting me now, fools!"

◆Step
◆◆Casts Mirror Image

Rest of party is up. There are 4 images of Volluk shifting in his space.

I like it....let's do this! You can retcon to come in with buffs that can be cast out of combat, bombs or alchemist's fire already in hand - up to you but will move it along.

With Otari's ghost gone, you head back to the dining room where you fought the four (4) corpselights and Garidan fell down the chute and this time, you head south. You open the passageway to find a another door. Jon checks it for traps and he can hear magic being cast on the other side. Finding no traps, you move into standard position and you open the door to reveal:

The walls of this large chamber are hung with grisly paintings depicting various spectral beings cavorting among ruined neighborhoods, overgrown swamps, and foggy graveyards. Three large overstuffed chairs pair with small end tables, upon which sit empty wine glasses. To the south stands a cluttered writing desk with its own chair, while a large iron tub to the west is visible between standing screens depicting shadowy marshes.

A figure stands at the desk - almost as if waiting for you - he resembles a roughly drow-shaped mass composed of thousands of slithering leeches. Image in Monsters tab. With every movement, you hear a squirming, awful mess of leeches, even as it talks. "You are not servants of my mistress...you are interlopers from the surface level! And you brought a disgusting elf with you! You have it made deep into my lady's retreat, but you will not disrupt my plans!"

Initiative:
Volluk: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
Hagrym: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Jon: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Mac: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Pen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Order: Mac, Volluk, rest of party!

Do not hold back - use Hero Points and whatever else you have. I will do the same.

Waiting to hear from Jon.

Otari's ghost looks at the portrait of Volluk the drow that Hagrym shows him. "Yes, he definitely does not look like that anyway. I feel my spirit is no longer chained to this place. Please defeat Belcorra's minions, use the relics to get past the barrier, and end her threat. You are the Roseguard of today. Do not let the world down. We are counting on you. Thank you for letting me rest." With that, the spirit fades from sight with a smile on his face.

You find the following items on Otari's corpse:
Set of thieves’ tools
Dagger of venom
A sneaky key
+1 studded leather armor

Where to?

Pen recalls only that the Mayor of Otari, descendant of the Menhemes family, has Vol Rajani's longsword, which is a point of contention that Carman Rajani has brought up many times. Pen surmises that the Mayor may also have further information on the brooch, since it is a family heirloom. The thieves' tools are on Otari's corpse. So basically, you would have to inquire on the location of the spellbook.

The ghost is confused about the tubes referenced by Pen as he does not know anything about that.

As for Volluk, Otari states, "He is a cloaked figure, who often walks through this level with a lantern. From what little I know, I believe him to be some sort of spellcaster. However, he is now an amalgam of hundreds/thousands of leeches, sort of like a swarm-being. I tend to steer clear of him. I also know that he hates the Voidglutton, as he sees himself as Belcorra's favorite."

Upon hearing Pen, Mac, and Hagrym speak, Otari's ghost gets very emotional. "That is very sweet of my friends to name a town after me. I guess I did matter for the Roseguard." After a few seconds, the ghost composes himself. "Enough sentimentality. Yes, Belcorra, we have to speak about her. In my time, she harbored a grudge against Absalom and intended to use her sinister lighthouse, Gauntlight, as a weapon against the city. When we learned of this, the Roseguard intervened and came here to attack her. We never discovered the actual use of the lighthouse, other than that it had something to do with the ability to transport creatures across significant distances and could animate the dead with its light." He looks at the party for looks of surprise but instead receives nods of heads. "I guess you already knew this. Well, none of the other Roseguard members knew about the Abomination Vaults beneath Gauntlight. I learned about them only in my last few days alive. In the end, an otyugh's diseased wound was my eventual cause of death in this cavern."

The rest of the information is a summary provided and your back and forth talks wherein you glean the following information.

The ghost pauses for a second as it ponders its life before he continues. "Some property of the Abomination Vaults increases the manifestation of ghosts, spectral undead, and haunts within their domain. I initially believed this was a side effect from Gauntlight but have now come to suspect a link to a much more ancient and ominous source deep below this level. In fact, Belcorra herself is now a ghost, although she can’t move far from the site to which she’s anchored. I can sense her somewhere deep underground and am also aware that the range of her movements is slowly expanding. I believe she plans to reactive the Gauntlight even in death. She must be out to rest before she can finish this task. I believe the clues to her defeat await discovery in the deeper levels of the Vaults."

"I do not know if you have yet encountered it, but there is a barrier to the south in the main hall that blocks further progress into the deeper levels. Since the Roseguard were the adventurers who defeated and killed Belcorra, their psychic resonance can drop the barrier. You must find and place four icons the Roseguard once held dear onto the altar in the main hall to overcome the barrier: my thieves’ tools, which are here with my bones; the brooch belonging to the cleric Aesephna Menhemes (which bears the religious symbol of her god, Erastil), the spellbook belonging to the wizard Zarmavdian, and the trusty longsword of the fighter Vol Rajani. Find these icons, place them on the altar, and progress further down."

"Belcorra's apprentice, Volluk, is on this level in the SW corner. Have you run into him yet? He is some type of sentient swarm, so be careful. He reports to Belcorra's minion, a powerful Voidglutton, who dwells in a secret room in the NW corner. Stay clear of it, it is quite powerful."

Mac's attack kills the last 2 remaining wisps, ending combat! Combat over. You can take time to heal.

Otari's ghost smiles, "You did well in driving off the minions of the Empty Death. I am Otari Ilvashti, a member of the Roseguard. Unfortunately, I do not know how long I have been down here or when I died. I do not remember much of my life. Has much time passed?"

Round 3: Hagrym
◆Step 5' west
Free action: release hold on shield, just hanging by strap
◆Battle Medicine check on Pen: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20 --- success
Hagrym heals Pen for 2d8 + 15 ⇒ (3, 8) + 15 = 26 points of damage.
◆Strikes Wisp
Flat check 11 or better: 1d20 ⇒ 19 --- targets right spot
Warhammer Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 --- hits
Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Total damage on skeletal wisp: 35

Round 3: Skeletal Wisp
The wisp attacks Mac!
Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21 --- misses
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20 --- misses
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 --- hits
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 4) + 4 = 10

Round 3: Otari's ghost
The ghost possesses Mac's shadow again, but misses the invisible wisp.
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Pen, Mac, and Jon can go. Only 1 Flickerwisp left.

Mac kills the green flickerwisp and misses the injured red.
Pen falls to Dying 2.

Round 2: Flickerwisp
The red flickerwisp attacks Max 3x.
Shock: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 --- miss
Shock: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 --- miss
Shock: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15 --- miss

Jon is up and then will bot Hagrym to start Round 3.

Since Hagrym posted he will be out, I will bot him for now.

Round 2: Hagrym
The dwarven cleric lets loose a Divine Lance at the red Flickerwisp.
Spell attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23 --- hits
Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

Round 2: Skeletal Wisp
The wounded wisp extinguishes its light, going invisible, and then attacks Pen, who wounded it last round.
◆Go dark
◆Strike: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26 --- hits
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 2) + 4 = 9
◆Strike: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26 --- hits
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 8) + 4 = 17
Pen drops to the floor unconscious at Dying 1.
The wisp is hidden to all party members. You must succeed at a DC 11 flat check to even target it.

Round 2: Otari's Ghost
He now possesses Mac's ghost to attack the wisp.
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 20 --- success
Attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24 --- misses

Pen and Mac are up in Round 2.

Mac misses both attacks.
Pen's attack lands, inflicting 14 damage. Total on skeletal wisp: 31.

Flickerwisps:
These creatures focus their attacks on Pen.
Red Shock: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 --- miss
Red Shock: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 --- miss
Red Shock: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 --- miss
Green Shock: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31 --- critical
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 x2 = 14 - Pen uses shield block as reaction to reduce it to 9 damage.
Shock: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 --- hit
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Shock: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 --- miss
Total damage to Pen: 19.

The monsters do not have reactive strike so Jon moves away safely. Jon shoots the skeletal wisp, but even with it being off-guard, both of his attacks miss.

Hagrym is up to start Round 2.

Round 1: Skeletal-faced wisp

The wisp moves forward and shocks 1d3 ⇒ 2 Mac.

1st Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 3) + 4 = 9
2nd Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15 --- miss!
3rd Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 --- miss!

Round 1: Otari's Ghost
The ghost disappears from view and possesses Pen's shadow and uses it to strike the wisp. After the strike, Otari's ghost reappears in the same square.

Strike: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32 --- hit
Damage: 3d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 4, 5) + 6 = 17
The wisp is off-guard now for the rest of the party.

You follow the green ribbon of footprints SW into a partially flooded dark cavern where the water is 3 foot deep.

A low rocky isle rises less than a foot above the surrounding water here, its surface covered with a fine layer of pale green mushrooms and mold. A human skeleton dressed in rotten leather armor and clutching a rapier lies in a heap at the center of the isle. A strangely monstrous shape lies dead on the isle near the body.

You slog through the water toward the isle. When you reach the isle and the skeleton, a ghost rises up from the skeleton, appearing as a diseased human dressed in leather armor with a goatee, albeit with a transparent green shade. The ghost's eyes widen as it speaks in an otherworldly voice, "Behind you! Beware the Eyes of Empty Death!"

Thanks to the ghost's warning, you are not surprised when 2 flickerwisps and a wisp with a skeletal face swoop forth to attack!

Initiative:
Flickerwisps: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Otari's Ghost: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19
Skeletal Wisp: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
Hagrym: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Jon: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Mac: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Pen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Initiative: Hagrym, Skeletal-faced wisp, Pen, Otari's ghost, Mac, Flickerwisps, and Jon.

The 2 flickerwisps are color-coded (red and green). The image of Otari's ghost is in the Players tab. Hagrym is up.

Ok, will move things along. Pen can buy the salve if he wishes or not.

3 days later you find yourself again in Jaul Mezmin's camp, right where you left off, this time refreshed and fully healed. You follow the passageway east which leads to door. After the normal check for traps, you open the door with Pen and Mac in the lead, to reveal:

A staircase leads upward from this narrow landing. The south wall, facing the stairs, flickers and glows with ribbons of eerie green luminescence.

In your experience in these caverns, you have associated the green ribbons with the appearance of the supposed ghost of Otari Ilvashit, one of the famed Roseguard. To remind you, on his first appearance, in following his ghost, it led you to a trapped room where you fought a minotaur.

This time, as you open the door, a message manifests in the glowing light on the wall: “Gauntlight is a weapon, built to raze Absalom — it must be brought down!”

After you read the message, the words slide down into a writhing ribbon of footprints that lead back toward Jaul's camp and then make a panicked twisted route SW across the 10' section of water and then south out of sight into a cavern. Do you follow?

The cost of the transfer of the potency rune is 3gp. Carman gives you discount..
Wrin sells the alchemical items in town so everything is available on your list - just subtract the gold.

The party heads back to town and rests for 2 days, while Carman Rajani inserts the striking runes into Jon and Pen's weapons. You show Jaul's head to Keeno Lathenar and give him back Ayla's necklace and he profusely thanks you. He ensures that the party is paid the 50 gp bounty which was outstanding for Jaul and he promises you a 20% discount for all purchases at the Otari market for life.

During the 2 days that you are in town, the election for the city mayor of Otari is held and unfortunately for Carman, he loses again to Menhemes, who holds a celebration. Carman is incensed, but at the least the work that you give him with the runes keeps him distracted.

Add 50 gp to treasure list. The cost of adding the striking runes is 6 gp per weapon. Let me know what other purchases you want to make.

I was going to have the party roll a Society check to recognize the name of Ayla, but Mac beat me to the punch. :) It is in fact Kaleeno's wife and that was Jaul. Mac takes the werewolf's head. When Jaul died, he reverted back to his human face, not the hybrid one.

There are tidbits galore spread through the campaign if you are attentive enough to remember/find them. With regard to the wisps, you have faced the corpselights and the flickerwisps, but none of the others as they are CR 6 and above. There is no need to roll for healing - we can say the party rests for an hour and you are healed up.

Jon's comment about the runes reminded me. The striking runes you just found affect your power level, as they make your weapons do double standard damage, so that could help Jon and Pen and even Hagrym. So if the party wants to go back to town now to get the runes inscribed on your weapons, please let me know. There is no clock on this AP - true, the lighthouse beam might go off in 30 days, but you are on Day 2-3 of that countdown so you have plenty of time. Up to you. You can go back to town, turn in Jaul's head, Pen can heal his drained status, and you can get the weapon upgrades and then come back to this same place where we can pick up again. Or you can be hardcore and continue right now. Let me know.

On the werewolf's corpse, you find:
+1 striking katar (2)
Bejeweled necklace worth 10 gp featuring a porpoise and the engraving, “Ayla, My Beloved”

You can take your time to heal Pen, Jon, and Mac, as no one bothers you in the werewolf's camp. There are stairs leading east, you can cross the water and head SW or S, or backtrack. Up to you.

Ok, wild round!
Mac's reactive strike lands for 12 damage (werewolf grits his teeth): Total 55
Pen's spellstrike lands for 15 damage (werewolf yells in pain as he is burned), while second strike misses: Total: 70
Mac's critical lands for 58! Total: 128! Mac's greatpick penetrates the werewolf's brain! Down goes the werewolf! Without even a chance to speak....Mac's 3rd action can be a move toward the wolf or he can strike the werewolf again to make sure he is dead.
Hagrym steps and strikes, inflicting 11 damage on the wolf. He has a third action to attack again if he wishes, but no need.
Both of Jon's shots miss the wolf.
That was a CR6 werewolf with 24 AC and +17 to hit in hybrid form and he did not last a round...well done!
With his master dead, the wolf poses no challenge and we can handwave the rest of the battle.
Congratz on the battle! I thought you guys were in trouble. Everyone gets a Hero Point!

Both of Pen's attacks miss the agile grizzled man.
Jon's shot misses as well.

Round 2: Wolf
The wolf ◆steps and tries to bite the off-guard Pen but misses twice.
◆Bite: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15 --- misses!
◆Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20 --- misses!

Round 2: Man
Bloodied by Mac's attacks, the grizzled man howls and a transformation comes over him, as hair sprouts all over his body and his jaw elongates into that of a canine, and anyone trained in Nature can identify him for what the man is: a werewolf! He then draws his katar and shows great skill with the weapon and cuts Mac.

◆Transform
◆Interact to draw weapon - provokes Mac's reactive strike
◆Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22 --- hits!
Damage: 2d4 + 7 ⇒ (1, 3) + 7 = 11

Mac get a reactive strike and then Hagrym and rest of party are up in Round 3!

Moved you, Hagrym.

Mac moves through the enemy's threatened square, but the man does not have Reactive Strike so nothing happens. Mac takes advantage of the flank to land two solid blows, drawing blood from the enemy! The man growls in pain, quite pissed! Nice use of Hero Point. Total damage: 43.

Pen and Jon are up, with the wolf chomping at the bit.

Pen takes 26 damage from the lightning bolt.
Jon takes 13 damage. You needed a 34 or critical success save to take no damage.
Hagrym and then party are up.

Jon's second shot strikes the human, angering him. 5 damage.

Round 1: Man and wolf

The wolf, as it has been trained to do, moves to flank Pen, but does not attack, as his master tells him to hold. The creature is growling, however, eager to attack Pen's rear leg.

The grizzled man then steps 5' west away from Mac, smiles, raises his hand, and unleashes a bolt of lightning from his fingers in a straight line, aimed at Pen and Jon! He is no longer frightened.

◆Step
◆◆Cast spell
DC 24 Reflex save or suffer:
Damage: 4d12 ⇒ (3, 1, 11, 11) = 26

Jon and Pen must make Reflex saves. Remember to use your Hero Points, if you have any. After the saves, Hagrym is up to close Round 1 and then the other 3 party members to start Round 2.

The man and his wolf sense fear, a sensation he has not felt in many years. Both are Frightened 1. The man growls in anger and combat is on, as it appears he is raising his hand to point at you.

Initiative:
Grzzled man: 1d20 + 14 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 14 - 1 = 20
Wolf: 1d20 + 11 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 11 - 1 = 27
Hagrym: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Jon: 27
Mac: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Pen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Order: Mac, Wolf will delay till his master goes, Jon, Pen, Grizzled man + wolf, Hagrym.

Mac, Jon, and Pen are up. I am looking forward to this fight.

The man has melee weapons (katars) at his sides, but is currently not wielding any of them.

The man and his wolf seem to not pay any attention to Jon's diplomacy. They instead step 2 steps closer to the party, their howls and barks increasing in volume and intensity. You can try the diplomacy again if you wish or something else. You do get the feeling the pair are not the patient kind.

Hagrym and Mac understand that the barks and howls from the man and his wolf mean only one thing in this context: they are an instinctive warning! You're in our territory, back off and leave or suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, Mac does not recognize the man. What do you do?

You go through, travel 20' and find another door. After checking for traps, you open the door to reveal the following:

This immense cavern is cold and damp. Water drips from condensation above into a large, still lake. Thick patches of moist mushrooms, some nearly four feet tall, grow along the western shore of the lake, while a narrow trickle of water feeds in from a tunnel to the south. A thirty-five-foot-long pavilion made of stone stands in the middle of the lake, elevated ten feet above the water level by more than a dozen stone columns. The entire pavilion is encrusted with damp, pale fungus. Two stone bridges arch from the pavilion—one connecting it to a door set in the northern wall and another to a door to the east. A faintly flickering campfire burns in the middle of the pavilion, its smoke curling to the ceiling. A grizzled, feral-looking human male with a wolf by his side stands by the campfire.

The black-haired man with a wild beard, pasty white skin, dressed in a ragged cloak, notices you as you notice him. Image in Monsters Tab. He is shocked at your appearance in this cavern. He starts to howl and bark wildly. The wolf at his side accompanies his howls with its own.

You can make a Society check to recognize the man. You can make Nature checks to try and interpret the scene. Or just come to whatever conclusions that you want. How do you proceed?

You head east to reveal the following:

The walls of this five-foot-wide hallway shimmer and ripple with faint whorls of pale blue energy. A staircase to the west leads upward, and the one to the east leads down. Both the ascending and descending stairs reach small landings.

No matter which way you head, you realize there is a magic effect in place. If you head up the stairs, you find another hallway and stairs leading up and then another and then another, and the hallways eventually loop back upon itself and you end up at the same place. If you go down the stair, the same effect is in effect.

After traveling the various hallways, you traveled in a square and find a door heading south. You go through, travel 20' and find another door. After checking for traps, you open the door.

Mac's two blows destroy the black wisp. I will handwave the rest of the combat. 2 wisps against the party stand no chance. The party proceeds to destroy the rest of the wisps in this unholy shrine. You can heal back to full hps. Mac continues to feel dread and be Frightened 1 until he leaves this room. 2 doors lead from this room: West (which according to common sense) most likely leads back to the room with the blue velstrac (tough fight) and East. You also can go South or SE through the crumbling archway. How do you proceed?