Aurum Geld's page

Profession(Merchant): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Sorry! I moved to a new office and my schedule shifted, so I haven't been around like I had in the past.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Aurum nods as he stares into the distance. "Best to keep things hidden, Kivuli. Be ready to guide ourselves well, Zobmaggle. Does anyone know how much farther we are to travel?"

Aurum works his way around the leech, and swings with his mace.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Back against the wall, Aurum drops his spear, draws his mace, and swings.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 4

AoO: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Aurum pulls out his longspear and stabs at the beast!

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Aurum awakens with a start, the infernal magic bringing him back to consciousness. He looks at his own body in horror, reflexively scrubbing away at nothingness. He looks over his red-stained white garments in despair.

"Egad, my ablutions will be exceptionally detailed tonight! Oh, will this stain ever come out? I... Yes. Yes, it will. Thank you, kind sirs, for bringing me back from the brink. Let it be known that I promise to protect you to my utmost as we complete this mission."

[spoiler=GM]A bit of roleplay, but yes, I just activated my Legalistic Curse, should I fail to protect the other PCs.[/ooc]

Aurum pulls out his longspear at stabs at the creature.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 (flanking with Modekai)
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Aurum asks his companions, "What are they looking for?"

A moment later, he runs multiple possible scenarios through his mind, trying to understand the cost-benefit tradeoff of each possibility.

Casting guidance on myself a couple times.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Profession(Merchant): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Give me a minute, and I can have a +9 on my Knowledge(Nature) checks, so I'd be happy to go herb-hunting.

Toward the back, Aurum mutters, "And so we see the losses that come to roost when one is unwilling to commit to good commerce."

Calculating a moment and looking around the shrine, he asks, "Now then, Sky Spirits, what precisely are these?"

Appropriate Knowledge(Arcana, Nature, Religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Aurum stays ducked down in his position and retrieves and loads his crossbow.

Aurum dives behind the mast for cover and offers, "We all are well aware that our cause is more just."

Casting bless.

Right, we're putting the bunny in charge.

Sorry, Profession(Merchant) here.

Sipping a special preparation of tea he requested in Goka, Aurum replies to Folium, "Don't let the stereotypes fool you. Some monks are positively lascivious."

Aurum calmly replies, "We have no evidence that the Clouded Path monastery has a master. However, we are aware of a student who left with Li Yao, and appeared to be groomed for further training. It would imply that this student, Ying Pei, has the potential for becoming the next master. I would consider Ying Pei to be someone worth tracking down, as well as Je Tsuin."

Aurum nods. "My point exactly. Why would the person to activate the Braid be the descendant, and not the successor?"

Aurum wonders aloud, "Descendant of the master, or successor to the master?"

The chronicle looks fine, I'll update my sheet and we'll continue!

Sold: Light Mace

Bought: Silver Light Mace and Wayfinder

"But what defines a master? Do you pass the braid around to each monk until one activates it, and he becomes master? If not, how is the master chosen?"

"It would appear, however, that you are the only follower of Irori at this monastery. As a result, you are the master of this monastery."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

"I'd rather not try to make it off the mountain in the dark and cold of night. Now, if there's another way, like a tunnel underneath the monastery that isn't overrun with yeti, I'd be willing to try."

Aurum responds, "When you learn the Master of Masters' wisdom, you become a vessel for his voice."

He waves a gloved hand dismissively. "Yet as much as your words hold truth, Student Jiang Dan, we are not here on the basis of a secret, but an artifact. And yet..." He looks toward the door for a moment.

"We will also need to find a place to rest for the night and recuperate. Or is it even that? A method to bring us down from the mountain and return to Goku, along with the Braid?"

Aurum laughs and sits in the corner. "A bit of thought in this thin air has made me realize that I do not truly know what I am seeking. I shall meditate on this. Clear my mind of impurity, only allow my situation to be understood."

Wearily, he closes his eyes and concentrates on his breathing.

Aurum nods. "Irori knows what he's talking about. Are we seeking a secret, though, or the Braid of a Hundred Masters?"

Aurum gives the vaguest hint of a smile and nods toward Kivuli. "Thank you for being so thoughtful."

Looking around, he replies, "At this point, we will have to...augh, by the prophet..." He clutches his side for a moment as the infernal magic does its work. He quickly removes the makeshift bandage he had placed earlier on his wound, pulls out a new swath of linen, and wraps himself again. "I'll have to burn these clothes afterward..." he mutters to himself.

He coaches himself to breathe normally a few seconds later. "As I was saying, we will have to continue deeper into the shrine. At the very least, find somewhere with some shelter from these winds."

Aurum steps up after checking his wounds. "I'm out of curative magic for the day," he observes. "What other options would we have for our companions?"

And the step up triggers an AoO with my longspear!

Attack: 1d20 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 + 1 = 11
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 13 Missed

Aversion chance: 1d100 ⇒ 68

Aurum staggers back and withdraws to stand with Kivuli.

Last Round Aversion: 1d100 ⇒ 75

Vision averted.

Aurum draws his longspear and advances on the beast to attack.

Attack: 1d20 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 + 1 = 14 Fatigue for -1, +1 for higher ground
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 1 Misses

Present Round Aversion: 1d100 ⇒ 98 Averted

Attack: 1d20 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 + 1 = 18
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 37
Damage: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

And move to step back.

Some adventure writers love to cram as much difficulty into a given CR and somehow assume it's reasonable. The writer's version of a killer GM. Also, somehow I appear missing from the initiative order.

Aurum summons the courage to just look at the beast and be prepared to meet it.

Fort: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 1 = 4

Yet it overwhelms him.

Sweet, thank you! Everyone, remember that bless gives you +1 to the gaze attack save, because it is a fear effect!

Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

And I'm paralyzed.

Aurum takes a careful look around.

Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

He nods. "Good, this place is Iroran. Good man, Irori. Knew the importance in being in control of your desires."

Noticing Folium acting oddly, Aurum calls out, "Keep sharp!"

Casting bless as usual.

Year end will do that. I've been wrangling with auditors all last week.

Aurum stands with Modekai and watches Kivuli.

Aurum clears his throat. "'Success occurs in measures. Tend to one's belongings first, lest one lose them reaching for more.' It would be more prudent to rest before continuing. The only concern I may have would be making sure we are not at the mercy of the weather up here."

Aurum steps away, drawing his spear. "We still have plans against such beasts, and we will be victorious."

Now the bless is cast. Note that the +1 also applies to saves against the gaze attack, as it is a fear effect.

It wasn't a bless this time.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Aurum steels himself against the gaze of the beast. "Don't be afraid, let him face his own emotions! Watch how you look at him, don't let fear get to you."

He ardently walks up the stairs to point at the yeti, mouth agape. A low, guttural wail emerges from his throat. He then turns away from him, scowling.

Cast cause fear on the yeti. Will DC 15.

Aurum sits on the steps to rest himself after the arduous climb. "Such sadness to see a sanctuary dedicated to self-realization lie in such a state. So this is the resting place of the Braid of a Hundred Masters? One would hope for a more... well-maintained home."

He eases himself up again, walking over to the bell. "Now this is a reminder of the folly of wealth kept far away. Look at this bell. That's solid copper. As a potent symbol or as a resource to be smelted down, it's immensely valuable. Resting on the ground atop a remote peak ensconced in a ruin, it's useless."

Take 20 in Perception around the bell.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Survival/Heal untrained: 1d20 ⇒ 17

"It's the altitude," Aurum explains between gasps. "Regardless, we will need to press on to reach the summit. I... am not ready for this air."

Knowledge(Religion) of the Ages: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

So that's what they were!

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Knowledge(Nature) of the Ages: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

"Careful," Aurum calls. "The spring thaw is going to make the edges unstable. Try to latch onto a rock if you can, instead of the ice. I sense it giving way."

Not in any place to contribute to the fight around the corner, Aurum holds position, ready to attack anyone who appears from the rear.

Aurum braces.

Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

"This must be some thing of the eastern lands I've never encountered before!"

Drawing his spear, he adds, "No matter, an unexpected event can be overcome by application of the same strategies, by simple reason that you are involved in each!"

Cast bless.

Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Knowledge(Religion) of the Ages: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Aurum nods knowingly. "I read about these. Or, will read once this trip is concluded."

Aurum fires one more time.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Aurum groans and tries shooting again.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Aurum loads his crossbow and fires it at the cave fisher.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14