Cool, I was thinking if one or more people were an apprentice to Marten or Azalia I might let the player of the mentor pick out a few spells ahead scribed into a spell book from the Mentor's spellbook. I'd likely give some extra cash starting off... not a rediculous amount but I can imagine anyone in any of these character orbits having a bit more cash than normal. Not thousands but a little bonus package.
To be clear as well in my mind an apprentice doesn't have to match their mentor's school... though opposition ones are probably out unless there is a story behind it!
@Marten. I can barely remember the details of that other guy other than with him in two games it became apparent he was one of those players you REALLY had to keep an eye on as he'd make some creative liberties with any wiggle room he got. Marten has been around since low enough levels I still think of him as one of the original crew.
Decimus is doing fine, I still trek to his house from time to time and he's in a fortnightly PF2e game I run. They completed Extinction Curse and we're oddly enough into book two of Kingmaker.
@Drazh, a very cool ending as young Master Anviltamer retires... Gods help any giants who try to attack his hold!
@Azalia, it is terrifying that after all this Azalia still has so much greed in her heart. Still you've got to appreciate the hustle.
@Ferocia I was think perhaps our resident shifter would help out one of the fey groups, her old one that is lacking a head now. Or perhaps the one with the niaid (I think) further down the mountain, keeping an eye over the area. Of course popping in to check on her friends.
@All. In my madness after putting up that last post I downloaded Return of the Runelords. I probably wont end up doing anything but there's a niggling idea. If I do I'll poke each of you to offer a seat at the table so to speak. That said I'd like to check that it would be ok for people to use your characters as mentors etc as their are traits for that. I think some uppity Academy attending apprentice to Marten would be very interested to prove their worth. Or a shifter, druid, hunter etc who has found balance with the her of Ferocia. A cunning Rogue who acquires artifacts and magic items to sell in her Mistress's shop. An immovable dwarven magus who combines his mentor's teachings with arcane fury.
Of course I amn't sure if the adventure actually deal with the issue of keeping the legacy characters out of the adventure when the new PCs are the protege (or children) of them!
And I know I technically I have a PF2e game... though that has defaulted into inactive. I generally prefer 2e these days but I think PF1e works a bit better for play by post. It's just a pipe dream. I need to sit down and at least fully read the first book... also I made vague suggestions of running Shattered Star after this previously but honestly I tried running it and I wasn't bowled over by the first book and neither were my players.
Basically time to discuss what your characters are going to get up to now ye have defeated Karzoug, there's still a few small reveals but ye defeated him, I ran his tactics like in the book. Suffice to say if he had zapped Drazh out of the fight with temporal stasis it could have gotten nasty.
In some ways I'm a bit shocked we've actually completed the adventure path (especially with my spotty record the last year). It's really cool to actually get a game come to a close of a full blown adventure path with most of the original characters still present to boot! The side adventure in Korvosa added on time too but it was still fun.
Five years is a long time, admittedly I think we blitzed through the first three books in like six months at some break neck speed. I've started adventures that have fallen by the way side for various reasons. Thanks for sticking with me as we got this done! ...well mostly done. Time for the victory lap and establishing what ye do next.
I have some vague ideas but I am sure ye have notions of your own.
As Karzoug is dealt a mortal blow a blinding flash of light is release. All creatures in the Eye of Avarice must make a DC 25 Fortitude save to avoid being permanently blinded (lets say for a few minutes. -I don't know why someone would put this in a published adventure Yet this blast of soul energy is not completely destructive—the energy immediately heals all damage and cures all debilitating conditions (including death) suffered by any creature in the runewell.
You find yourselves back where the portal that brought you to Karzoug was... now the area seems empty.
Loot
The ioun stones implanted in his body have shattered and are useless
Rod of greater quicken metamagic
Wand of blood money* (33 charges)
Wand of dispel magic (CL 10th, 40 charges)
Wand of magic missile (CL 9th, 24 charges)
Wand of stoneskin (CL 10th, 16 charges)
Karzoug’s burning glaive An intelligent artifact that is thoroughly unhappy with you
[spiler=Talons of Leng]
Aura strong transmutation; CL 15th
Slot gloves; Price 67,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
finely laid gold filigree lines these ornately worked gloves. Once worn, the talons of Leng grant the wearer two natural claw attacks, both with a +3 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage. a hit from one of the talons inflicts 1d4 points of damage. On a critical hit, the talons inflict ×3 damage, and force the victim to make a DC 20 Will save. failing this save renders the target permanently insane (as per the spell insanity), while success leaves the target confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting effect.
The wearer of the talons of Leng is immune to the spells confusion
and insanity, and any ability that produces similar effects. for as long
as he wears the talons, however, his Wisdom is reduced by 2, as alien
voices constantly whisper through his head.
The talons of Leng do not interfere with spellcasting, the use of
handheld items, or wielding other weapons (though a wielder cannot
make an attack with a claw that’s holding another weapon or item). If the wielder attacks only with the talons, they are treated as a primary attack, but if he attacks with a weapon or other natural attack, the claws are treated as secondary attacks and suffer a –5 penalty to their attack roll.[/spoiler]
Belt of strength +6 Dexterity +6
Sihedron Tome:
Minor artifact
Aura strong transmutation; CL 16th
Slot —; Price —; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
A useful lesser artifact said to have been crafted by a dragon in the service of Emperor Xin, the Sihedron tome holds infinite pages for wizards to inscribe spells upon. In addition to potentially holding libraries worth of arcane knowledge, any wizard who prepares spells from the Sihedron Tome may prepare bonus spells as if his Intelligence were 6 points higher. This is not an actual bonus to Intelligence and grants the user no additional benefit.
Robes of Xin-Shalast:
Aura strong abjuration and conjuration; CL 16th
Slot robe; Price 198,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
The robes of Xin’Shalast grant a +6 armor bonus and spell resistance 24.
fashioned for an archmage, the robes are also meant to aid and accentuate their wearer’s spellcasting ability. Thus, the robes cause the wearer to cast all spells at +1 caster level, while two of the robe’s pockets function as handy haversacks. The wearer of these robes is immune to the effects of the occluding field that surrounds the Spires of Xin-Shalast, and can exist comfortably in all high altitudes, including within the death zone.
Ring of protection +5,
Ring of freedom of movement
Runewell amulet:
Minor artifact Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot amulet; This amulet of gold and red crystal grants the wearer a +5 enhancement to his natural armour. Without the runewell the rest of it's abilities no longer function
ruby inscribed with the rune of wrath worth 1,000 gp (focus for sign
of wrath)
Ruby dust worth 1,500 gp
Heeding Marten's warning, Ferocia keeps out of Karzoug's reach, swooping toward him, driving her talons into his back, and continuing on past. His magical defenses leave her with only cloth clutched in her talons however.
"You useless retch!" Marten shouts at the Nalfshanee. "DO SOMETHING!"
With a terrible roar directed in equal parts at the crystal in front of him, the wizard floating above him, and the wizard shouting at him from across the room, the demon looks upwards and snarls something incomprehensible yet arcane sounding. A bolt of lightning streaks down, passes through the Runelord and into the crystal. The crystal is unharmed and while Karzoug avoids the worst of the damage he is definitely hurt.
Reflex:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32
Marten takes his own advice and dismisses the resilient sphere from himself standard action, retrieves a handful of dweomer's essence from his handy haversack move action, and casts a Heightened cold ice strike swift action at the Runelord.
Reflex:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27
Drazh's face went pale as he just *barely* managed to escape the runelord's grasp. Fight or flight kicked in, and the dwarf chose to fight. His hammer moved in a flash, as he attacked again, and again, and again...
Azalia shoots at the crystal again with her Runeforged bow leaving a few cracks in it...
Karzoug collapses... magical energy flares around him slowing his fall and then turns him into mist.
He is in negatives, has fast healing but not enough to get him out of negatives
Ok ye are wearing him down and he didn't get quite high enough to tap Drazh but once he has the two dwarves in time out he can really focus on the squishy spellcasters.
Since Anneka didn't post I just copied her actions from last time as she is a spontaneous caster... no one is going to complain at a little more healing.
As Karzoug flies away from her, Ferocia makes a quick swipe at him with her talons. (Attack of Opportunity)
Since he's moved out of reach again, Ferocia soars after him, rakes at him with her talons, and keeps flying on past.
Seeing that his demon hireling is unlikely to land a blow on Karzoug, Marten redirects it
"Nalfeshnee! Destroy the crystal and our contract will be met! He will not be able to rise again!" With a snarl at the Runelord, the boar-headed demon drops down to the crystal and tries to destroy it.
While the outsider unleashes it's fury it is unable to even scratch the soul lens!!!!
Spying the arcane energy surrounding Karzoug's hand from inside his resilient sphere, Marten calls out, "If he touches you with that spell, you're out of the fight! But if he can't reach anybody, he'll lose the spell if he casts another one!" Not entirely satisfied with his role in this battle so far, Marten snatches another cure serious wounds potion from his handy haversack and drinks it.
"Well fook." Drazh said. It wasn't like he could really flee. So he did what any good dwarf would do...he stood his ground and swung away with his hammer. Because when all you had was a hammer, then every problem (to include an angry runelord) was a nail... only a single blow landed but it was solid.
Azalia shoots at the crystal with her Runeforged bow.
Anneka's hands gesture in a blur as she summons two successive waves of positive energy to mend the burns of herself and her companions.
quickened mass cure critical wounds:4d8 + 16 ⇒ (5, 2, 5, 7) + 16 = 35 mass cure critical wounds:4d8 + 16 ⇒ (5, 7, 3, 5) + 16 = 36
With a look of smug superiority Karzoug reaches out to tip his finger off Drazh...
Touch Attack:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
...his finger comes within a hairs breath... Drazh knows he likely wont be that lucky again. Still it might just be worth it to see the look of rage up close on the Runelord's face
With an snarl, Ferocia dashes forward, giving her body a shake as she sprouts feathers and becomes... a Large feathered owl. She flies through the air, right at Karzoug, urged forward at high speeds thanks to Anneka's magic. She rakes at Karzoug's face her talons missing him by just a hair.
The shockwave of the meteors sends her reeling, but not before her barbed devil erupts from the smoke beside her. It lifts a claw and fires two scorching rays at Karzoug. A shimmering sphere dissipates the magical energies leaving him unharmed.
Anneka's hands gesture in a blur as she summons two successive waves of positive energy to mend the burns of herself and her companions.
"Ottiluke!" Marten shouts as the Karzoug's fiery meteors are summoned above the party. A resilient sphere encircles the wizard, but one of the flaming rocks reaches him before the sphere completely materializes.
Marten takes 5+20 damage. Not bothering with the Reflex save because Marten can't pass it. The bottom of his force sphere is now covered in rubble. What a mess.
However, Anneka's positive energy can't pass through his sphere, so he digs a potion of cure serious wounds from his handy haversack and hastily drinks it. He sputters and nearly chokes as a sudden realization comes to him.
"Drazh! That crystal! It gathers souls! It must be what is powering his restoration!"
The Nalfeshnee's eyes widen at this interesting fact, but they do not stop with their contractually obligated attacks.
Azalia casts Fly on Drazh
Drazh laughed as Azalia’s shadow engulfed him. Now, where he stepped, shadows formed under his feet, allowing him to run in any direction. Charging at the runelord, Drazh raised him hammer and swung it, glad to finally be able to get into hammer range of the villain.
You forgot Bane! Which you needed the bonuses of to hit:2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 4) + 2 = 7
Karzoug looks at the wounds inflicted by Drazh, he floats higher and pulls components from his spell pouch, his hand thrums with arcane energy.
DC23 Spellcraft:
He has cast Temporal Stasis...
"You must succeed on a melee touch attack. You place the subject into a state of suspended animation. For the creature, time ceases to flow, and its condition becomes fixed. The creature does not grow older. Its body functions virtually cease, and no force or effect can harm it. This state persists until the magic is removed (such as by a successful dispel magic spell or a freedom spell)."
@Marten I should have checked this sooner. This item seems to be a unique minor artifact that seems to be gathering and collecting the souls of preprepared individuals (witting or not) to fuel some kind of transmutation @Marten I am going to say using the contingency resilient sphere is going to be an immediate action so between I'd say he can pop it off at some point between instances of damage... so that first meteor at least is still going to hurt.
Anneka stumbles a moment, internally grappling for coherence as the strangeness of this... place settles upon her.
She notes the tortured faces wafting in and out of view within the smoke beyond the boundaries. Are these the faces of Karzough's innumerable victims? Of ours?. The thought, and the surge of adrenaline, renew her resolve.
Karzough, of course, needs no introduction. He is both terribly loathsome, and terribly beautiful. She peers across the space at his lips, struggling to read them across the distance. She gasps in surprise as a voice echoes between her ears, seeming to translate a clear mismatch between the movement of his mouth and the words.
She'll need to be especially vigilant now. The wizards have shown themselves to be duplicitous, and here they meet the wizard king himself. With no hearing to warn of her danger to herself or her companions, her eyes and instincts are more important than ever.
"A pretty bird, trapped in a gilded cage," she says boldly. She thinks of her pigeons and knitting needles. With great satisfaction, she imagines a giant needle impaling Karzough straight through the breast of his fine robes. "This is going to hurt. Quite a lot, I hope."
A spell, then, to sharpen the "needle". A wave of her hand, and a field of static energy charges the air around her friends. Colors become more vibrant, muscles tense in anticipation, and a thrill at one last kill, one final murder, takes hold.
Blessing of fervor
Annika’s hands continue to their path tracing a complex gesture. A soft mist begins to caress the ground at her feet.
"Marvelous," Marten murmurs as he enters this cylindrical realm. He'd like to say more, but Karzoug's monologue clues him into the importance of addressing this threat.
We'll need to spread out, Marten signs to the others in Varisian Sign Language before finishing aloud, "but we should get closer to him first. Join hands."
Marten casts dimension door, bringing the entire party to Karzoug's rear, right next to the glowing pool. "Low stone walls" implies we can just step over them?
I've taken the liberty of moving the party on the map.
"Nalfeshnee! I call in your debt!"
When the boar-headed demon appears, Marten points to the flying Runelord and calmly states, "Kill that one." While it tries it's best the daemon fails to land even a single blow.
When all you have is a hammer, every problem is a nail. Unable to reach the runelord, Drazh swung his runeforged hammer at the crystal. What would it do? He had no idea! But he was going to find out... the crystal cracks just a little.
Using her Runeforged bow, she shoots at Karzoug. One of the arrow finds it's way past Karzougs defences.
Karzoug is definitely a transmutter so the bane will work Bane Damage:2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6
Karzough steps back slightly before summoning four meteors into existence sending them crashing down amongst the group.
Meteor Vs Drazh Touch AC:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29 Bludgeoning Damage for Drazh:2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6 Meteor Vs Azalia Touch AC:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34 Bludgeoning Damage for Azalia:2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8 Meteor Vs Marten Touch AC:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27 Bludgeoning Damage for Marten:2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5 Meteor Vs Annika Touch AC:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25 Bludgeoning Damage for Annika:2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9 Fire Damage from first Meteor. DC31 Reflex save to half everyone:6d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 5, 1, 2, 5) = 21 Fire Damage from second Meteor. DC31 Reflex save to half everyone:6d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 6, 6, 4, 3) = 23 Fire Damage from third Meteor. DC31 Reflex save to half everyone:6d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 2, 1, 2, 5) = 20 Fire Damage from forth Meteor. DC31 Reflex save to half everyone:6d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 6, 6, 4, 4) = 26
Karzough then uses his rod to cast a quickened spell.
Timestop:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
[spoiler=GM Notes: True Seeing, Spell turning, Globe of Invulnerability, Stoneskin, Cloudkill[/spoiler]
Karzoug is suddenly standing in a slightly different pose, his skin seemingly made of stone and he is surrounded by a shimmering sphere. A cloud cloud of yellow fox billows around your group where a heartbeat before the air was clear.
DC26 Fort Save to half this con damage:1d4 ⇒ 1
Karzoug continues to enjoy the sound of his own voice. "Children, your gesticulations hide no secrets from me apprentice. Such feeble knowledge is of little interest. With your deaths I shall return to the Material Plane. I will reach across time to reclaim my Empire. Xin Shalast shall be reborn and your wretched world will cower."
As to whether ye rested ye didn't say ye were but if ye want to have taken a last rest before facing a figure of legend... but it gives him more time to prepare!
As you move towards the back of the ballroom and the curtain is pulled back you see the clattering form of a skeleton holding a hand drill and clothed in a leather work apron. It turns the drill and points it towards Sazen as it says once more "I've seen what ye did!"
Thats fair Merlin, I'll do so. I'm going to try to be a bit more active but... my track record the last few years has been spotty if I'm being generous to myself.
This place—for it does not seem to be a “room” in any normal sense of
the word—is at once vast and finite. A cylindrical space two hundred
feet in diameter yet trailing into the infinite above, the smoky white
walls of this shaft churn and spiral about as if this were the eye of a vast storm. Faces and twisted figures are apparent in that smoke, constantly stretched and mangled by the violence as they are spun in endless circles.
The floor of the place is of stone, but spiraling and curving channels
have been carved into it. Sixteen ghostly flames burn around the place’s
perimeter, while at its center stands a glowing pool of shimmering blue
waters. Low stone walls divide the pool into sections, while at the center, floating five feet above a central platform in the middle of the well of water, is a bluish-purple almond-shaped crystal, a ring of gold carved with runes encircling it and a second ring constricting its middle like a belt. Blue smoke writhes around the crystal, and a red glowing rune winks from the central band.
Karzough floats forty feet above the central platform, his eyes open as you approach and he smiles. Azalia and Marten can see him bristling with magical energy, more than either have ever seen in one place. As he speaks each of your hear the words in your native language though it is clear from the movement of his mouth some magic is at work. "You have my thanks little interlopers. Though I feared for the briefest of moments you might disrupt my plans your efforts have expedited my return."
"With each one of my agents that bore my mark you slew... you sent their soul to bring about my restoration. And you have slain so many. I am so close to achieving my full return. No more intermediaries it will just be me, versus your ruined and fragmented world. No other Runelords to oppose me, no Azlanti, no serpentfolk, no one to oppose me... all that stands between me and the acquisition of the world is you wretches. What pass for heroes in this misbegotten age. But before you die you have my thanks." He sneers at you from above, so confident in his abilities.
Once more apollogies, it's got to be incredibly annoying but we've gotten so much done we have to finish it... I do look back at the rate we chomped through the adventure the first three books. The blame is squarely at my feet but we are getting it done.
Unsurprisingly I wont be trying to do Return of the Runelords anytime soon despite my previous plans. But Karzoug...
Stabbing arrows, bullets being fired and gentle jabs about paranoia are all in good fun...
...until the silence is broken by a raspy voice from the other side. "I've seen what ye did!" Then movement before slightly further away... "I've seen what ye did!"
Morson deftly applies violence to solve the problem before him.
"This would be easier if we could each be on a different side of the thing," Morsun grouses to Niven.
Quisillo smiles as his companions all take up dancing. He sets his own tune to the rhythm of his brother's motions.
"Come on, Niv', put your heart into it!"
He then sends another blunt object flying towards Red.
Niven performs a variation of the hammer dance. Normally this is just adding a bit of percussion, but in this case he's focusing on slamming it down on the bone thing.
Sadly, his dancins was off, but he seemed to be good at slamming the creature... in fact it would dance no longer...
Merlin appreciating the shield between him and the fangs of the snake Raises his shield, begins casting a spell, infusing his longsword, before striking down at the fanged guardian! And strike it down he does!
Red mist emanates from the two skeletal creatures before roiling across the floor to the western side of the room.
At this moment, a ghost manifests in the western chair. The wild-eyed
figure rises up from his seat and raises his left arm, more red smoke bleeding from the stump where his left hand should be. The smoke quickly coalesces into a misty red hand, a pointing finger aimed at Merlin. His voice booms as he proclaims in Common, “You have what should
be mine!” At the word “mine” his voice grows louder and louder, seemingly shaking the foundations of the manor. After this occurrence, his ghost collapses into a puddle of blood red ectoplasm.
DC 20 Perception:
You notice a tiny peep hole in the wall at eye level behind the northwestern blue couch.
There is no significant reaction to Marten's mystical strikes. The haze is brushed aside but the door itself seems sturdy.
Unsurprisingly all of the objects seem magical, an unusual lens object being held by the statue almost seems almost as powerful as an artifact, it radiates an aura of transmutation. He does notice as Drazh draws near there is a certain resonance.
Azalia examines the area but there's no grand riches as she had hoped, at least not any easily tranportable ones. The statues are fixed in place and heavy. The peculiar looking lens will not budge from it's current position but she can see nothing fixing it in place.
Morsun pauses only a moment after Sazen rushes one of the snake creatures.
"Hell of a security set up this old place has got," he mutters to Niven as he fights alongside the gnome.
As the necrophilius begins his dance, Quisillo begins to sing and slowly sway, his own dance move attempting to attract the attention of his allies away from the necrophilius
Focusing on his own moves lets Quisillo ignore some of the necrophilius' unnatural attraction, though he does find himself put off balance by such a surprising artistic diplay.
"Stay with me, these snakes can dance, but what about it? These bastards are still trying to kill Sazen!"
Quisillo's singing and dancing then takes a more aggressive notes, pushing the rest of the group into action.
Deepening the pitch of his singing, Quisillo then turns towards a bookshelf and, with a wave of his hand, sends a heavy tome flying towards Sazen's opponent.
Niven will run up to the unoccupied bonesnake and whack it with the hammer end of his gun.
Merlin seems to have expected the serpentine statues to begin a dance of fangs! The Magus enters into his Arcane Cascade , before striding into melee!
Emri stares at the dancing bone snake...and shivers. "Well, that's unnerving."
She dashes forward and pummels the dancing bone-snake. "That's curtains!"
Then she dashes back again, staying out of the bone snake's reach.
Merlin brings his shield up just in time to stop and assault of vicious fangs.
Bite Vs Merlin:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 Bite Vs Merlin:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 Bite Vs Merlin:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9
On the other side of the room the snake creature stops dancing and strikes... or tries to repeatedly. It's first bite leaves two puncture wounds in Morson's armour but the dwarf's flesh unscathed.
Bite Vs Morson:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18 Bite Vs Morson:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Bite Vs Morson:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
@Sazen so as I understand it you failed the initial check at DC20 from the bite and were paralyzed for the first round. At the end of your round you would have gotten a fresh check at DC19, if you fail that you will still be paralyzed this round and have a DC18 save at the end of it.
Morson
Quisillo
Niven
Merlin
Emri
Sazen
Snake Things AC19 Green -28, Red -26
Emri dashes into the fight, gathers ki in her hands, and pummels the green bone-snake! The sheer blunt force of her attacks seems very effective.
Then she dashes back to stay out of the snake's reach.
Sazen moves forward and brings her morningstar down chunks of bone off the creature.
So it's very clear to ye now these things have weakness to bludgeoning damage
The target Emri moved away from begins to... dance?
Emri Sazen and Quisillo DC18 Will Save:
Dance of Death (enchantment, mental, occult, visual) The necrophidius sways, its serpentine form undulating and clattering in a hypnotic rhythm. Each creature that witnesses the dance must attempt a DC 18 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune for 24 hours.
Success The creature is unnerved by the swaying and becomes flat-footed until the end of the necrophidius's next turn.
Failure The creature is distracted by the swaying, becoming stunned 1. After it recovers, it is flat-footed until the end of the necrophidius's next turn.
Critical Failure As failure, but stunned 3.
Sazen's serpentine foe strikes repeatedly and with disturbing precision.
Bite Vs Sazen:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 Piercing Damage:1d10 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 Bite Vs Sazen:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 Bite Vs Sazen:1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20 Critical Piercing Damage:2d10 + 6 ⇒ (8, 4) + 6 = 18 So it's got poison as part of it's bite attacks... Necrophidic Paralysis (incapacitation, occult, necromancy) A living creature bitten by a necrophidius must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save or become paralyzed. It can attempt a new save at the end of each of its turns, and the DC cumulatively decreases by 1 for each save attempted. A creature that succeeds at this save is temporarily immune to necrophidic paralysis for 24 hours.
Morson
Quisillo
Niven
Merlin
Emri
Sazen
Snake Things AC19 Green -13, Red -15
Morsun checks the door for traps finding none just hearing a faintly musty smell. The landing above doesn't seem to have any tracks but in the area below he notes more disturbance going to the western wing of the house...
B7
In this musty-smelling room, full bookshelves line the western wall and either side of the door in the northern wall. Along with a bed to the south, a footlocker, a small round reading table, and a partially collapsed wooden chair also furnish the chamber.
Before Sazen gets within striking distance the snakes begin to animate.
Sadly they are well aware of you but under their current orders didn't respond until you got within 20ft so you can position yourself at 20ft or further away from them.
Emri
Sazen
Snake Things
Morson
Quisillo
Niven
Merlin
Emri sneaks a little ways up the stairs to see they lead to a large ballroom has a wide, open floor of dust-caked woodwork. A pair of grand brick fireplaces stand to the west and east; low stone benches fitted with rotting cushions flank either side of each fireplace. Several dozen
antlers from deer and elk adorn the walls around and over the fireplaces. To the north, three long risers lead up to a stage with two large chairs placed on it. A flight of stairs leads upward to either side of the chairs, and a ratty tapestry of red and black—the colors of House Thrune— hang behind it.
Emri notices while some of the rooms contents are tattered two black and red oversized snake skeletons look suspiciously well preserved... magic items or perhaps undead guardians? They have not reacted to her peering up the stairs.
If Emri points out the suspicious skeletons to Quisillo:
Under detect magic both of these odd painted skeletal things register as magical. Unless extremely newly created by magic undead would not register
DC 18 Arcane or Craft:
Constructed from bones harvested from serpents and humans, a necrophidius is animated by occult magic, not unlife. Each necrophidius is built from the skeleton of a large snake, but its skull has been replaced by that of a humanoid creature. Some death cults or particularly cruel crafters seek out the skulls of specific individuals against whom they bear grudges to provide the head for their necrophidius. The final step of the construction is the alteration of the teeth and jaws to give the creature a more serpentine visage, complete with fangs.
If a necrophidius's creator dies, the construct follows the last series of commands it was given. If it cannot do so, the necrophidius aimlessly wanders the area near where it last served its creator and attacks any creatures it encounters.
Quisillo ponders the, they are intelligent enough to realize an old manor like this will lure in meals for them and provide a ready excuse for why the people go missing. Likely it felt this was a good hunting ground but might not have been as confident with such a large group as yours.
Peering down the first door to the right reveals a corridor with three doors lining it and a window at it's end.
"I don't understand why it's angry. It should have realized that we would want to mitigate any damage done to us. It should have expected this. I guess it's rather slow."
While his mage's sword continues its attack, Marten lazily rummages around in his pack for the scroll of disintegrate he keeps in there.
"I can understand." Drazh said. "If I was getting walloped in the head like it is, then it would put me in a bad mood, regardless of how justified the beating was."
Azalia continues the attack, not feeling sorry for the frustrated demon.
Bloodied but far from beaten, Ferocia snarls and digs her claws right back into the demon.
By the time Marten has the scroll taken out he has
The contents of the pagoda are mostly symbolic; opening the sarcophagus reveals it to be empty. An examination of the statues themselves reveals
that they once seemed to hold a large object between them, perhaps something that even arched over the sarcophagus.
Sazen moves to a better position on the stairs so she doesn't have to shoot through her friends, then takes another shot at the covetous, carnivorous cabinet. Missing completely.
Disappointed in that crappy shot, she tries one more.
Niven steps up to hammer at it. At feeling the stickiness he tries pulling his weapon away.
Morsun emits a sharp yell in revulsion and pain when the mimic's elongated tongue wraps around him and grabs him. He moves to stab at the appendage, but he finds that his blades are stuck to their target.
Feeling that they are stuck fast, the dwarf releases them and tries to free himself.
His sudden change in tactic allows him to quickly slip out of the encircling appendage.
"This f+&*ing thing stole my blades!" he announces to anyone who cares.
"Ack!" Emri shrieks in surprise as the cabinet's side almost sticks to her. "Ew! Get off me!"
She dashes back, out of the cabinet's reach, pulls out her sling, and loads it. It takes her a while—she can't remember the last time she had to resort to using her old, hand-me-down sling.
Merlin strides into melee with the carnivorous cabinet. He attempts to slice and dice as many pieces of wood as he can! The Magus cast a spell into his longsword before bringing it down!
Casting Telekinetic Projectile
This House needs an enema!
The creature goes limp it's form turning into a misshapen grey blob with eyes and teeth at random points... it's still quite sticky but you are eventually able to retrieve your weapons.
Sazen moves in and takes a shot at the carnivorous cabinet.
Niven will sigh, "The furniture these days has no respect for tradition.""
He will step in and take a shot at the violent furniture. After that, he'll prepare his weapon for melee.
Morsun glares at his teammates, seeing everyone hanging back from toothy cabinet, but knowing he can't do the same. He cautiously advances towards it and he strikes when he's in range.
You are correct on it being flat footed because it hasn't gone
Faced with carnivorous furniture, Emri leaps into action, dashing into the building and launching a series of punches and kicks at the cruel cabinet!
Merlin watches with a bit of a sigh as the carnivorous cabinet begins to mouth off and advance on their position.
Anyone else have Beauty and the Beast ringing in their heads?
The Magus begins to cast a spell on his longsword, while smiling at the carnivorous cabinet!
The Magus then begins a sword kata.
The infernal furniture continues it's assault lashing out at Emri and Morson. "This is my house, I will eat you and then you will be dead and no one will say this is not my house!" Pseudopod Vs Morson:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23 Damage[/dice:2d8 + 4 ⇒ (4, 4) + 4 = 12 Pseudopod Vs Emri:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 Damage[/dice:2d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 2) + 4 = 11 Pseudopod Vs Morson:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Check fo Morson and Emri:
Adhesive The mimic is coated in an adhesive slime. Any creature that hits the mimic, is hit by the mimic, or otherwise touches the mimic must succeed at a DC 23 Reflex save or become grabbed (Escape DC 23). A weapon that hits the mimic is stuck to the mimic and can be removed with a successful DC 23 Athletics check (made as a single action). A mimic can have any number of objects or creatures stuck to it at a time. The mimic can release a stuck creature or object by using a single action, and the adhesive dissolves 1 minute after the mimic dies, releasing all stuck objects and creatures.
Sazen
Niven
Morson
Emri
Merlin
Cabinet AC20 HP-35
Quisillo
"EAT!" The creature roars triumphantly in answer to the question proposal. It's fangs almost seem to grow larger as it prepares to strike. Quisillo seems too caught up in the wonder for a heartbeat while the others are more ready to defend themselves.
"No! NO! NO! I do not need to know your name. Your name is food! If you do not leave I will gobble you up... you look delicious. If you come inside or keep bothering me I will feast on you food!" A rather slimey looking tongue runs along it's sharp teeth, it's eye does have a rather hungry look about it.
Sazen considers the strange furniture... possessed by a outsider... or a ghost or maybe manipulated by fae... it's a bit hard to tell... or maybe a wizard did it?
Morsun doesn't see any other threats.
Merlin doesn't recognize it as a common variety of haunting or spirit but these sorts of locations do attract other entities.
"Demons are immune or resistant to everythiiiinnnnng," Marten whines before casting magic missile.
BiteAOO:1d20 + 20 - 5 ⇒ (13) + 20 - 5 = 28 Damage:2d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 1) + 12 = 16plus 2d4 strength drain
Anneka moves up and casts heal on Ferocia. That should get Ferocia to max
The door is not locked, a little stiff but Morson gets it open... the spiraling whippoorwills all begin falling from the sky at the same time, raining down in sudden, awful silence save for the momentary patter of hundreds of warm corpses hitting the ground.
Motes of dust drift through the air of this large entrance hall. To the north, a pair of wide staircases ascend to a balcony that encircles the room above. An old, musty carpet on the otherwise-bare wood floor partially leads the way to a double door between the stairs. Four other doors provide exits to either side, while the southwestern and southeastern walls have tall cabinets and coat racks set against them. On the upper floor, the railed ten-foot-wide balcony circles this room, leaving the central area open to the second floor’s ceiling twenty feet above.
Between the sounds of the birds falling to the ground you can all hear the ticking of a grandfather clock.
A cabinet’s upper slats opens to reveal a large, rheumy eye the size of a dinner plate. The eye glares angrily at you as you stand in the doorway. A longer drawer near the ground turns into a mouth to rasp out, “My house! You trespass! Begone!”
As the you approach, dozens of whippoorwills perched along the eaves of the run-down manor perk up and begin to cry out in their eerie song.
There are hundreds of the birds in all on the building’s roof and in the surrounding trees, and as you draw closer the whippoorwills take to the air, flying in a spiral in the sky above. The birds continue to fly in this spiral pattern.
With his uhm experience Morson can tell the windows on the ground floor he checks around the front are latched from the inside and look like they've been that way for many years, even if unlatched he suspects they'd require a little brute force to open.
A double door made of dark oak stands in the middle of the
manor’s facade, carved with a series of overlapping circles
with a stylized “X” at their center.
Recall Knowledge for Quisillo:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 He's not that sure about this species of centipede but he suspects slashing attacks will do better than piercing of bludgeoning. Feel free to make the roll, if it's not an appropriate skill I will modify the roll appropriately.
As the centipedes burst out of the tree, Quisillo's playing speed increases.
"Well, Morson, I guess you were right. No need to talk with these."
The music from Quisillo's fiddle then becomes more discordant, and focused just above the groups of centipedes, until at the crescendo of his composition a blast of electric energy strikes both swarms of insects.
Red Reflex Save:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26 Green Reflex Save:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Emri moves up and starts stomping on bugs.
Unarmed Vs Green:1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 1 = 20 Damage:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 Unarmed Vs Green:1d20 + 9 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 9 + 1 - 4 = 21 Damage:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Merlin watches with a bit of a sigh as the centipede swarms begin exiting the rotten tree and advancing on their position.
Well, this looks terrible. I suppose allowing them to continue their trek to us is preferable than doing it for them.
The Magus begins to cast a spell on his longsword, while smiling at the swarms.
The Magus then begins a sword kata.
Morsun gives a nod of satisfaction at being told he's right, but then he realizes that a crossbow isn't likely to do much. He fires it anyway, since it's already loaded.
He looks worryingly at Sazen as she lets the swarm approach her, but he doesn't know what he can do about her situation. He focuses instead on those around him.
She casts Gale Blast as she approaches the swarm, finishing as she steps in to make sure they get the full effect.
Red Fort:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Green Save:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
While the centipedes are blow back and some die the rest rush back towards Sazen and Emri.
Each is spending two actions to attack so Sazen and Emri both have to make two saves.
Bites Each enemy in the swarm’s space takes 1d8 piercing damage (DC 20 basic Reflex save) plus centipede swarm venom.
Centipede Swarm Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 20 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d6 poison damage and flat-footed (1 round); Stage 2 1d8 poison damage, clumsy 1, and flat-footed (1 round)Swarming
Niven
Quisillo
Emri
Merlin
Morson
Sazen
Centipedes AC18 Red -8, Green -13
Bulvi watches Maka's creation from over her shoulder and gets an uneasy. look on his face. "Deception isn't your strongest point I'm not sure if that will pass scrutiny but without an example it'll probably have all sorts of issues we can't anticipate anyway." He looks at his fellow aliens and sighs. "This is going to be a tough sell one way or the other."
He pulls the fearsome hood of the wolf of the yeti up over his head. If they were going to look exotic and strange he was going to lean into it.
It certainly doesn't seem like any of the trees Quisillo knows of that are more mobile like assassin vines... he considers what else could be the source of the movement. Perhaps a magical creature, a druid or some other kind of external force.
As Sazen talks the bark undulates a bit more quickly until there is a soft snap as the bark gives way and a centipede wriggles out... the gap gets wider and more appear as centipedes swarm out of the fallen tree.
A2-New map up top
The overgrown path leading from the front gate splits into a crossroads. To the north, the path leads to the manor’s front door, while to the east, it curls around the manor’s side. To the west, the path leads toward a collapsed building and an algae-choked pond before winding around the manor as well. The rotting trunk of a fallen oak tree lies across the crossroads, almost as if forming a barrier to those who would approach the manor—or perhaps to keep something within from traveling out.
DC 15 Perception:
The soggy bark seems to flex and throb slightly in places, akin to a pulse.
@Quisillo I will try to specify when it's recall knowledge like it was that time since it's relevant.
Swaths of moist green moss grow on the stone pillars that flank this rusty wrought iron gate. Tangles of blackberry vines weave through the gate’s bars. A rusty metal coat of arms comprised of a series of overlapping circles, rings, and stars adorns the front of the gate.
The front gate isn’t locked, but the thick growth of vines helps hold it closed. A PC can Force it Open with a successful DC 13 Athletics check; alternatively, the vines can be hacked through with a few rounds of work.
DC 20 Society or DC 16 Heraldry Lore to Recall Knowledge:
Ioseff Xarwin designed the coat of arms on the gate in 4641AR as his official Paracount seal and new family crest.
DC 18 Astronomy Lore or DC 20 Nature Lore check to Recall Knowledg:
You recognize that the coat of arms is a stylized geocentric map of Golarion’s solar system.
The ravens seem a little agitated, perhaps a scarcity of food in the area is leading to them being a little more competitive.
The overgrown road comes to an end at a pair of rusty wrought-iron gates flanked by two stone pillars. Beyond, the woodlands recede before a large clearing of tall, dry grass, at the center of which looms Xarwin Manor. The building’s roofline rises in the middle to a third level surrounded by a walkway, while the closed dome of what appears to be an observatory rises above. Slate shingles cover the steeply-slanted roofs below this central dome with more rusty ironwork adorning its eaves. The paint along the manor’s wooden walls has mostly peeled away, leaving behind a weathered building clad in creeping vines that looks like forgotten by the world. Even at a distance, the building’s facade seems unusually moist, as if it had just weathered torrential downpour despite the dryness of the surrounding grounds.
DC 15 Perception:
You notes the presence of what seem to be hundreds of whippoorwills perched quietly on the manor’s roof.
DC 15 Nature
Spoiler:
This behavior as unusual
DC 25 Religion check
Spoiler:
You know that whippoorwills are associated with psychopomps, death, and the faith of Pharasma, and that their presence in such numbers suggests unquiet spirits might linger within the manor
The raven descended to eat the morsels of food thrown... it cawed angrily as another raven descended to steal it's new treasure...
Merlin:
Ioseff Xarwin betrayed his family to earn the favour of house Thrune during their ascendency. For this he earns the title of Paracount and shortly after weds Asethanna Arvanxi in 4641.
In 4642 Construction of Xarwin Manor is completed; Ioseff and Asethanna move in. Marney and Mira Xarwin are born.
In 4657 the family dies... within a year Crooked Cove is abandoned amidst claims of ghosts and visions.
Sadly I don't think play by posts are the best way to learn it. I'm nearing the end (about 45% of the way through book six) of Extinction Curse using discord and foundry VTT.
For one of my players PF2e has become his favoured D&D style system. Most of the rest aren't as hard leaning into it but have a strong liking for the flexibility of character options and more recently we are all really impressed with how well it's holding up with high level play. Tonight will be the first session of them at level 20 and none of use have ever played or run an adventure that has gone from level one to twenty before.
A group of friends, two brothers and an aspiring Hell Knight have all been hired by a merchant in Kintargo. Whether it be the lure of gold or calling in a favour you have agreed to travel to the town of Crooked Cove to investigate a manor.
The merchant Rufus Kargos has been contacted by the new government and apparently is the heir of the defunct House Xarwin and legal owner of Xarwin Manor located in the illomened ghost town of Crooked Cove by the sea. Keen to either sell on or perhaps even take residence he is concerned by the tales of the area being cursed so has invested in a band of adventurers investigate the site and deal with any threats. Any contents of the building are for you to divide up as you will on completion of the task before you.
As you make your way through Crooked Cove the buildings are in a state of disrepair, overgrown in many areas. A raven watches your group as you walk down the winding road your map assures leads the the manor you see looming in the distance.
I'm going to set ye up on the final leg of your journey so ye can RP a bit and introduce your characters before ye reach the manner and the horror- I mean investigation begins.
As for myself, I have been playing PF2 for about half a year, mostly society games on the discord servers.
For our GM: how would you like to handle starting equipment for the newcomers? I'm not sure what the norm is when starting at level 3, and so far haven't really looked into Quisillo's equipment besides basic armor.
The core rulebook page 510 has some rules. I'm just going to go with the gold lump sum of 75gp, it seems appropriate that Niven can easily have a suit of full plate at level three with a few other bits. Ye probably can't afford anything too extravagant but should be decently equipped with mundane items.
Alright so three reinforcements on the way we are getting a Quisillo gnomish bard, Niven a half gnome fighter with technical gadgets and Merlin a magus hellknight arminger so lots of people for Emri and Morson to flank with but a little extra magic thrown into the mix.
