Boons? 19-20 wins
Two winners! Andrelis + Mika PM me your email so I can report and they can email your prize.
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Here's Chronicle Sheets. Lemme know if anything looks wrong.
I'll handle boon rolls and reporting later. There's some confusion on the event thread about what wins a boon, so I'll roll for everyone once I see what they say. I'll PM anyone who wins for an email addy.
You leave the temple and meet back up with the Baron and Count. The rest of the hunting expedition on the return trip is without further incident. Both nobles have been impressed with the pathfinders' performance on the job, especially given the unexpected danger presented by the monster that wasn't a tiger. The Baron is happy to have avenged his friends who died at the leucrotta's hands. After a bit more conversation with Andrelis, Baron Rudyahm agrees to join the Sovereign Court, who are pleased to have a new member in a land where they have less existing influence. After parting ways with the nobles and the lands of Jalmeray, you eventually make it back to home base in Absolom. Your Venture Captain Ambrus Valsin is excited to inspect the items that you found in the lost temple, he is especially thrilled for the journal from the inner shrine recounting Khiben-Sald’s travels. He immediately refers the log to the Society’s Vudran historians for analysis, hoping to glean information about other lost sites the Maharaja may have built or visited during his travels. Some time later you receive a very nice note from Count Matsanda, expressing his gratitude for helping him bond positively with his father-in-law. For some of you, the Count's note is attached to a much larger package. Ivan receives a stuffed and mounted golden jackal. Andrelis is gifted with a stuffed and mounted crocodile. Jheda is now the proud owner of a stuffed and mounted Bison. For those that hunted game along the trails, the Count has shipped you your prize. Hopefully you have somewhere big enough to keep it.
Jheda's blades manage to do a little damage to the outsider, and the stirge weakens it more. Then Ivan's fire blast knocks it out. Its wounds are already beginning to regenerate when Colin brings the Paladin back to consciousness. Mika's blade cuts deep into the fiends, finishing it with holy power that it cannot recover from. The monster is finally dead. After catching your breath you are able to sense a difference in this place, as a dark shroud has been lifted from it. Monkeys like the ones that rudely interrupted your fight can be seen flitting around the outside, sneaking a peek at the inside of the temple before taking off again. You are able to enter the inner shrine. A large statue of a monkey-faced man sits on a pedestal at the north end of this small shrine. The statue’s arms and legs are missing, and deep scratches have been gouged into its face. Pieces of broken stone, rotting plant matter, and other assorted rubbish lie in heaps on the floor of this room. The smell of rot is particularly strong here.
Here you find a few remaining artifacts, like a monkey belt, several Vudran holy texts, and a handwritten journal belonging to a priest who accompanied Khiben-Sald on his travels around the Inner Sea. This loot, along with the loot you recovered from the other looters, is what you came here for. In the hands of one of the statues back near the entrance lie two masterwork kukris, presented before you as if in thanks by the monkeys who stole them. Anything else you wish to do in the temple before heading back to town? I'll move along after everyone has had a chance to post their reactions.
One of Andrelis' attacks lands, but does no damage. Colin's cat hits twice for reduced damage, and manages to grab the outsider into a grapple. Ivan's bomb torches it for full damage. Jheda delays. You would call the outsiders bloodied, though at the start of their turn they do regenerate to patch up a bit. Ivan's fire damage may have been effective, but it was not what stops regeneration. The outsiders attack their grappling cat.
The summoned tiger cub is pretty beat up by the outsider's claws. ROUND 4
Everyone is up.
Only Andrelis nearly lands a hit, but the outsider even manages to dodge that one.
Things are getting rough. A few tips from what you have been able to observe.
ROUND 3
Everyone is up
Yes, Andrelis can take a second AoO when the outsider moves a second square.
- hard fail to avoid the AoOs The paladin falls, and the outsider makes his special 10 foot move to move to the druid. (provoking AoO from Andrelis, Jheda, and cats). Once there they attacks Colin with their second claw. With so may AoO's possible and some having grabs, I'll wait until some or most of them resolve. The following can make an attack of opportunity:
Both of Andrelis's attacks miss the outsider. Jheda delays. The outsider's wounds seem to patch up slightly, like form a regenerative ability. The enemy attacks with two claws, again only interested in the holy warrior for the moment.
Another claw attack threatens to bring the paladin down again. Mika do you have another option to keep you up before it makes another attack?
I'll be busy this weekend, so probably won't have updates. Go ahead and take turns if you are up, and feel free to chat about strategy while the GM is away :p
Winifred's attacks miss but she does destroy that last image.
ROUND 2
Jheda Andrelis are up
ROUND 2
Colin, Jheda, Andrelis are up.
Andrelis's first attack lands on the true outsider, but does no damage as its DR is not bypassed by the cold iron. His second attack misses that same target, but instead pierces another mirror image, leaving the outsider with 3 remaining. The outsider, dazzled and left with only its claws to attack, focuses its growing rage on the holy warrior Rika.
After the kitsune falls, the outsider moves past her fallen form. This is a special 10 foot move it can take even in a full attack, and provokes attacks of opportunity like normal movement. ROUND 2
Everyone is up.
Mika's smiting attack misses, but cuts through one of the mirror images. Then a sudden cacophony of hooting, howling, and screeching erupts from every direction. The outsider looks as surprised as you, and hate fills their eyes all the more at the sound. Dozens of tiny monkeys charge into the chamber from every direction, making a straight line for the outsider. The fiends swat in vain as the monkeys leap onto its faces, distracting it, while more of the miniature primates grab at the fiends' shiny kukri's. After a brief struggle the monkeys manage to disarm the outsider, and quickly flee the scene with your opponents' weapons. As the noise fades and eerie silence falls, you swear you may have seen these same exact monkeys before on this journey. ROUND 1
Andrelis is up, note that the enemy is immune to flanking.
They are definitely under the effects of a mirror image spell.
In all ways it seems like Ivan is interacting with a single creature mechanically. It's like a 2-in-1 monster with mirror image further complicating it. Mika, Colin, Jheda
You round the bend to see into the back portion of the temple. A 20-foot-tall, high-relief sculpture of a mountain dominates the north (left) end of this large chamber. A statue of a figure now missing its head sits in the lotus position at the mountain’s peak, while smaller statues of monkey-faced pilgrims rest on ledges farther down the mountain. Shattered pieces of yet more monkey statues litter the floor.
Perception:
A horde of creatures spins out from behind the walled off shrine. They appear like some sort of evil outsider. Most of them are clearly illusory duplicates, but it appears there are truly two of them, moving and attacking together as one conjoined creature. You can make a knowledge check if you want to know more about them, and say if you'd want to learn offensive or defensive abilities. A spellcraft check could also reveal information. They get the jump on you, and a single blade attack comes at the paladin.
Initiative:
+6 w/ Heighten Awareness The outsiders also get to act first on round 1. They make a full attack against the paladin, as if they can't take their eyes off the one with a holy presence.
Three more blows land on the object of the fiends' spite, including a critical hit. It leaves the paladin in a bad spot but still standing. ROUND 1
Everyone but Andrelis is up! Close-up of the paired outsider in handouts. To the best of your knowledge treat them as a single creature.
The bindi would give the power of a Guardian Naga. Do people want to move into the next room? Just looking for rule of 2.
It does not seem like a simple task to remove the rubble. Andrelis and Colin lead the way out to the balcony. A narrow path extends between the exterior wall of the temple and the thick web of vines and tree branches that cover the temple’s walls. At either end of the path, small open-air balconies lead back into the temple. Colin finds another bag similar to the ones carried by the defeated party of looters. It would appear they dropped it here. It contains a dozen gold rings worth 10 gp each and a naga scale bindi. You have an apparent entrance back to the temple on the other side of the rubble heap.
You pass through the first room, with no sign of traps - triggered or not - and no sign of an enemy chasing that other party. In this next area a mosaic of a monkey-faced figure decorates the floor, though the tiles that would form its eyes are missing. The north end of the room is filled with rubble blocking an arched passageway. To the west (bottom), vines and foliage intrude into the temple through an open-air balcony, while a similar balcony to the east (top) remains relatively clear of plant life. The rubble nearly reaches the ceiling. Tiny creatures could fit through the gap, small creatures would be able to squeeze with a good Escape Artist check.
Mika's blade drops the last one. With the other party of temple looters defeated, you are all free to heal up and/or head inside. Searching their bags, you find a coral holy symbol of Ragdya the monkey god worth 70 gp, six jeweled tiles worth 5 gp each, and an alluring golden apple.
The cats make quick wok of the caster in the back. Winifred's attacks miss. Mika is up.
Andrelis and Jheda both miss the looter. As Ivan throws his strafe bomb, the looter takes his attack of opportunity.
But Ivan doesn't.
The caster retries her touch, this time against Andrelis.
The second looter attacks Andrelis as well.
ROUND 2
The fox-like paladin hits her attacker and the cat-like cat hits theirs four times. The top temple looter that doesn't happen to be part of the pathfinder society attacks Andrelis for landing the biggest hit against him.
Nothing ever appeared that Ivan could see pursuing this smaller party. ROUND 2
Two blows land on the front looter. He seems pretty roughed up by it. The looter in the back moves up 10 feet (now bottom), tumbling through Ivan't maybe threatened space as he does so. He attacks the paladin who has not yet acted for his own sneak attack attempt.
The woman in the back is apparently a spellcaster. She steps up 5 feet and as she casts a spell her arms elongate - enough that she can deliver her touch to Ivan.
ROUND 1
Initiative:
+6 w/ Heighten Awareness The two parties of temple looters square off for a fight. ROUND 1
Andrelis can see a bit more into the next chamber, and with a good look does not see or hear what they might be fleeing from. The trio is unconvinced to stop by Jheda's inspection demand. "We got here first, what's ours is ours, but there's more if you lot can deal with the fiends within!" They keep pushing, ready for a fight if everyone doesn't allow them to pass. They will not be stopping, and with some of you moving aside will push through. It seems they have looted some of the temple ahead of you. Most of you have stated you will allow them to pass. I just need further action from two of you to basically either let them go or else i will roll initiative.
Sure, the woman speaking does not detect as evil.
Was there something faction-specific I had to do with the Baron, I didn't see anything other than 'make nice'
"Vill you take a trophy Baron?" The Baron grimaces in thought. "I had thought to make the beast a centerpiece to my collection, but this monster is a completely different sort of creature. It would feel wrong to mount a thing that can speak, no matter what evil it may have done. Leave it for the creatures that do belong here." Baron Rudyahm expects to meet up here again for the return trip unless you are particularly delayed. But he expresses his thanks (as does the Count) and Rudyahm mentions his positive impression of the Pathfinder society and openness to talk to representatives of the Lords' Alliance upon his return.
Columns line the walls of this small room, each decorated with a high-relief carving of a monkey in a different pose. Some of the monkey sculptures sit serenely in meditation or reach out with their hands as if to deliver blessings to the viewer, while others adopt more naturalistic poses. The floor is littered with decaying plant matter and mud, and the stench of rotting muck pervades the area. An open archway leads south out into the jungle, while a second leads north deeper into the temple. ------------------------------------------ As you approach the temple and begin to ascend the stairs, you see a group of humans running your way from within the temple. Several of them carry sacks, partly full of who-knows-what. Seeing you blocking their path to leave the temple the woman at the lead shouts "Out of the way! Move aside and let us pass!" She and the others already had weapons drawn when first you see them, and they hold them at the ready as they keep running toward you. DC 15 Sense Motive:
They are looking behind themselves more than ahead toward you as they approach, and you detect fear in the voice of speaker. We are on a new map. You have little time to react - whether to say something to them (and make a skill check if appropriate), or move aside as demanded, or stand firm in case combat breaks out.
The pair of tigers rip the enemy apart. After the fight, the Baron inspects the corpse. "This is the creature that attacked me all right. This scar on its flank - that's its old wound to match my leg. This jungle is a safer place for our deed today." The Baron thanks you for defeating the foe that was more than everyone had signed up for. You head to the lodge, and rest there while recounting the events to the Count. The next morning you can set out for the swamp in the Urapangi Lowlands to locate this temple. Searching will be difficult in the swamp - requiring a daily Survival check. Since you have made such a favorable impression on the Baron, he offers to halp you find it, though his first preference would be to rest up at the lodge before making the return trip. He has a +9 which you can ask for. Also, feel free to react at the end of the hunt or when meeting up with Count Matsanda again.
The Leucrotta curses at Ivan in perfect mimicry of his own voice as it sticks to the ground by means of Ivan's tangley bag. Mika is easily able to cut deep into the monstrous creature. ROUND 2
@Colin - Thanks! Colin casts fly on the Mika the paladin, who has prepared herself to take off and heal the Baron with her channeled energy. Andrelis gets into a flanking position and lands an advantageous hit! The Baron recovers to better fighting shape. "My thanks, miss. Now let's give this monster what for! This may be no tiger, but yet it is the creature that killed my fellows!" The Baron steps back and takes a shot with his musket.
Rudyahm manages to land a shot on the Leucrotta. It's another grazing wound on its opposite haunch to match the one it received 5 years ago. The Leucrotta seems hellbent on the Baron, and steps closer to follow the hunter as it unleashes its attacks on him again.
Only the creature's bite lands. The Baron is once again bloodied but still standing. ROUND 2
Mika, Ivan, Jheda are up!
@Colin I'm looking for confirmation whether Colin is casting Fly on Mika as offered or casting the summon spell instead.
it's on the ground, so it's at the level for everyone once they climb or jump down
The party gets moving to try and rush to the Baron's aid. ROUND 1
Yes, Ivan's Darkvision would still be up. With 60 foot range from where he is doesn't see anything else of note. The monster is barely in the range of your darkvision, but also in dim light.
Long post is up to start this combat. The most important bits:
Go ahead and read but spoils the gameplay post if you haven't read that:
It's now dark out, dimly lit in the clearing (the entire map) You all heard the Count, and the Baron immediately climbed/leaped out of the tree. The beast attacks, no one made the Perception checks to act in the surprise round. The beast already injured the Baron. The beast is not a tiger, but a Leucrotta, which is intelligent and typically evil with luring voice mimicry abilities. Pic of the enemy up in slides.
Night does fall, but you expect the tiger to attack at night. Hours into the night, complete darkness falls in the jungle, only the clearing below you is in dim light thanks to the moonlit sky. The eerie silence is broken by a completely unexpected shout from Count Matsanda from the darkness of the jungle to the east, in distress and pleading for help by name. "Help! I've been hurt! Bomande! The beast - gods I can barely move! Colin! Please I need healing!"
The Baron responds with a curse. "Blast it something's gone horribly wrong. That boy is supposed to be safely away at the lodge!" His voice trails off a bit from Andrelis though as he is halfway down the ladder and has dropped the last bit to look for his son-in-law quickly. "Where are you boy? Is the beast near?" He looks to the east in preparation to help the Count. Initiative:
Perception:
A large beast with striped fur and an old scar from a grazing bullet rushes into the field, ending its surprise round turn right next to the Baron who has descended. No one else can act in the surprise round due to the tiger's excellent stealth roll. It also won initiative for the first full turn. The tiger attacks the Baron with bite and ... uh ... hooves?
ROUND 1
Mika, Ivan, Jheda are up. You didn't get a turn during the surpise round, but if you can fairly say your character would have rushed to the Count's aid without hesitation like the Baron you can retcon an extra move to the bottom of your tree before your turn like the Baron did. Just a move to exactly the bottom of the tree, not a general move action. Mind that the clearing is only dimly lit. If you have to cross the stream just consider it difficult terrain.
In response to Colin's communing with birds, he receives various calls back over the next 10 minutes, but none of them are able to tell Colin the location of a tiger.
The cat doesn't fare well with the poison after the spell wears off. She fails 6 saves before it subsides.
-------------------- Perception:
A few hours later - after caring for Winifred too - the expedition comes across a small stream. Baron Rudyahm explains that this is the stream he and his friends were following when the tiger ambushed them 5 years ago, and thus this is where they should break off from the trail to find the tiger’s territory. Count Matsanda declines to accompany the PCs and the baron any further. He and the porters take the elephant half a day farther down the trail to a hunting lodge outpost, where they can wait in safety for the baron to finish his hunt. Colin has begun to get the feeling though the last several hours that the party is being watched. You follow the stream with the Baron for an hour. The jungle opens up into a wide grassy clearing bisected by a shallow, burbling stream. In the center of the clearing lies the partially eaten carcass of a gaur. Its throat has been torn open, and the grass all around the dead bison is covered in dried, sticky blood. Baron Rudyahm proclaims that this is where they should set up their ambush for the tiger. He explains that the kill is fresh, which means the tiger will likely return to finish its meal later that night. He instructs you how to set up the machans so that the party can lie in wait in the trees to fire upon the tiger when it returns. "I can't wait to put a bullet in the monster again - this time won't be a grazing blow and I'll put an end to its terror." The Baron sounds hopeful to be able to finish the tiger off himself. New map is up. The machans are platforms in the frees inside the orange boxes. The Baron's intent is for you all to set up in them and attack with ranged weapons. They are 20 feet off the ground, and to climb up the rope ladder is DC 10 climb. Are there any other preparations you want to make before nightfall? When you are ready move your token into one of the machans, or if there is something else you would like to do let me know.
The team is able to calm the elephant, and the nobles are able to safely descend while the howdah is re-secured. No porters were killed or injured in the fight, and the Baron thanks you for it. "Good work ensuring no life was lost." He glances worriedly at the injured Winifred. "I hope your companion fares well after that snake bite." You have earned further favor with the Baron. The Baron says by tonight you should arrive at the location he wants to set up to ambush the tiger. Winifred is still poisoned, though delayed for about 3 hours. Does anyone have aid to get rid of the poison or aid its saves when the time comes?
At the end of round 2, the elephant still does not fully shake off the howdah. Colin can try either his spell or Handle Animal check with whatever Aid Another are available. Some of the porters can help for a +4 on the skill check.
ROUND 3
@Andrelis, i missed your post while writing mine, you have your turn back.
The kittens destroy the snake. If you cast Delay Poison, the cat doesn't need to make saves until the duration of the spell is up and the poison resumes. The party has three hours to remove the poison before it resumes. Do you guys have a method for that or to improve saves at the end of the delay? The Elephant is still in a panicked frenzy. ROUND 2
Jheda's attack misses as well, more due to the large snake's tough scales than evasiveness.
The elephant is still freaking out, the howdah atop it is jostling back and forth, threatening to topple at any moment. The nobles are crashing around holding on to avoid falling out. The porters take advantage of the cover from the cats and the experienced adventurers and flee from the snake. A handle animal check or (if you get to the top) ride check might calm the elephant, getting easier with more snakes defeated. ROUND 2
Winifred should also make another fortitude save at the end of her turn.
Ivan's bomb hits one of the baby snakes and torches the other three. Whether they can dodge or not, they cannot survive the blast. About half of the cat attacks land, severely wounding the large cobra. Colin identifies it as an Emperor Cobra. Despite its size it is not a constrictor, but does have a nasty poisonous bite that reduces Con. Andrelis misses the cobra.
Neither the bomb nor the appearance of 4 more predatory animals does anything to calm the elephant. The cobra bites the biggest cat.
ROUND 1
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