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Miladistra heals her ally, commands Deroff to bite (which he does well!), and swims closer. The blinded naiad continues to slowly flee. ~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Bold may act!
Dianora and Kimmich each strike Ordulf once, and Kimmich shares an effective tactic with the group. The red melomach elemental gets into position, its limbs ringing out magical encouragement as it goes, reverberating with the yellow elemental. Once it closes on the group, it attacks Dianora.
The yellow elemental lashes out at Crystal with a fist while directing a lightning strike at Yuki!
It spends it's remaining actions wailing away at Crystal.
Only one blow connects, but it's a doozy!
Dorrance's precise attacks take out one of the naiads, and her follow-upstrike hits the killer whale.
Vilmur's stone goes rocketing off into the deep. The killer whale swims to get close to the party, then bites at Dorrance.
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Bold may act!
Due to your previous experiences, you realize that these foes are charau-ki and boggarts. You know that charau-ki are excellent at throwing weapons, and that boggards let out frightening croaks.
The blue charau-ki starts shrieking as it scoops up rocks from the debris on the floor to throw at you!
The creature's wild attacks bounce all over the walls, adding to the increadible din in the underground chambers. ~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Bold may act.
Spells crackle around the attackers; Lem and Tiger both land attacks on red. With eyes finally clear, two of the naiads attack:
for
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Bold may act!
The Terpsimoi prepare for the race, with Iannos and Rohirron experimentally rolling the amphora around the staging area and Siara and Acantheis scoping out the course below. When the competitors are all prepared, the race begins with the sounding of a horn!
STEEP SLOPE
GOAT CROSSING
PEBBLES AND POTHOLES
DUBIOUS GATE
OVERCROWDED FINISH LINE
You cross the finish line last, but with a completely intact amphora, which is commendable! The Golden Pegasi come in first, though they almost smash their amphora! They are followed by the Pearl Chasers, then Team Akki. Final Medal Count:
Your success at the Grand Melee insures that you take the first prize for the Funeral Games! After the amphora roll, Undyl gathers the teams to tally their medallions and announce winners. The cyclops has arrayed several lots of Dintolneon’s possessions bequeathed to the city, and he identifies the magical items so that you can make an informed choice. Beginning with the winning team—each of whom also receive a champion’s laurels—and then in descending order, Undyl calls up each team to pick a lot as their prize.
Once the teams have claimed prizes and received the spectators’ adulation, Undyl offers one last reminder: “Remember, these games honored our beloved Dintolneon, whose spirit will be among those we guide to the sea tonight. Join us outside the main gate at sundown so that we can bid him safe journeys one last time.”
Construct downstairs is fine.
@GM Matt: Are the baboon-men and toad-men charau-kas and boggards? We met some in the basement of the hellknight citadel so presumably we'd recognize them if they are. Yes, you would recognize them, then!
Vrosi breaths in some of the spores, and they really do a number on his lungs, but they also stick to his clothing and armor, giving him a soft glow.
As you all find your footing on the floor below, the rustle of armor and the sounds of spellcasting attract attention! Several figures step out of the shadows and into the hallway that leads to your room: Three baboon-like humanoids and two toad-like humanoids! The rear-most baboon-man shouts something that only Ellaeaanda can understand: "Dolorosus sanguinem tuum gustabit!" Ellaeaanda:
"The Sorrowmaker will taste your blood!" Initiative:
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Bold may act.
The flashing vision blinds all three of the attackers! Unable to see, the yellow attacker gropes his way backwards.
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Bold may act!
Securing his grappling hook around a near-by stalagmite (there are plenty around), Vrosi lowers himself into the pit. When he comes even with the fungus, he can't help but brush against it, causing a cloud of spores to burst out!
Continuing to the ground, Vrosi finds himself in an area that seems to have once been a small complex of rooms, but their original use is anyone’s guess today, for some ancient catastrophe seems to have melted the walls in places, leaving behind a half-demolished complex. In the few places where the walls are still intact, however, the delicate carvings indicate that whoever once built these rooms was a skilled artisan. Far to the southwest, a partially melted stone archway opens into a larger room. Vrosi hears voices speaking a language he does not know in one of the nearby rooms. They don't seem to have noticed him, yet. DC 20 Society (must be in the rooms): The carvings are in an ancient elven style
A competitor begins in South Slope with a waterfilled amphora roughly the size of a human. They must roll the amphora down the designated streets, which wind their way to the finish line at the harbor. The competitor can run alongside the amphora or balance atop it, but they’re prohibited from lifting and carrying it farther than a few steps. The competition judges keep the route clear of civilians and property, but judges often set up mock obstacles like market stalls, carts, or rubble to complicate the race. Rules
The Amphora: These amphorae are especially sturdy. Each weighs 7 bulk, has 10 Hit Points, has 3 Hardness, and they can support a PC’s weight. Even so, some obstacles can damage it. The broken condition imposes a –2 penalty to checks to maneuver an amphora. A destroyed amphora shatters, and a judge brings a replacement. However, this delay wastes one turn. The Route: The amphora roll functions as a chase, and the team’s score is based on how many turns it takes for them to cross the finish line. An obstacle lists the Overcome skills or saving throws (for the rollers to earn Chase Points), recommended skills a guide might use to Aid the rollers, and any additional options the obstacle presents. In this chase, critically failing a check to overcome an obstacle doesn’t make the team lose 1 Chase Point. Instead, the check earns no Chase Points, and the amphora takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage (or more, for some obstacles).
Rohirron gets in the raging barbarian's face, but doesn't manage to push her around. Just as the tengu raises her weapon for a devestating strike, a drasikons rushes up to you and casts a powerful spell. You feel a sensation of peace wash over you, and Akki puts down her weapon: "Oh, oh. I don't know what came over me!" the tengu sighs. The judges commend your team for your bravery, and rule that, since she broke the event's guidelines, Akki's team can earn no points for the event. With Akki out of the competition, the Terpsimoi sweep the round, Rohirron earning 5 medals, Iannos 3, and Siara 1. With only one event remaining, the standings are as follows:
The final event, the amphora roll, begins tomorrow.
Vilmur and Dorrance both strike their respective targets! The orca, showing unusual coordination with humanoids, cuts through it's natural environment and snaps at Dorrance. for ~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Bold may act!
No worries! Busy time for me too--semester is ending where I teach.
GM Sreen:
Elaeaanda is unfamiliar with this particular species of fungus. The mushrooms certainly are pretty, though, with grass-like fungal filaments amid clusters of softly glowing, long-stalked mushrooms.
You can move runes around next time you do daily preparations.
GM Screen:
Vrosi sees that, a twenty-foot drop down the hole, there is a floor of carved stone below.
Crystal's attacks come out of nowhere, surprising Ordulf! Yuki speeds up the team and shields herself. The dragon maneuvers to the shore, roaring, “Turn back, foolish mortals! The infestation of your kind on these shores is an affront to Our Lord In Iron.” His very presence is unsettling, and he breaths a cone of smoke and flame at Yuki, Dianora, and Kimmich. The smoke lingers, obscuring vision. (Concealed in the cloud.) Breath Weapon
Ordulf hops off the dragon's back and heads right for Crystal. "Puny assassin! I've become more powerful that you can imagine!" The berserker shouts at Crystal. Momentarily shaken by the insult, Crystal is hit be the blade, which seems very, very sharp.
Miladistra and Lem cast spells to no avail, though Chumwi's shock appears accurate, the enemy quickly dodges away. Tiger drops into a stance, swims up to the defender, and slashes his fists through the water at the naiad, but narrowly misses his attacks.
The two remaining naiads swim closer! ~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Bold may act!
To keep things flowing in PBP, this is what I usually do with magic items: -Potions, elixirs, and similar are always labeled, unless there's a good reason they wouldn't be.
Speaking of magic items, if you want to add runes or move runes around, you can do it during your daily preparation (or have an NPC do it in 1 day). Otherwise, things get really bogged down with waiting, and the game assumes you will have those runes.
GM Screen:
As you chat and Netkin patches people up, Ellaeaanda studies the magical items you found. She recognizes all of them: a fan feather token, a fear gem, healer's gloves, and a wand of web. When you are ready to push on, you follow the tunnel to the east for about 50 feet before it opens into a larger room. The tunnel widens, then drops away in a series of ten-foot-high cliffs into a chamber filled with fine, hairlike filaments and mushrooms. The filaments look like bleached grass and wave erratically with the cave’s natural air currents. The mushrooms glow slightly, giving the cave a strange, dreamlike feel. To the south, a seven-foot-wide hole in the floor drops down into a chamber below.
The explosion and regard of the god affect each of you in various measures! The waters at the shore explode as another of Gorum’s servitors emerges to attack, but this time, you automatically recognize your foes:
This version of Ordulf appears as he did in life, but his body bears livid scars from the numerous mortal blows the you struck him in life. He seems to have held a grudge, scrreaming a battle cry as he rides into battle on the dragon's back. He now wields a shining greatsword that flickers with lightning The two are joined in battle by another pair of melomachs, more living shards of metal calved from Gorum’s body. Initiative:
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Vrosi's second mighty blow takes down the creature! There is little in the would-be god's throne room except the moldering remains of countless goblins. You notice that many of the skeletons are mismatched, as if they have been reassembled incorrectly, perhaps many times. A small corridor to the southeast leads into a dingy and moist room, more
Look Under Tarps?: You see stacks and stacks of bones and skulls. Most are goblinoid in origin, with some human, elf, and orc bones included in the mix. Most of the bones are loose, although there are a few rib cages that still wear armor in the pile, including a breastplate and chain shirt whose excellent condition indicate that they are magical.
Perception DC 18
Spoiler:
You find a few items of quality in the pile of bones: a token carved in the shape of a feather, a murky black gem, a pair of well-preserved gloves, and a magic wand.
@GM MattMorris: no worries. Combats against a single enemy can be rough. Also, question on Vitus' turn. Did the attack land? It does! I had missed Ellaeanda's flank. I'll make a note of it for next update.
Sorry that this combat is a little frustrating and grind-y. You guys are making progress. I found this to be the toughest combat in Book 1 when I played it.
Ellaeanda cracks her whip across the battlefield, hitting the fiend and Markus. The damage is negated by the monster's spell, but at least it distracts the beast, making it off-guard to Ardoinel. Vitus keeps the pressure on the creature, protecting it from attacking Ardoinel and taunting it.
Ardoinel attempts to dispel the effect on Markus, but his magic can't overcome the enchantments of the fiend. Netkin comes close to attempt to bind up Vitus's wounds, but his hands shake too much to apply the bandage properly. ~+~Combat Round 5~+~
~+~Combat Round 5~+~
Thanks for the reminders. The I'll get used to this guardian stuff eventually!
You patch yourselves up, gather the disappointing equipment, and start to head out. As you start to leave the area of the bunker, you once again draw the attention of Gorum! Another bolt of thunder shakes the shores of Elysium, and the rock bunker explodes behind you, showering you with sharp shards of stone!
As the stony fragments rain down, Gorum abandons the fight he’s been engaged in and turns to face the party, gazing in particular down at Crystal. To stand fully beneath the gaze of the god of war causes the soul to quail.
Rohirron successfully pushes around Akki, knocking into her with his sturdy shield. Iannos follows up by tripping the tengu, allowing Siara's spell to strike.
RK:
Siara realizes that Akki is in such a rage that she's unlikely to surrender unless she's knocked unconcious. (It's also obvious after the live wire hit that she resists a small amount of electricity.) The barbarian jumps back to her feet and swings twice at Rohirron, hitting on the second attack. for plus for plus ~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Bold may act.
Resa can't quite connect with the fiend. In his confusion, Markus casts another spell at a teammate!
The robot doesn't seem very effective. Maybe it needs to be reprogrammed? Vrosi can't get a good handle on the creature, nor hit with follow-up strikes. Vitus comes close enough to grabbing the monster that he gets its attention, then heals himself.
Ardoinel manages to send three shards of metal into the creature, causing it to whimper. The creature bites at Ardoinel in retribution, then casts a spell that causes it to flicker in and out of reality!
Recognize Spell? DC 23 Arcana or Occultism:
You recognize the spell as flicker. ~+~Combat Round 5~+~
~+~Combat Round 5~+~
Yep. Ellaeaanda's got it. When it's only one foe, you all get to act So, we were doing the bottom of Round 4 and top of Round 5. I'll update once I parse everything.
Vitus taunts the creature, though he fails to shake its confidence.
Netkin's robot, Resa, and Ardoinel attack to no avail.
Vrosi restrains the monster! The creature attempts to escape.
Despite being taunted, the fiend is just that mad at Vrosi that he ignores Vitus.
~+~Combat Round 4~+~
~+~Combat Round 5~+~
The mantises died from blood loss.
With a flurry of spells and blades, you take down the blob! Before Your Turn:
When you recover from the battle, you are able to check out the gear left on the bodies of the blood-drained assassins in the area. Much of the gear carried or worn by the dead assassins here survives, but it’s all lower-level magical gear—a mix of +1 striking sawtooth sabers and +1 resilient leather armor that is unlikely to be of much value to you. The body of the group's commander is of more interest: It lies slumped inside the bunker in the northwest corner of the chamber, still gripping the red-glowing blade of her +2 greater striking unholy sawtooth saber in one hand. A search of her belongings reveals a small red leather pouch that contains a lock of hair. DC 25 Achaekek Lore or Ilizmagorti Lore check or DC 35 Religion: Carrying such a red leather pouch is a mostly outdated tradition. Commanders in the Red Mantis once left their second-in-command with a lock of hair so that, should things go poorly, a resurrect ritual can be performed later to bring that commander back from death.
The first naiad spends his turn swimming toward Miladistra. ~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Bold may act!
The naiads and their orca ally arrive! Initiative:
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Bold may act!
Markus' floating flame continues to flicker around the monster, he patches up Vitus and flings shards of metal into the creature.
The creature gestures at Markus, the wizard plaguing him, and casts a spell to befuddle his mind.
He takes a poisonous bite at Vitus as well.
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
~+~Combat Round 4~+~
Siara modifies herself and twists Akki's physique, Rohirron gets the tengu barbarian's attention, and Acantheus casts a supportive spell. Iannos tangles Akki's clothing, but the bird roars in anger and stride up to Rohiron and attacks. His feathers crackle with electricity.
for plus ~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Bold may act.
The greedy bloodfog reachs out toward all three of the nearby attackers. for plus 3d6 bleed for plus 3d6 bleed for plus 3d6 bleed
Yuki's fireball blows apart the red blob, but the thick clotted blood of the black blob shrugs it off!
Crystal scores one hit on the red fog, which seems to suck hungrily at her pooling blood. Kimmioch follows up, hitting twice and triggering a critical strike from Crystal. The fog lets out a wave of energy, trying to draw sustenance from Crystal and Kimmich, then lashes out at Dianora. The cleric dodges acrobatically, narrowing avoiding a critical hit!
for plus 3d6 bleed
Before Your Turn: Crystal and Kimmich DC 35 basic Fortitude vs 58 void
After shielding Ellaeaanda from attack, Vitus taunts the fiend. Vrosi persues the creature as it shoves its way across the battlefield, and just barely manages to strike and grab it, with Netkin's construct providing a bit of flanking. Resa misses her blows, and the creature manages to resist all of Ardoinel's fire and Ellaeanda's void damage. ~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Bold may act! If there are any reactions, we'll retcon them in.
Vrosi fails to find purchase on the sturdy creature, even with his teammates distracting it.
Ellaeaanda lands a strike with her whip, and some of the damage from her spell penetrates. The creature utterly fails to dodge Markus's flame, taking damage despite its resistance. "I'll carve out your livers!" The fiend shoves Resa in an effort to get to those who actually damaged him.
He bites and claws at the investigator. for and
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Bold may act! If there are any reactions, we'll retcon them in. (Looking at our guardian!)
Calisrio and Latanoris make their way down the ladder to the hold as you continue to talk to Hyp, taking in the end of the conversaiton: "The Glorious Payoff won't survie another attack," the Venture Captain grunts. "You'll need to stop the impending attack and gather any information you can. Hyp, we'll pay you handsomely if you can lead us to the naiads." Latanoris asked to be excused for a moment, then returns with a small chest. She opens it to reveal some equipment. "This should be helpful." The trader hands each of you a sharkskin robe and a water elemental wayfinder. "Get yourself together, Pathfinders, and it's time to take a dip!"
When the you are ready, Hyp slips into the water next to the ship and begins the decent. As Hyp descends through the crystal blue water of the Obari, a school of small iridescent fish scatters around him. His overflowing bag of loot floats at his side. Three hundred feet below the surface, the sunlight wanes as the expansive darkness of the sea creeps closer and closer, while the shadows of much larger creatures glide by, just out of sight. In only a few minutes, Hyp leads you hundreds of feet below the surface, where the sunlight only provides low light. The silence of the dive is broken by a piercing voice that pipes into your mind: The water thieves repelled our attack with warriors determined to destroy us. Rally and destroy their ship. Make sure they never breathe air again. The loud voice gives you a momentary headache; Hyp shakes his head and says, "We should hurry," and continues to swim toward the naiad's rally point. Hyp swims fast, zigzagging between coral reefs and rock outcroppings to avoid unwanted attention. You must be a couple miles from the Glorious Payoff when you see a ship with Latanoris Trade Company markings lays shattered among ancient ruins, many of which still stand as they did hundreds of years ago. Ornate pillars jut from the sand like ghostly monuments, while starfish and sea anemones adorn once colorfully painted statues. Marring the ruin’s austere beauty, amphorae and other flotsam from the ship blanket the area, having spilled from the wreckage as it plummeted into the sea. Hyp spots something and points it out to you: "Naiads...I'm going to hide! I recommend you do the same." He flits inside one of the ancient buildings.
Yuki's first strike hit, though the second misses.
The fogs shrug off the flame drake's breath, but her sword strike hits (though only the void damage penetrates). The black fog lashes out at Kimmich and Crystal!
for for ~+~Combat Round 3~+~
"I’m a—what do you call it?—a sole proprietor. I look after my own coin purse. I help where I can, though," Hyp responds. "I can't broker any deals, but I can take you to where the naiads gather. They'll take a bit to recover, but they'll be back to sink your boat if you don't do something about it."
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