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This part is actually also rather open and sandboxy. Rather than spend several weeks of back and forth conversations, can I ask each of you to roll a sense motive check for all of these conversations, and I can condense what you can learn down to one post?
Rolling for Duende to fix syntax error:
Rolling for bad guy:
Philthy, you can choose to have cast minutes per leval buffs before entering the cathedral, but rounds per level buffs would have worn off between when you entered and when the combat starts. A large creature who seems like some frightening combination of man and vulture moves to be right in front of you. I emits a cloud of spores and then makes a hideous screeching noise. Everyone needs to make a fortitude save.
fort save results:
The save DC is 21. If you fail, you are stunned for 1 round Everyone but Kasim takes damage from the spores. Everyone but Seelah who took damage from the spores will continue to take damage every round for a while from them. spellcraft DC 15:
Bless, sprinkling with holy water, or any magic that gives immunity to disease will prevent the spores from doing any more damage The entire party is up. Please post your fort save at the start of your turn.
You make your way back to the cathedral. Looking around, you find other Pathfinders in the Cathedral, as well as large numbers of ghostly dwarves who appear to flicker in and out of existence. Please place your tokens on the map, near each other. Because we are already pausing briefly for this, you may roll your own initiative for what I think is likely to be the last encounter of the adventure.
The team finds no sign of lock or trap on the door. Stepping through the door, the team finds themselves in what appears to be a luxurious and expensive pleasure den. There are soft mattresses and pillows scattered on the floor, and erotic tapestries hanging on the black walls. You are welcomed by humans and a few other common races, who welcome you to this shrine to Shelyn. Everyone you see is dressed in loose, flowing robes. There are about 40 of them scattered about. (map is revealed, although not needed right now) kn. religion, DC 15: This really does not feel like a shrine to Shelyn. Shelyn, as a goddess of beauty, would be far more tasteful than this, and all her worshipers would know that.
Realizing that your time is growing short, you move on to the cathedral. [ooc]OK, team, normal combat encounter intended for tier 7-8, or would you like a really challenging encounter against the demon who has been running the place? It's technically only allowed for tier 10-11 and would generate an exceptional success, but I would allow it if you want to big story bit. It would be rather dangerous.
Philthy automatically aids.
The team is so successful that not only does Casandagar, the elemental, laugh, but so does the smith. The smith reaches his tongs into the fire and takes out a glowing coal. He explains that after it cools, you can take it and it will be the seed of your own forge with an elemental to aid you. (That's an exceptional success.)
Garuff, the smith, does seem to be impressed. (you can't aid a skill check with a different skill by the rules. Still, Philthy's check was high enough to succeed.) He agrees to tell you a few of the sky citadel’s craft secrets if you can make his forge laugh. He does mean this literally; he explains to you that his forge is powered by a fire elemental he has befriended. This can be done with a relevant craft check, or with acrobatics or perform(comedy). (There are degrees of success here, so it is very much to the team's benefit to do very well on this check)
He turns to you and inquires who you are. I need a diplomacy or metal-related craft check along with your answer in order to impress him. (this is one of two rounds of skill checks in order to earn a success)
Zul's first shot almost destroys red. His second shot misses, but the third ends red. The fourth finishes off yellow. combat over. Anything you want to do before you enter?
OK, that begins combat! (Zul's attack will happen before initiative, since you had the ability to plan things out before starting) Zul's first four arrows destroy the blue moon beast.
init:
bold may post:
I need all of you to put yourselves on the map, anywhere in the purple dotted box. Those of you who are up can also take your turn. Zul, please make sure your initial placement makes sense to shoot at blue.
Kasim disables the trap, allowing the team to safely grab the statuette and move forward. The sounds of metal striking metal, the roar of a forge, and a song sung in a deep baritone echoes down this rock-strewn tunnel that otherwise seems unchanged from mere hours before. The heat from one of the fabled forges of Jormurdun is already oppressive even at this distance. song in dwarven:
“By our harmony, hammer, and tong Clang of metal sings our song May our union’s life be long.” The singer is a male dwarf with his back to the entrance as he works at the roaring forge. His red hair is cropped short and— despite the heat—he wears plate armor, a soot-stained shirt soaked through with sweat beneath it, and rough leather pants. His song seems joyful as he hammers at the red-hot metal.
These are chaotic evil abberations, so no good deity is going to object if you go in fighting. I know it's been slow going; this part is much more open than a scenario, but since its an older module, I still have to strictly run as written, so it's been messy. Very soon you'll be in a classic dungeon crawl, which will get things moving at a good clip.
The impassive bronze statue of the anthropomorphic pig-bull still stands here, grimly bearing a bowl containing a glowing green statuette. Although a few coins are scattered across the floor, the surface is otherwise clean. Eleven ironbound chests line the north and west walls, overflowing with coins. percep:
All of you (except Seelah) notice that although you need to take the glowing statue, there is a trap that will be activated (lots of sound damage) by doing so without disabling the trap first.
The area ahead is patrolled by three moon-beasts. They are large abberations. They have damage that piercing or slashing weapons can get through, strong spell resistance, are immune to cold, gaze attaks, illusions, and poison, and resistance to electricity. They have quite low touch armor class.
What about everyone else? We can't move forward until I get answers from more of you.
Sigh... I feel ridiculous, but I was reading the wrong part of the adventure. There are no succubi here. What I actually need is knowledge:dungeoneering checks. If you already rolled one of the other skills, you may keep the roll (just tell me the new result) or reroll, your choice. It's to your advantage in this case for several people to try the check.
Would you like to return to the Miners' District or the Armorers' District? There is a handout in the slides about each one. Also, each of you may choose two of the following benefits (you can choose the same one twice for double benefits; Seelah gets the benefits, too):
Please post your choices as to benefits at the same time you post your vote about which district first.
King Gutheran nods in understanding. “Very well. It seems circumstances have brought me the enemy of my enemy. You have come at a difficult time. The duergar have breached our defenses, and despite our bravest efforts, they are winning Jormurdun. I have sent my heirs from this dying place to forge a new future for our people, that they might one day return and claim these halls as their own. Some have stayed behind out of duty or out of love for their homes. I do not know if the duergar or some worse threat still plagues the citadel. Slay my enemies, but spare my people; they are the only legacy left to Jormurdun. If a dwarf should trouble you, inform them that you travel with King Gutheran’s blessing.”[b] Kreighton Shaine looks up from his writing and says, [b]“Thank you, your majesty. Pathfinders, I’ve studied our surroundings and can conclude that whatever has shifted our place in time is unstable and cannot last. We have perhaps and hour—maybe two—before it collapses, and when that happens, I think it wise that we not be inside. Make your way back to the Grand Cathedral in a timely fashion. But…” he trails off while gazing at the beautiful throne room. “We can’t ignore this splendid opportunity to explore Jormurdun as it was thousands of years ago! Retrace the steps you took to get here, see what has changed, and document what you see. I’ve been able to record brief instructions based on what I have already learned of your earlier discoveries. Be wise, be brave, and make haste!”
(anyone else? particularly knowledge:local?)
Two of Kasim's arrows take out the last remaining clockwork. The stout, middle-aged dwarf wears a simple crown of iron on his balding pate and stands before a throne made of the same blackened metal. An honor guard of six armor-clad warriors wielding blood-spattered halberds crowd him protectively. He looks at you and barks, “Has the Dweller Below chewed off your tongue? Begin making sense!” The dwarf king is not hostile—at least not yet—but he is baffled by the turn of events. He had resigned himself to defending his home against the duergar forces only to have scores of Pathfinders appear out of thin air. What Kreighton Shaine commands in technical knowledge, he lacks in simple explanations. It is up to you to mollify the last king of Jormurdun. Calming the king requires a successful Diplomacy or Perform (oratory) check. (please specify relevant details, such as what language you use to address him.)
Oh, almost forgot Duende's knowledge check. The clockwork creatures are clockwork soldiers. They have construct traits and damage reduction (adamantine).
Since Seelah was the one who the demon was just beating up on, and since a well-used smite is a thing of beauty, I'm going to resolve the attacks in an unusual order, and do Seelah's smite first. (this is also to the team's advantage mechanically) Seelah's first strike with the smite destroys the demon. Philthy strikes one clockwork (green) hard, and Duende's first two bombs obliterate green. The third and fourth bomb do substantial damage to yellow.
Yellow stands up and moves in to attack position on Seelah. The entire party is up. (yellow -43 HP)
Probe knows (and presumably shares) that these are succubi. (you are welcome to look up the base stat block with a roll like that) Probe (or someone else) might also like to make knowledge:local and knowledge:arcana checks for things that might be interesting.
Kasim knows the demon is a Nabasu. They have damage reduction that is bypassed by cold iron or good, spell reistance, and are immune to electricity, poison, and death effects. They also are resistant to cold, acid, and fire. Kaism's shots with cold iron arrows all hit the demon, and do full damage, except that the demon resists all of the acid damage. The demon moves slightly and then tears at Seelah with its claws and teeth.
Seelah takes 28 damage The demon looks at everyone on your team as a free action.
bold may post:
Kasim, please post your save now, also.
The team notices that the clearing appears to be patrolled by several very attractive looking human-like creatures riding flying mounts.
You find yourselves approached for combat by two mechanical looking creatures and one perhaps demonic creature. init:
The clockwork creatures maneuver into position. bold may post:
Oh, and one more detail to clean up: Philthy finds he is unable to examine the crystal wand, because it shattered when the creature was destroyed.
Standard or challenging encounter, team? The challenging encounter would be one appropriate for the level most of you actually are, so perhaps a bit more doable than for most groups.
Yep, the aid token can be used to heal all of you HP. I will then pass it on.
The team carefully makes their way towards the spire. As they approach, they see that the spire is only the tip of a large building. The jungle grasps at the feet of a great tor of black stone, which towers into the sky above. As it rises toward the stars, the stone darkens and gains a glassy sheen, ending in a tall, thin tower high above—a shimmering spire of porphyry and obsidian. The stars are mirrored in the glassy sides of the spire, as though in supplication to the heavens. A winding stair climbs the stone, leading to the wide double doors into the imposing structure. I need a perception check from each of you. Reasonably intelligent companions may make the check, also.
You have 24 hour real world time to post 2 or 3 rounds of healing or prep. Philthy, please include your just posted actions in that count.
It's completely expected in a MTS that sometimes an encounter gets interrupted. The idea is that a fast group can get a second success, rather than the entire group wait (and in some circumstances fail) because one group is having a tough time with a particular encounter. In fact, sometimes an encounter seems headed towards a TPK, and the GM on that table will usually try to move very slowly so that the encounter can be interrupted. In general, it's the low tier groups that can move really fast and get the extra successes. Higher tier combats just often take longer. However, in this case I would not start another encounter, because we'll be moving on very soon I would expect.
The clockwork mage disintegrates into a pile of rubble as the team rains down the damage.
Following the path and having Earl go ahead accomplish the same thing, so there is no use to do both. Are you following the trail, going on the most direct line no matter what the path does, or purposely avoiding the path, and whatever might be on it, including perhaps whatever is making the path? The undergrowth is growing back right before your eyes, so you're pretty sure there is something working almost constantly to maintain the path.
Duende's first bomb hits, but the second one lands at Philthy's feet. (shifting up or down by one would still hit him) (reflex save from Philthy against splash damage is needed) not prone Seelah's attack misses. Philthy's attack hits, and does not seem hindered by damage reduction. Only Kasim's second arrow hits. Unable to step away to cast, the enemy slams into Seelah four times.
The party is now up. Philthy, please roll your save before taking your turn. Also, please update your header to reflect the damage so far. status: enemy -90 HP
The clockwork mage steps back and then waves the crystal wand again. This time, three searing beams of fire streak out towards Philthy.
All three beams hit.
Footwear is enough protection if you are walking through places Earl beat down for you.
Seelah's attack hits, but Philthy's does not. status: enemy -46 HP Sorry, everyone; I can't get google maps to load, so I cant post the bad guy's turn. I will try again in the morning.
Duende's bomb does some damage. Only one of Kasim's shots hits (assuming he uses adamantine arrows, so does full damage) (enemy 25 damage) Philthy and Sselah?
This is a clockwork mage. It has construct traits, damage reduction (adamantine) and strong spell resistance. It is vulnerablt to electricity.
You can see an obelisk-like spire in the distance. There is also a winding cleared trail about 20 feet wide. You can either have Earl clear a path for you, or follow the existing path. You're pretty sure that the existing path will not be completely unoccupied.
The team recognizes that this is abyssal jungle, somehow transported here to the moon. Probe notices something more: Probe/Linyi: The undergrowth here consists almost entirely of poisonous nettles. The poison in those nettles causes wisdom drain.
Some of the little bits that fly off from the door coalesce into a clockwork being that heads towards you, clearly coming to attack your group. init:
The creature points a crystal wand in your direction, and a ball of fire explodes, covering all of you. (DC 13 reflex save to halve damage) The entire party is up.
The team piles on the damage and brings down the duergar. Out of combat. I'm reporting a success. I think we're about to move on, so I won't start another combat right now.
Anyone else?
Sorry for the delay, everyone. As soon as the internet got fixed, I got sick. I should be back to normal posting now. Unfortunately, with that delay and this being a high level adventure and a module rather than a scenario, I don't think we will finish until well after the end of Gameday. Is this a problem for anyone?
Having stepped through the portal, you find yourself in a tiny clearing in a dense jungle. Knowledge Planes and Knowledge Nature checks, please, everyone.
All of the team's attacks hit, and yellow falls prone. Red is gone. Yellow fires a crossbow at Duende.
Red rushes forward to engage with Duende in melee (double move) bold may post:
Round 2:
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