Itka Biklest's page

Works for me. Going forward, I'll assume folks will speak up if they have input.

If a PC would be KO'd, Lumna can intervene, but Itka wants to ensure that there are at least two charges left when we need to leave. If we can avoid having to go recharge the key that would be great.

Thoughts/input from the group on this strategy?

As I would need to sustain each casting of the spell, no. Unless we can convincingly prop up the guards like a Weekend at Bernie's tableau, it looks like this isn't a realistic option after all. Bummer.

No way to beat initiative ties, so I go after White.

Reflex DC 22 vs 19 Fire: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29
Success for 9 damage

"Hmp." Itka limps into the workshop in an effort to make future fireballs less effective. With a crude gesture, she casts Malicious Shadow on the guard in white that seemed to summon the white robed figure who cast fireball. The target's shadow suddenly writhes, splitting into tentacles that pummel them from all directions.

Malicious Shadow vs. White: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19
Bludgeoning damage: 1d10 ⇒ 3

◆ Stride, ◆◆ Cast a spell

Everyone: What do you think of Itka using 5 charges to refresh her spells so she can Replicate the scholar in the workshop? There would be 3 charges left. The main issue is that if we get into combat I might forget that Itka has to keep sustaining the spell. She'll be effectively Slowed 1 if I remember and drop it if I don't.

Religion DC 26: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

"Hmp! Narcela, are you okay? What was that?" Itka's brow is furrowed with concern, albeit tinged with irritation. Hmp. Of *course* there would be complications.

"Hmp. Yes, but they're rather likely to check in on someone in a workshop. Hmmmp... I know a spell that could Replicate whoever we rescue. Leaving the Replica there to pretend to work would buy us some time if anyone peeked in. Unfortunately, I don't have it prepared today, and I'd need to sustain the spell even if I did." Itka looks at the Hallajin Key, wondering if it's worth using five charges to switch out her spell selections.

@GM: Would Cetezar and Dinetrie be level 8 or lower? If not, Replicate won't work.

Wadding up some cloth, Itka ties it to the bottom of her cane and slips as silently as possible past the guards. Hopefully her bad hips won't act up on her for a bit.

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

Despite a glower *nearly* intense enough to turn people to stone, Itka will Follow the Expert on the Alternate Routes like a professional.

"Hmp. Time is not on our side, and there may be unexpected complications on the other routes. Let's take the shortest path here." Itka's also concerned that her bad hip might hold up the group if extra traversing is involved, but she doesn't mention that. No use grousing when nothing can be done.

Itka has Athletics +0 & Thievery +3 for the sealed areas of the castle vs. Deception +11 & Stealth +15 for getting past the guards.

Thanks for the recap!

"Sorry, I don't want to see you hurt..." Lumna's thoughts trail through Itka's mind.

"Hmp," Itka replies to Lumna. "We don't want to see you get hurt, either," she adds gruffly.

Argoni nods and rushes through the door, saying to Narcela, "Nice to finally meet you. I'm Argoni. What happened? Does this mean your mother knows we're here?"

"Hmp. It's a good bet." Itka grumbles. "Hmp. Healing will have to wait, folks. Time to move!" And with that, she starts limping after Narcela.

"Hmp. Lumna, quit draining the key. I know you want to help, but we're just getting started, and we're well equipped to handle it." Itka lectures, trying again to work her dagger and sling bullet into the crystalline structure.

Crafting: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

"Hmmmp!" She growls, then casts Guidance on BakBat to help him break free.

◆◆ Fail to disable trap, ◆ Cast a spell

Itka tries the same trick that worked before on another crystalline structure. She works the dagger and sling bullet into another crevice, hoping to shatter it.

Crafting: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

"Hmp." This one's tougher than the last one, unfortunately.

Yes to Elixir of Life. No to splash damage.

"Hmp!" Itka's not terribly surprised at this turn of events; Aslynn has a reputation for sensing an attack and acting like she's being taken in until it's too late to turn back. She knows she'll need her spells more later; likely this is merely an attempt to get the party to expend resources and weaken them. Aslynn likes to play with her victims. Hmp. I'm wise enough to do better than that. She deftly uses a dagger to pry out an opening, jamming a sling bullet into the crystalline onyx in such a way that its structural integrity is compromised.

Crafting: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

Thanks, GM chadius! Btw, when the key harms an enemy, will you roll that? If not, can you please post the stats so I can?

When the key transports the wielder across planes, does it transport the whole group? Or am I going to be abandoning everyone there?

"Hmp." Itka grunts as she realizes she's standing on solid ground. Glowering, she takes stock of their surroundings.

Perception +13: Are there any immediate threats? What can we see from here? Which way should we go?

Itka has darkvision.

If no one else wants to hold the key, Itka can. She has no strong feelings about it, though.

@GM: How many actions does it take to activate the key? The original post doesn't say.

I have one GM Glyph to give out

If you're asking for input on who gets the Glyph, it looks like Doc is our lowest level character. I'd vote for him.

Pathfinder Provision: 5th rank scroll of Howling Blizzard

Note: None of this works without Lumna and working on fewer charges causes them great pain and distress!

Clarification about "working on fewer charges": Does this mean that the single charge options hurt but the five charge doesn't? If so, how much does the two charge option hurt? Or does it mean that Lumna will be in constant pain if we use some of the key's charges, but not all of them? If so, does that get better or worse if we use up all the charges? Is she only free of pain if the key stays fully charged? Is there a known threshold that keeps her pain-free?

She hands you a box containing a greater chameleon suit and two electromuscular stimulators. It also has a shockguard coil.

Anybody want these? Itka doesn't.

"Hmp. Electricity. Of course." Itka makes a mental note to pick up a scroll of Resist Energy before departing.

Buying one 2nd rank scroll of Resist Energy for 12 gp.

Netherworld/Shadowplane lore +15 for any applicable information about our mission.

"Hmp. Floating fortress in the Shadow Plane... Does the fortress have a name? What do we know about the fortifications? And yes, having names and descriptions of those we are to rescue is essential."

Itka doesn't care how she's healed, as long as it works. But thanks for the warning!

Most of Itka's time since her last mission was spent studying the Shadow Plane, also known as the Netherworld. Membership in the Pathfinder Society comes with certain advantages, especially when one's work has been admired by their faction leaders. The requisitioning of books of lore went smoothly, allowing Itka to spend most of her time hunched over a book. It's the closest to happy she ever is, though the deeply furrowed brows and perpetual frown would seem to indicate otherwise.

Leveled up and ready to go!

Count me in! I'll need time to level up to 9th.

My Chronicle doesn't have the checkboxes marked, but otherwise looks good.

Rolling my Earn Income here for transparency:

Shadowplane Lore, DC 22, T: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27
Success for 12 gp

"Hmp. Asylnn and the Shadowplane are involved. We are fortunate that Lumna--" Itka gestures to the possessed robot. "--was able to make that call for help, even though it caused trouble with the neighbors."

"Hmp. Lumna is now in possession of the robot." Itka assumes Revecka knows exactly what she's talking about.

Basic DC 26 Fort Save vs 40 void damage: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Hero Point Basic DC 26 Fort Save vs 40 void damage: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35
Crit success for no damage

Itka's studies of the Shadow Plane give her just enough forewarning to ward against the blast of void energy that emanates from the robot.

"Entering standby mode. Please insert host." It stands inert, waiting for something.

"Insert host? Is it perhaps ... Well, we do happen to have a disembodied spirit or two here, do we not?"

"Hmp. You're right. Better do it quickly before another dark force takes control of it." Itka clears her throat, sounding uncannily like a glacier calving, before calling out: "Hmp. Vilo! Lumna! Do either of you want to take over this robot?"

Basic DC 25 Fort Save vs 10 slashing damage: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

"Hmp." Itka grunts as the gears pummel her. Belatedly casting Mystic Armor on herself, she grouses internally: Hmp. Should've done that earlier. Finally, she expands the Bane spell's emanation to include the humanoid-shaped construct as well.

◆◆ Cast a spell, ◆ Sustain a spell

Hmp. I prepared the wrong spells today. Itka bemoans all the mindless foes in this mansion briefly, then casts Bane. She decides to take a risk and moves forward to get the white gears within range of her spell.

◆◆ Cast a spell, ◆ Stride

Not that I recall.

Itka's eyes narrow at Gleam's warning. "Hmp." She casts Detect Magic, then listens closely for any possible threats, then steps back to allow the more robust folks to lead the way.

Perception +12

Before following the group toward R&D, Itka offers a small chunk of pocket bacon to Gleam. "Hmp. Good job. Thanks for the warning."

Having given quite a few lectures on the lore of the Plane of Shadow over the course of her tenure in the Society, Itka feels particularly well-suited for this turn of events. She proceeds to grind out the broad strokes for the team with her gravelly voice, peppered with copious "hmps".

Shadowplane lore +14 to answer Doc's questions.

Itka follows Gleam into the room. After a quick glance, she calls back: "Hmp. Tell Narcela the pets seem to be fine."

When Gleam leads her to the chart, she peers intently. A combination of excitement and consternation swells in her chest as she realizes what he's communicating. "Hmp. Three taps. The Plane of Shadow. Are you saying we need to go there? Or that something came from there?" She gives Gleam a moment after each question to answer it, unsure as to whether it can understand her that precisely.

Shadowplane lore +14: Does Itka have any inkling yet as to what this connection could be about? Also, in case it comes up, Itka knows Shadowtongue.

Aw, boo. Paizo ate yesterday's post. Let's see if I remember...

"Hmp. Friendly to you, but he hasn't met us yet. Are you able to make an introduction?" Itka moves to the door, ready to open it. If no one objects, she calls through the door: "Hmp. Gleam? We're here to help your allies. Vilo here can vouch for us, though he's less *physical* than the last time you may have seen him." Then she opens the door and steps back, hoping this wasn't a dangerous mistake.

"Hmp. We're working our way through this place, looking for survivors and information to understand what happened. Reveka, Lumna, and Vilo are the only ones we've found so far, though Vilo is unfortunately a ghost at this point. Can't say we've found his body yet." Itka gives Vilo a quick glance that almost--almost--seems sympathetic. It's gone in a flash. "Hmp. So, Aslynn attacked, eh? I've survived some encounters with her before. She's a wily one. Do you know why she cared to attack here?"

Wow, Isaku: two Nat 20s in a row!

Itka leans closer, hunching nearly to half her full height, listening intently to the exchange. She's particularly interested to determine whether or not Lumna's voice sounds the same through the device as it did earlier. Hmp. Unless it's someone else.

Peering keenly at the objects, Itka agrees. "Hmp. Yes. Who's most likely to be up front? Seems like we all want to be farther back."

"Hmp. Indeed." Tagging onto Doc's technical explanation, Itka expounds briefly on the complex occult formulae that are utilized to derive the connection points between psychic targets. She curls her lip, contemptuously insistent on using the most complex vocabulary she can to prove her point.

Occultism: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29

And now she gets to the meat of what irritates her so. Noting Saban's butterfly pendant, Itka relates: "Hmp. I owe a life debt to the Desnans who helped me escape slavery in Nidal; I give you my word that our account is true. We've spoken with some of you already, on our way to help rid you of the hallucinations, headaches, and all the rest. And before we've even had a chance to clear the whole building of all its threats, you come to kill us?!" Her voice rises, a ragged cacophony like boulders grinding over pebbles and grit. She straightens her back, suddenly seeming to tower over everyone. "Hmp! Do you think killing the very people who are saving you and your children will solve your problems?! No! IF YOU STAND IN OUR WAY, they will get WORSE!! ... HMP!" With that, she hunches herself again, glaring at the audacity of the throng of ignorant fools.

Intimidation: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

"Hmp." Itka snorts derisively at Doc's definitely-not-sarcastic remark. "Hmp. We'll be ready for anything. Do you need anything else before we go down there?"

A bit of information rattles loose in Itka's skull. "Hmp. Are you related to a woman named Rozla?" She goes on to explain that she was part of a team that found Rozla's remains on an interplanar mission not too long ago. "Hmp. She deserved better than she got. I'm sorry for your loss." Her perpetual frown softens somewhat; she knows full well the weight of loss, despite coming to that knowledge on a different path.

"Hmp. They're good enough for some of us." Itka scoops up the moderate healing potions and greater antidotes, handing them off to whoever wants one. "Hmp. I can already see in the dark. Anyone else want the goggles?"

Thanks!

@GM: Can you please tell us what the red circle symbols on the map stand for? Thanks!

Eyes narrowed, Itka glances around quickly to determine the best item to cast Spirit Object on. Hmp. The box'll do. She gives the harpies a moment to choose the better part of valor and leave, though.

"She had to resort to... extreme measures to stay alive, and she needs to stay in her room at all times."

"Hmp. What sort of 'extreme measures'?" Itka's mind immediately goes to all the varieties of undeath, though Vilo does specifically state "stay alive". Hmmmp... "Hmp. What can you tell us about the marauders?"

We can walk and talk if others are amenable.