Misha Keroun's page

Congrats everyone. Just completing a PBP alone is quite the accomplishment. It's been a true pleasure.

Congrats on all the things you've done, Josef! I feel like I've accomplished much less, but there was at least a promotion in there, and the start of more freelance work.

Misha grips onto her hat as the wind from a thousand beating wings threatens to knock them all to the ground.

She looks around to be sure everyone is alright, and seeing that they are, she utters, "Is it really over? Really?" She looks around, fixing a look at everyone. "Well done all. Let's let this mountain sleep." She throws her arms wide and hugs any and all who will accept the gesture.

"I... we have report to make to the Pathfinder Society. A long one, which fortunately, I have documented I hope to their satisfaction." She holds up her journal.

"And then I have a sister to see, whom I dearly miss. But like half my family I am cursed with the worst thing possible, a lust for adventure. Should any of you ever want to join another expedition with me, you will be the top of my crew list. But as for this very moment..."

She drops her satchel and flops down backward onto the grass. "I am going to enjoy the feeling of the sun on my face."

Misha sees the blood seeping from the dragon's wounds, and while distracted for seemingly much too long by the sound of Therena's thudding and Rikar's cries of pain, she realizes the most expedient way to help everyone is help this thing die as quickly as possible.

She cries, "For Fiall, for Dain, for Bromen, and for all the Athan people!" and, pulling out her swords, charges at it from mid-air. She brings down the blades, but rather than slash at it, she lets her sonic form reverberate as she jabs at the dragon, attacking it with pure sound.

Swift action for arcane strike, free to maintain archeologist's luck, Initiate charge as full action. The attack I will use is sonic form's melee touch attack, which deals sound damage. I believe since it is a melee attack I can add other regular bonuses I can add to melee.

She is at a -2 to AC

Melee Touch Attack, good hope, sickened, charge, haste, archeologist's luck, alter self (+Str): 1d20 + 14 + 2 - 2 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 14 + 2 - 2 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 1 = 36

I don't know if that Touch AC is a typo or not, but I assume that still hits even if it is, since it's probably 2-something

Sonic Damage, archeologist's luck, arcane strike: 1d6 + 17 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 17 + 4 + 3 = 28

It DOES get an AOO, I believe, since I'm charging through it's threatened area. It will do half damage

Papa, is that with Telman's most recent shot? If so I may as well charge in and attack now. I will post when i get home as am about to get on the bus.

I've been waiting on the answer to my last post; if y'all have been waiting on me, that was not my intention.

Therena, yes, we are in agreement there--the problem is that your *actual* token appears to have been *actually moved* (away from Rikar, where you had fallen). I'm not sure if this is an error or, for example, DRB decided you DID fly away due to the force of the blow and conveniently landed next to Misha.

As I said, I don't think I can see Therena anyway, but it'd be good to be sure. DRB -- can we see Therena, and/or are you responsible for moving her token?

Or am I just going crazy?

If I can see Therena, and she really is where her token currently is on the board, I will float down and heal her, casting defensively if necessary.

If I cannot see Therena, I will delay until Rikar withdraws (presuming he will use message to tell the others he has safely gotten away) and then cast wall of sound to try to hem the dragon in for a second.

My sickness will be over the round after that, and then I can also help in melee if need be. In sonic form I take half damage--and eh, even if I get killed, may as well go out with a boom anyway.

(Boom. Sonic. Get it?)

Point of order -- did Therena's token move? I swear last time I looked at the map she was near Rikar, next to the cave wall (because she had just healed Rikar). But maybe I am going crazy.

I accidentally moved Misha (plotting out how far away Rikar was) and forgot to put her back while trying to figure out what to do.

When I went to put Misha back to her proper position, Therena is now adjacent to where Misha had been/is supposed to be.

Of course since Misha can't see Therena, the point is possibly moot, but now she is in a spot where Misha could heal her easily, where she wasn't before.

Want to confirm what's going on before proceeding further.

Oof, if you're invisible then Misha can't see either of you. Glitterdust is effective the turn it lands, and remains on the creature in the AOE when it is cast, but you can't get "dusted" after the casting.

I guess I'm drawing fire while Rikar runs for it then.

Well, or maybe I'll cast wall of sound to help hem it in. If Rikar moved away, I could delay and then try to wrap it in the wall of sound (although SR applies to that spell so there's a chance it'd ignore it anyway).

Tactics question -- I could move in and help tangle with the dragon while Rikar withdraws and takes a potion. In my sonic form I take half damage (but if I get hit he may still hurt me pretty bad, though I am okay with that, especially if that helps our heavy hitter get away to heal).

I could also move in and try to cast cure serious wounds on Rikar (and then move on there to figure out what to do with Therena), but I think I'm taking more risk that way--have to Acrobatics in, at half speed, and probably will still trip AOO, and then try to cast defensively.

What do y'all think?

Misha looks with alarm as Therena is batted to the other end of the cave like a rag doll. "You'll pay for that!"

Misha sees the woman is still breathing as she lands. She decides she will help her as soon as she can, but focuses on other tactics, as she does not want to heal the woman minorly only to expose her to another attack, or risk them both trying to carry her away without preparation.

Taking advantage of the air walk spell upon her, Misha walks higher into the air, a little further back (walk 15 feet "uphill").

She then casts sonic form upon herself, becoming an incorporeal dwarven Misha made of visible sound waves. 17 rounds

Maintaining archeologist's luck

DRB--for future reference, but I am not attempting this now--I have the spell shadow step which is an illusion spell that allows instantaneous travel (but it is not a conjuration/teleport spell). The target is "you." If I pick up an unconscious person, can I use the spell to transport both myself and the person? Or would it still only work on me?

Just a reminder message is up for communication

Is it safe to assume the Nameless Dragon has 20 feet of reach?

Misha runs to the other side of the cave where she can see past the dragons, and shouts, "It's time to make some noise!"

She casts ki shout at the dragon.

Caster Level check: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

The sonic cry targeting the dragon makes it past its mystic defenses, and bursts in its sizable ears. Sonic Damage, Fort DC 18 for half/not be stunned: 17d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 5, 2, 3, 3, 5, 2, 6, 5, 1, 5, 6, 5, 4, 5, 5) = 71

Move (hasted) to get line of sight, Standard to cast, free to maintain Archeologist's luck

Okay if haste is up I should have +1 to my AC

Glad you're back safe!

FYI I am about to go on the road for a few days. I expect to be able to check in on my phone, but may not be able to move my token. If I disappear, please bot me.

Telman, you should be able to see it since Misha illuminated it with glitterdust. Depending on conditions it might still have concealment (though I'm not sure how at -40 to Stealth) but still.

Reflex Save, Good Hope: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 18 + 2 = 35
I have improved evasion, so I still take only half damage (instead of none). Minus the fire resistance from Therena, that's 37 hp of damage. Resist fire protection now spent. Current HP now 133

Will Save I almost skipped past, good hope: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 13 + 2 = 20
Misha is sickened; this basically cancels the effect of good hope. Current HP now 111

Even Misha's quick mind struggles to keep up with all that's happened in just a few blinks of an eye--and even then all resources are immediately put to the effort of trying to roll underneath the worst of the flame tossed straight into the party's path.

She blinks at the giant gold dragon where Latys was a moment before. "Rikar, you holding back on us?"

And then she vomits as the unholy effect washes over her. Charming AND heroic as always, our Misha.

In spite of the sudden impediment, she shouts, "That's it, blow your load early, we're here to stay, and there's no hiding from us!"

She runs toward the northern edge of the cave and casts perhaps an unremarkable spell at their level--but one that will hopefully keep the inky dragon from melting into the shadows for long.

Swift Action, activate Archeologist's luck (+4 luck bonus to all rolls)
Move action - move 30 feet
Cast glitterdust centered on the area where she saw the Nameless Dragon appear.

Glitterdust ignores Spell Resistance. It automatically outlines the creature in the area of effect for the next 17 rounds with bright sparkly shiny dust that should make it quite visible. It gets a DC 15 Will save or is blinded (so don't roll a 1, DRB)

Have we been hasted? I assume no.

Misha uses her bonus scroll of cat's grace on Latys.

Adding to MY summary of protections is Therena's buffs: resistance 30 to fire, cold, electricity, and acid, and air walk. Not sure of the durations. Added the buffs to my profile and updated microstatblocks with key buffs

I would say prepare something other than resist energy in those slots.

I disagree--if the protections get eaten or dispelled, they may serve as a backup (unless there's something you'd rather prepare).

Thanks for all the support, Therena.

Protection from energy is nice in that it gives total immunity ...until it runs out, but that would take up a lot of spells, even for Therena. Resist energy gives resistance 30, and she can use the communal varieties to give to everybody and use multiple castings to protect them from the four main energy types.

All I mean is for us to have some kind of energy protection. Whatever works best for you is totally fine with me. I don't have the particular spells known (because there's always been several other characters who have it) or I'd cast it myself.

I've cast freedom of movement on myself and Rikar. If Therena can spare the spells for Latys and the others as I only have 2 4th level spells left (I lost one of my castings per day when giving up the tear). I presume our mystic theurge has more spells to cast than I do as a bard or I wouldn't ask.

Therena or Josef, will you please cast protection from energy on all of us?

If you haven't prepared it--it is morning, I expect there's still time to solidify your list. The party KNEW we'd be facing SOME kind of dragon so it would seem to be likely to be prepared.

Misha draws up in her mind a vision of a block of numbers and ability descriptions, but taking note of the arcane runes she pictures in her mind of "CR 7" says out loud, "No, that can't be right." She looks up to say, "I've heard tell of adventurers clearing out an ancient gold mine protected by a lichified gold dragon, but even as formidable as it was, we've faced far greater threats. Still, if the process was used on a more powerful dragon..."

"Anyway, I'd be prepared for powerful necromancy and spells and dragonness--you know, flight, nasty breath, so on. I'm really honestly not sure what to say that you yourselves don't know. If it's a spellcaster it could even dispel all the fancy wards we're putting up, but hopefully we're putting up enough it won't get through all of them."

DRB Misha is sharing what she knows out loud as she remembers, so there is no need to spoil. Everyone can read the spoiler, for whatever it's worth.

"If it's a dragon that is also a lich? I know we should turn around and go home," she said, "Except if others bring him out, all of Varisia could be in danger, and then some."

"Okay, you want to know what I know? Don't cast your quick burning protections yet..."

And Misha leans back and talks about whatever she knows about dracoliches or similar beings.

Spend one of my free "take 20s" on a Knowledge skill that I get with Loremaster on Knowledge Arcana - result 43

Misha lifts her mug as Telman does to Josef and Rikar. "Let's go kick some ass and solve some mysteries!" She declares, and finishes her ambrosia.

When everyone finishes, she dismisses the secure shelter -- "Glad I finally got to figure that spell out. That's handy."

When preparing the party right before they go through, she casts spells in order of how long they will last, with the shortest duration right before going through. In addition to casting the same ol' message as usual, she also casts the usual good hope.

She also, unusually, casts communal tongues. "I know that's weird, but if something starts cursing at us in an ancient language, I doubt we're going to have time to pause and translate."

On Rikar, she casts freedom of movement.

On herself, she casts freedom of movement, alter self to the form of a dwarf ("If only Krieg could be here with us!"), and heightened awareness.

She also pulls out the two scrolls of cat's grace and uses one on herself, and the other on the first volunteer who calls dibs.

She will use her potion of resist fire, but ONLY if the others do not have energy protection spells they cast on the party first, as theirs will have a better duration.

If she needs to pop death ward, it's the first thing she'll do after going through the portal.

Summary of Protections on Misha
Heroes' Feast (12 hours I think) 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 temporary hit points. +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves and a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against poison and fear effects for 12 hours.
freedom of movement (170 minutes) Allows normal movement even in spite of movement impeding magical effects, and subject auto-succeed to escape grapples/pins.
heightened awareness (170 minutes) Gain +2 competence to Perception and all trained Knowledge checks. If spell is already active, may dismiss this spell to gain +4 to Initiative.
Good Hope (17 minutes) Each affected creature gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. (this supersedes the bonus from heroes' feast, but doesn't last as long.
alter self (17 minutes) +2 Str and Darkvision
communal tongues (10 minutes to everyone including the kitty) - Understand all languages
cat's grace (3 minutes) +4 Enhancement to Dexterity
If I get this all right, she has the bonus HP, +2 Dex to AC, +2 to all Saves plus an additional +2 to Reflex and +2 vs poison and fear, +2 to Perception and Knowledge, +3 to attack and damage (good hope + alter self), +2 to all skill and ability checks plus an addition +2 to Perception and Knowledge (the morale and competence bonuses Stack). Will get this all updated in my microstatblock once other folks cast their buffs.

Yoiks, I didn’t mean to suggest anything of the kind. I was merely thinking of things that would be useful, several of which are spells that multiple party members can cast.

I'm sorry for coming off as gruff there.

I'm waiting for results of Therena's divination before picking spells to cast.

"I have a feeling we're past things as simple dragon colors here, though I could be wrong. But how many questions can you ask? And they must be yes or no questions, correct?"

Misha informs the party of the visions she sees, and as the party prepares to use the tears to open the portal (which I assume we have to do to to proceed, or head home), she shares the final passage from Fiall's journal as well. Read my spoilers

She casts secure shelter for the party to rest in, and when they awaken, she casts heroes' feast. "May be the last meal we eat, so eat up."

As Therena prepares her divination, she asks, "Is it the darkness that smites the dragon god?"

I'm waiting to see where we are going before casting any other spells. I will post in the game thread any spells I cast when buffing looks appropriate.

But while we are here, I'm also not going to burn all of my spells of a certain level just to buff one member of the party.

Misha SHOULD be ready to go. (Though I haven't put the heroes' feast into her stats yet). Had to do some recalculating on some gear oversights, and removing effects of the tear throughout.

She'll be wearing her ring of protection and her ring of spell storing. At this point, I'm not worried about stealth and disguise.

Do we get any equipment upgrades other than the stuff we found recently?

Took Slippery Mind for rogue talent and gang up for feat; skill points rounded out spellcraft, acrobatics, sense motive and a few other things. Bardic Knowledge boosted knowledges as well and Jack of All Trades at last turns Disable Device into a class skill. :)

I have leveled up, I have not yet fixed my mini statblock, will do that tomorrow (Monday) morning. Main sheet is updated.

Misha took heroes' feast so everyone can have a hot breakfast before the finale begins!

(You bring forth a great feast, including a magnificent table, chairs, service, and food and drink. The feast takes 1 hour to consume, and the beneficial effects do not set in until this hour is over. Every creature partaking of the feast is cured of all sickness and nausea, receives the benefits of both neutralize poison and remove disease, and gains 1d8 temporary hit points + 1 point per two caster levels (maximum +10) after imbibing the nectar-like beverage that is part of the feast. The ambrosial food grants each creature that partakes a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves and a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against poison and fear effects for 12 hours.

If the feast is interrupted for any reason, the spell is ruined and all effects of the spell are negated.)

DRB I got a note on my calendar to get it done by Sunday. No worries. Just have had a busy week.

I think that's fine, Therena. The Maximize Rod would be lovely to have to improve my sonic spells, but it's probably strategically better to be in the hands of Josef.

Papa, am I reading correctly that it's just assumed we go through the portal and start after we've proceeded through?

I will work on leveling Misha.

"I don't want to open the sarcophagus if it invites the vampire in, but perhaps given we still need to find some things before we finish this, we'd best see what's in the box."

Misha eyes it carefully for signs of trouble.

Check Box for Traps: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (7) + 27 = 34

I have really been impressed at how long this game has lasted and kept everyone engaged. I am especially grateful for DRB sticking with us through thick and thin, especially when I know his family obligations have increased.

At the same time I admit a bit of burnout and would be keen to move forward faster than slower. I remember waaaay back during recruitment that DRB was clear this was to be very basically one big dungeon crawl and knew what to expect, but at 15th level (which is usually the level you've hit by the end of a major AP) and 6 years later the same -- stealth, explore, kick in the door, fight, loot repeat has gotten rather samey for me, and I'd be keen to see this come to a proper conclusion, if at a fast forwarded pace, than have it fizzle out right at the end, which I think is the risk we take at the slower pace.

James Taylor, nice!

I'm also a bit on the run for a few days. Will try to post Thurs. Misha and I are kind of burned out on ideas, so will follow whatever the group wants to do.

Misha shrugs. "Well, we tried that with the vampire and seem to have managed to screw it up. Honestly, at this point I feel like we're doomed to bring on the end of the world rather than do any good here. I'm not even sure why I'm here anymore. Somehow the passion ends up being dampened when your thirst for knowledge could end up bringing about everybody's doom. I don't want to end up like my dad, abandoning everyone to a horrid fate because our curiosity got the better of us." She sighs. The light of discovery seems to have gone out of her eyes.

"Come on, let's tell the group what we've found, and then we can go poking at things with sticks."

If Telman agrees, she waves to the party to meet them, and tells them about the burial chamber with the strange metal box.

"If Therena is right about the vampire looking for a new home, I am assuming this sarcophagus is occupied," Misha comments to Telman. "I'm not sure what the box is, but I don't think anyone's messed with this since the fall of the city." She looks at him. "Should we call the others in before going any further?"

Papa, any clues as to who or what is buried there?

Misha wonders if the box is part of the chamber or a new addition.

Perception: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (13) + 27 = 40

PS-just pick a direction DRB. She's literally wandering around until she finds something. She is going to keep the party in sight.

Pixie Rogue, do you know the names of some of these published adventures? I'm curious.

The RAW refers to "its home coffin" singular. But the Bestiary I think removed some older edition fluff that clarified what the coffin was about so it's not very clear what qualifies.

The point is moot if the module specifically has something planned.

I'm just pissed I apparently forgot to replace the holy water I had in my inventory when I used the last bit up.

I've always understood vampires to work the way Rikar describes--the ""its coffin home" description means a specific coffin it calls home (the one it was buried in, presumably), and it is singular (not "one of its coffin homes"), and if it can't return to its coffin either because it is prevented within the 2 hours or that specific coffin itself no longer exists, it is destroyed in 2 hours. That it could go to any old coffin I figured was some shenanigany houserule or specific module thing and this was some sort of special fancy dancy vampire with special rules. I figured the vampire was done for but if it comes back to bite us in the ass... well, this game's gone on for 5 years. We gotta end it sometime.

"You know down here, who knows how things work?"

"How many coffins are there likely to be in an ancient Athan ruin? The nearest tomb that I am aware of," she adds loudly, "Is the one up in the mossy caves above, with the sealed door."

She shrugs. "Can't bother us for awhile anyway." Misha wanders around to do some exploring.

Perception: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (18) + 27 = 45

Scary! Glad he's okay.

Sonic Damage: 2d6 + 15 ⇒ (6, 1) + 15 = 22

Misha starts rattling off ideas. "Even better if we can keep it from its coffin... and find and destroy the coffin first. Anyone have wind magic? Could it be stuck in an air bubble? Josef! It was headed in the direction of that building, could you block access to it with a wall of force?"

Papa, since it takes a standard action to assume a gaseous form, and then it has a 20 foot move, the vampire has taken a standard and two move actions. Even if we are taken aback by the manifestation and wouldn't react immediately, we wouldn't just stand there and watch it move away, so we should be able to react before it moves completely away. Ergo...

Misha, seeing the dust coalesce and begin to fly up, casts a 20 foot high wall of sound in a 5 foot ring around the area where the gaseous form is moving, in hopes of making it rebound within the ring and take some damage. Yes it will fly over eventually but it will slow it down and it should take some damage. Wall of sound works like wind wall so should have an effect on gas.

In case this is a reflexive action... IDK, a Reflex save to act before it moves completely away?

Reflex?: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23

Misha blinks incredulously. "No one has any holy water on them?" She doublechecks her haversack, then rubs the back of her neck, embarrassed. "I thought I did but I must have used it up at some point when we were tomb raiding... and I'm kicking myself for not realizing. Why would anyone not carry holy water when you're walking around an ancient mountain-city-tomb?" She slaps her forehead with her palm, mad at herself as much as anything.

She looks at Joseph. "The vampire will come back to life if the stake is removed. Therena will need a full rest--say, 8 hours or so--before she can re-prepare any of her spells. If we can't dispatch it now, we need to sit around here guarding it for 8 hours so someone else doesn't yank the stake out, which is 8 hours Aogarn has to meditate on how to end the word. Maybe you'd better try your disintegrate... just target the creature, not the stake! Hold on, let me get those magic items first..."

As no one else has volunteered to do the decapitation yet, she pulls out one of her swords and hacks the creature's head off, and kicks the head well away from the group.

She bends over and carefully removes the rapier and bracers from the vampire, and then moves away.

"Yeah, if it's resisting magic and it's undead and staked through it's probably a vampire. Maybe they didn't have any way to finish it off -- you need to cut its head off and fill the neck with holy water, or expose it to direct sunlight. Or immerse it under running water, but that would require moving it. Therena, can you provide some holy water or shed some light on the subject, if you've a powerful enough lighting spell?" She shrugs. "Barring that, Josef you can try your disintegrate, but he may resist it."

Oh, and I guess Misha could Loremaster the creature. Result would be 26

"Never hurts to chop his head off. He's got a nice rapier and a nice set of bracers of armor. I don't think anything is trapped here, Aogarn's men must have dispatched him. But why they left him? Maybe that's the trap. "

"Hmm, let's see..." Misha checks signs for traps on the floor, walls, or ceiling. If something took this person by surprise it might be quite a wicked setup.

Perception, check for traps: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (2) + 27 = 29

If she finds nothing conventionally, she casts detect magic and takes a couple minutes to fully analyze any auras she sees.

"Well, that tracks with the Dragon Clan -- Aedhaine was its tribal shaman. They were the only Athans who believed their ancestral lore about this mountain and the dragons."

She looks around. "Let's search the area a little more... maybe we'll find an alternate route into the temple, or at least maybe some more information Aogarn doesn't have yet."