Radu.'s page

Chronicle looks good to me.

Thanks everyone and thanks for running, I really liked all the extra descriptive detail, really helped bring the scenario to life.

"Oh, I don't think they will see their remains being taken care of by a follower of Pharasma as a kindness..." replies Radu "They appear to be followers of Orcus, a demon lord of the undead and I intend to make very sure that there is no chance of them coming back and that there souls are sent to the Lady of Graves for appropriate judgement."

"I don't recall there being any other unexplored passages, so I guess we just need to head back and report what we have found." suggests Radu "We should also return that poor halfling and ensure he has a proper funeral."

"As for these..." says the Pharasman, pointing at the remains of the cultists "...despite their clearly vile beliefs, we should also ensure that their remains are treated with respect.'

Radu, don't forget your boon roll

Oops, I definitely don’t want to forget that.

Radu also takes a look at the ring.
spellcraft + guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 1 = 20

”I think it may actually be a ring of qlippoth summoning affinity.” suggests the Varisian ”They can sometimes have features similar to a ring of feather falling, but this one definitely looks to be the former.”

Radu is able to use slight of hand for his day job.

day job (slight of hand): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

I’ll use my reroll on that and take 10

day job reroll (slight of hand) + GM stars: 10 + 12 + 4 = 26 (50 gold)

After checking the qlippoths body and once everyone else is ready to move on, Radu will sneak forward to investigate the far end of the larger cave.

sneak: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19
perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22

Radu thanks the little archon for its help (and asks it to cast aid on 4 more party members before it leaves) and then checks around to see if the qlippoth had anything of interest in its possession.

perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35

Ah, that would make sense. I spotted that there were separate damage roles for ‘Damage’ and ‘Acid’ when it was biting people, so assumed the ‘Damage’ was physical damage from the bite rather than more acid. But, yeah, if it was just more acid DR wouldn’t help.

Does Dimak have DR. I was just wondering if that would reduce the damage he has taken?

As Radu finishes reading from the scroll, tiny glowing letters of celestial script start popping into existence in the acidic cloud behind Patros, twinkling in the fog like many tiny stars. They begin to coalesce, the light from them intensifying, and from the centre of this glowing mass burst forth a small, brightly glowing, celestial being.

The Varisian nods in the direction of the lantern archon requesting that it give it’s magical aid to Patros, before joining the rest of the party. He then steps towards one of his injured allies and provides further healing.

Radu will summon the archon into the cloud directly behind Patros (It should avoid the acid damage as that happens on the qlippoth’s turn). He will ask it to cast Aid on Patros and then fly over the qlippoth (going high enough to avoid AoOs) and join the rest of the party, hovering just above Shamus. (Most of the Aid bonuses don’t stack with bless but it will give Patros d8+3 temp hit points).

temp hit points for Patros: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

I believe the qlippoth will also need to save vs the archons Aura of Menace (DC13 will save).

Radu will then use his last blessing to cast empowered cure light wounds on one of his wounded allies (taking a step if necessary). (Jaakko mentioned he was moving away from the qlipoth to reload, was that a 5 foot step? If it was he will heal Jaakko if it was further he will heal Dimak).

empowered clw: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7= 10 hp due to empowered

(As Summon Monster takes a full round to cast, Radu doesn’t get a move action this round as it’s required to complete the spell).

@Patros - I think you might have missed your parry repost roll this round (unless that was deliberate?)

How high is the ceiling in this cave?

Radu reaches into his haversack and pulls out the scroll that the party discovered earlier using it to summon some celestial aid.

Radu will pull out the scroll of Summon Monster III, which the party found previously and start to summon a lantern archon using it (they can make useful pseudo healers using the Aid spell and would also likely be very happy to aid us against a qlippoth!). He will additionally take a 5 foot step.

a question..am I allowed to use parry/riposte when nauseated? if so, can I roll for the last attack? i'll move as well for my turn...

As per my question in the Discussion tab I'm not sure you are nauseated this round, which may well change things if I'm understanding things correctly. I believe you can still 5 foot step while nauseated as it's not a type of action, so either way you should be ok not to provoke as a result of your movement if I've understood that correctly as well.

Should the nausea have ended at the start of the creatures last turn, so Patros can now parry etc? As the nausea happened on the creatures turn in the surprise round and since then it has had three additional rounds of activity (moving and either attacking or creating the cloud) with the original nausea being for 3 rounds?

Fantastic. Thinking about things like healing, we probably also need to coordinate a bit in terms of where we all stand, as this cave has the potential for things to get a bit congested due to its size, which can make things a bit tricky in terms of safely delivering touch spells like cure spells. But I think it should be ok if we are coordinated about it.

While we are waiting for the creature to come out of the cloud, does anyone have any buffs or healing they can apply to the party? I’m thinking especially about things like healing for our melee fighters who have been taking damage in the cloud for a few rounds?

Radu. wrote:

"It looked like it may have spotted us when we snuck in, so I'm not sure how viable hiding will be. notes the Varisian.

If it doesn't have line of sight to someone, they can attempt to hide.

Absolutely. It was more to note that when the party moved into the original cave we tried to sneak and it still spotted us.

Out of interest, who has the potions and scroll we found earlier? I assumed I'd taken the scroll as I think I'm the only one who can cast it, but who had the healing potions etc...

Radu places a hand on Patros, focuses and then channels healing energy into the Taldan (casts Cure Light Wounds empowered via his Powerful Healer blessing).

empowered clw: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 = 10 hp due to empowered

He then moves further back into the cave.

"It looked like it may have spotted us when we snuck in, so I'm not sure how viable hiding will be. notes the Varisian "It looks like Patros and Dimak are starting to feel better, so I think anything we can do to help them smash it would be good."

Minute/level spells will definitely still be in effect. I'm guessing that fog cloud has only a rounds/level duration. 10 rounds is only 1 minute.

Unfortunately for communal align weapon the time is split between targets so it was a CL5 spell split between 5 targets so it would only last one minute per target and divine favour also only lasts a minute no matter what the CL is.

"If I remember correctly you mentioned it's immune to acid, so I think there is a good chance it will just chase us through the cloud and fight us here." replies Radue. "So we could prepare to fight it here or pull back out of this unstable bit of the cave. We'll probably need to get our front liners fixed up after they get out of the acid, and I don't suppose anyone is able to give acid resistance as that looks like it may be a help? Incidentally I can see through fog, so I'll be able to shout if I see it coming this way."

One thing to bear in mind if it doesn't follow us is that we've got a few minute long buffs up which we would loose if we wait (e.g. divine favour and align weapon).

Radu pulls back beyond the cloud. ”Remember to be careful of collapses back here.”

If anyone is still nauseated after any potential re-rolls have been resolved, I’d be able to help them with the stillgut if they delay until after my go, as I think I’m the only person who would be able to draw and administer it in a single round.

If whoever is using the stillgut wants to delay, I can feed it to them on my turn so that they can then potentially get their full round action if they pass the save. Although as mentioned in the discussion, there is also the option of using your once per game re-roll on the original save which may avoid the need to use the stillgut altogether (which would have the advantage of allowing everyone to move out of the acid quicker if it works).

Just to clarify on the stillgut, unlike most alchemicals it specifies that it can be used as a move action if the user is nauseated, so that a nauseated person can use it on themselves.

That said the process may be quicker if someone else helps, what would be needed to help someone drink it?

Thinking about the nausea, one other potential option in addition to the medicine is tshirt/folio rerolls if you have them.

As there was nothing in the knowledge checks made by Shamus and Las Lajas that would have any impact on weapon choice, Radu will have aligned the preferred weapon of everyone he cast the spell on (based on what they have used so far, unless they tell him otherwise).

That's an interesting one. It specifies that it gives the +5 alchemical bonus to Fort saves vs nausea and sickness, but when it talks about the reroll it just say it gives you a second save if you are nauseated, without any text specifying a Fort save. We'd probably need a GM call on whether it would work or not.

As the Surprise round is already done, I can offer a compromise to address this. If Patros agrees, Radu may switch places with Patros, just behind him instead of front of him, as if he was just in the process of going ahead once the group had entered the cave. Would that work for you both?

Thanks. Yes, that works for me.

confirmed.

Fantastic. Thanks.

will save (+2 vs illusion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Listening what Shamus knows about the creature, Radu pulls out a scroll, stepping to the side as he reads from it and then touches the weapons of his adjacent allies (Patros, Dimak and Jaakko) along with a couple of his own weapons causing them to glow with a lawful aura.

Radu will use a scroll of communal align weapon on one weapon (or set of ammunition) for Patros, Dimak and Jaakko as well as a couple of his own weapons making each lawful for the next minute. I'll wait for the information that Las knows to say exactly which ones, just in case that has an impact on his choice.

"If that thing is making you feal ill I've got a vial of stillgut here which will help sort you out, feel free to take it." he says pointing at the location of the vial.
(It can be used as a move action and gives you a reroll vs nausea, which is super useful as nauseated is a horrible condition and definitely something worth getting a reroll against!)

Ah, I think there may have been a bit of confusion in that case. The perception roll was because you had said everyone could make a perception roll as part of the round of action while the party moved into the big cave. It definitely wasn’t intended as a roll in advance for investigating the steps as he would also have used stealth as part of that. Essentially Radu was going to wait until the party had moved further into the cave before investigating the steps as he didn’t want to get to far ahead of everyone and had already scouted the current end of the cave. In the post he was just verbally letting the party know that was his plan.

It looks like my token has been moved to the front of the group, but I hadn’t planned on moving further forward than I was until the party had had a chance to move a bit further into this cave and look around.

We need to cover ourselves in mud, that way it can't see us!

"I'm happy to sneak over and check out those steps at the far end once were all set up in this cave." whispers Radu

perception (+2 vs devils): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33

Not spotting any threats in the cave Radu sneaks back to the rest of the party.

”It looks like the coast is clear in there. There are a set of steps leading up at the far end, I can go and check them out once everyone has had a chance to move into the big cave. It’s probably worth keeping quiet just in case there is anything further up those stairs.” he whispers.

stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21

The Varisian carefully continues his stealthy advance into the large cavern, continuing to use the large crystals as cover.

stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22
perception (+2 vs devils): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32

Once the rest of the party have had a chance to move into the unstable cave behind him, Radu creeps cautiously forward into the southern cave with the massive glowing crystals. Using the crystalline structures to try and hide his movement, he keeps an eye out for potential dangers as he progresses.

stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35
perception (+2 vs devils): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27

"Careful in here everyone." Radu whispers "This area seems quite unstable." he then sneaks a little further forward to check for any threats in the hall to the south.

stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20
perception (+2 vs devils): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27

”If it’s better than your current cloak, then I think it would make sense for you to use it.” agrees Radu. ”…and given how potent that pearl is, it would probably make sense for Shamus to take that, as I think I’m the only other person who can use it, but my spell casting is more limited.”

Once the party looks ready to move on, Radu leads them to explore the unexplored area to the north, scouting ahead as usual.

stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23
perception (+2 vs devils): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33

"The one place I can think of that we've not yet explored is the area beyond the cave with the Black Pudding... So we should probably head back up there." suggests Radu. "Let me know when you are all ready to go and I can scout ahead."

Map updated.

There IS another chamber to the right. Assuming you want to check things closer first I'll use that roll for that immediate area.

I managed to completely miss that. Yes, that would definitely make more sense!

Radu is happy to help with healing wands as both CLW and infernal healing are on his spell list.

Radu picks up his daggers and walks over to the torso. Kneeling down he tidies it up as best he can, whispering prayers to Pharasma as he does. "I'm guessing this may be poor cousin Gel... we should take him back for a proper funeral once we are done here."

"Is that pearl of power useful to anyone else? I know I could use it but I already have one of my own." adds the Varisian pulling out his own pearl and using it to recall the spell he had cast in the previous fight.

"Once everyone is ready we should move on. I seem to be doing a terrible job as a scout, both of the last two creatures we've encountered have managed to spot us before I spotted them, but hopeful I can reprieve myself and give us some warning if we run into anything else down here!"

Radu will wait until everyone is ready to leave and then lead the party back north to the one entrance which we have not yet explored. He will continue to scout ahead and keep an eye out for dangers.

stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30
perception (+2 vs devils): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26

Great, thanks. Grappling always makes things more complicated so I wanted to check I wasn't getting myself confused!

I also remembered the other thing I wanted to check, which was did Jaakko's last shot hit as I think it may have been missed in the damage total, but I wasn't sure?

Patros would have the option to try to parry as many of the incoming attacks as he has attacks of opportunity, so long as he has enough panache to do that. He can then choose to use an immediate action on any one of the attacks he parries to riposte. It wouldn’t necessarily need to be the first attack parried.

That said, I just realised that as Patros is riposting he wouldn’t be able to benefit from liberating command as that needs an immediate action.

Thinking about the grapple, would I be correct in assuming that the monster is releasing victims after grabbing them? I assumed it was, in order to avoid getting the grappled condition itself (along with the associated penalties and inability to attack of opportunity), but it occurred to me that may not necessarily be the case.

Radu watches as the creature unleashes it's barrage of tentacles against his allies. As it attempts to grab them, he calls on Pharasma to help guide their escape.

If Patros is grabbed by one of those attacks, Radu will use liberating command as an immediate action to allow him an Escape Artist check with an additional +10 bonus to escape the grapple and avoid the constrict damage.

He then drops the wand he was holding and rapidly draws a couple of his cold iron daggers which he throws as the grabby abomination.

cold iron dagger (main hand) + PBS: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 1 = 15
P/S damage + PBS: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 = 6
cold iron dagger (off hand) + PBS: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 1 = 19
P/S damage + PBS: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Radu will use lucky number to reroll the first attack:
cold iron dagger (main hand) + PBS: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 1 = 20

After attacking he then steps further into the cave.

Radu. wrote:

Radu will retrieve the wand of protection from evil stored in one of his speed sheaths and use it on Dimak as he moves next to him.

Wait. Does this mean as long as I do not attack the monster it cannot hurt me with its natural attacks? :-D

Let me try something...

If it's both evil and has been summoned it wouldn't be able to attack you with natural attacks.

Thinking back to the conversation that the party had had with the nice old halfling lady with the colourful shawl, Radu recalls her tale of an 'octopus creature' apparently ensorcelling her cousin. Concerned that this may be the same 'octopus creature' and that it may try a similar trick, the Varisian bends his wrist and a wand slides out of his sleave and into his hand. Moving next to Dimak, he then uses the wand to cast a protective spell on the big dwarf.

Radu will retrieve the wand of protection from evil stored in one of his speed sheaths and use it on Dimak as he moves next to him.

sorry had to run and missed updating the map. if jaakko wants to retcon his movement, he can.

Did Jaakko’s token get moved accidentally? Patros posted that he was moving but it looks like Jaakko’s token got moved and Patros’ one stayed were it was.

Spotting the creature, Radu realises he is in an extremally dangerous situation. While the monster may not have spotted him, it is clearly aware of the rest of the party and he is standing right in its path. He desperately look around for alternative hiding places, but sees that none are available, leaving him with only one real option, retreat...

He falls back to the rest of the party, gesticulating that something dangerous is approaching from around the corner.

"I think we may have found that octopus monster." he whispers once he gets back to the group.