Riccar Singer's page

"This is sophisticated magic for simple combat training. This must be the remnant of a fairly advanced civilization, maybe Azlantian? I'm sure the society will want to explore this place for a better understanding of who built it, assuming we can find or fight our way out."

Riccar slips behind the dummies trying to find a way to disable them. He tries an occult strategy first, then some kind of manual dismissal.

Stride ◆ disable attempts ◆◆

Occultism (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Thievery (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Riccar steps up with the others, saying, "Ahem. I've had a bit of experience disabling traps and the like. Would you like me to try first?"

Riccar has a +4 on Thievery, if that is the skill used here. He's also got a +6 in occultism, if that is used.

Yes. I have a couple of versions, all with the requisite hats, goggles, gears, and devices. My wife makes most of her own clothes and accessories.

Saw the costume contest yesterday. Lots of very creative stuff.

Occultism (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

I will be at a Steampunk convention this coming weekend (Aug. 7-9). I should be able to make short posts, but probably will not unless it's holding things up. Riccar's dicebots are on his profile if there is a need to 'bot him. His usual routine is start with Courageous Anthem, finish with a telekinetic projectile if he can make a ranged attack. He fights with his battle lute otherwise.

"Might as well," Riccar adds. "Might be away around this mess."

"Rats always find a way into the dark, dank places."

Perception (E): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Riccar see what the others saw. He takes a minute to sing a Hymn of Healing for himself. After he's rested he can do the same for another.

"One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a rat in a cage. Better still, kill the dirty rats before they kill you!"

Riccar improvises an inspiring quote and then uses magic to cause a chunk of debris to fly at the rat most damaged by Magnus' acid.

◆ Courageous Anthem
◆◆ Telekinetic Projectile

Spell Attack, TK projectile: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
TK Damage, B: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5

Riccar ponders his repertoire of sea shanties and sings a refrain the hopes will inspire those fighting this hag.

"So roll her up, boys, and aim for the eye!
Send the harpoon where the black waters lie!
We'll dance on the ribs of the beast 'fore we die,,
Down in the deep blue sea!"

◆ Courageous Anthem for the usual bonuses.

◆ Recall knowledge, trying to remember if sea hags are susceptible to a particular metal, as many fey are. Society (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Not recalling anything, he casts a shield cantrip ◆ to better defend against her magic.

Riccar healed his wounds from last battle. He should be at full hp.

Riccar adds, "We mean you no harm if you are peaceful as well. We are just looking for a way out of this place. We fell into a cave-in a while back." He gives her a gleaming smile, although he suspects what she finds attractive may not be what most human's admire, which is more often than not, his handsome features.

Riccar strums his lute and adjusts the strings that went out of tune while the instrument was being used to hit monsters. Then he sings a soothing song about the wonders of life's healing blessings. As he sings, his wounds heal.

Focus Spell Hymn of Healing gives Fast Healing 2 for 4 rounds which should bring back 8 hp. After ten minutes to recover the focus point, he can do it again for someone else if needed.

Riccar wipes the blood from his wound which stops bleeding. He calls out another inspirational quip, "The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle!" ◆ Courageous Anthem cantrip for +1 status bonus to attacks, damage, and saves vs fear.

Riccar then cantrips another rock at the remaining slasher-fly.

Spell Attack, TK projectile, CA: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 = 10
TK Damage, B, CA: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1) + 1 = 3
◆ Telekinetic projectile

DC 15 Flat Check: 1d20 ⇒ 18
"I've always been a fast healer."

"Life is like a giant bow and arrow. It pulls you backwards only to make you fly forward. The key is to let it aim you at the right things," Riccar says with sage overtones that somehow turn a somewhat trite aphorism into battle inspiration. ◆ Courageous Anthem cantrip. Usual +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects.

Then he casts an eye toward a rock on the ground and uses another cantrip to send it at the nearest flier. ◆◆ Telekinetic Projectile. Target = Blue

Spell Attack, CA: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17
Telekinetic Projectile, B, CA: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3) + 1 = 7

The idea of take 20 was just a shorthand way of saying we are repeating the check again and again until we've succeeded, by effectively eventually rolling high enough to make the DC. With that in mind, could we all make another perception check, since we have something we are looking for, the source of the smell?

If we have time, may we take 20 on the perception roll?

Perception (E): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Riccar sniffs the air but can't locate the source of the rotten smell.

"As a wise woman once said, 'It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.'" Then he adds, "Of course, once you've lit that candle you can feel free to curse the darkness as much as you want, if it makes you feel better or braver."

Riccar advances to the skeleton in the northwest corner. Purple robe
◆ Stride

And bonks him with his lute.
◆ Strike

Battle Lute (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
damage B, 2 hand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Riccar shouts out encouraging words, "Don't give up. Don't give in. Wake up, release your warrior and tell your demons, 'Not today! Let's dance!"
◆ Courageous Anthem, +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects.

Then he steps forward and practices what he preaches, striking at the facing off with Ragnar. Green/smelly breath

◆ Stride ◆ Strike
Battle Lute (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Use a hero point to reroll that.
Battle Lute (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
damage B, 2 hand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Riccar stands with lute in hand, ready to back up his mustelid ally as he listens.

Occultism (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Riccar looks through the area with the others. He's amused by the wash basin but doesn't have any insights as to how it works.

So any of the characters playing in this adventure could continue on.

Riccar starts with an inspiring quip. "Cowards shrink from challenges, weaklings flee from them, but warriors wink at them."

◆ Courageous Anthem: Riccar and all allies in the area gain a +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects. Range 60 feet. Duration, until the start of Riccar's next turn.

Then he sends a sling bullet at the one to the south for which he has a clear shot. Blue

◆ Strike.
Sling (T), CA: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 1 = 25
damage B, CA: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

His aim is good, his placement not the best. He puts another bullet in his sling pouch.

◆ Reload.

Since Riccar is ahead of Smokey in the initiative, Smokey ought to benefit from the courageous anthem.

Riccar studies the various mechanisms and runes, trying to make sense of it using his knowledge of the occult.

Occultism (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

He concludes, "There's a magical crystal at the heart of this, but it's fractured. If whole it could hold more light-based magic and power. Gnomes are clever with such things. Let's see if we can get it going."

The others seem to have made progress repairing the machine. Riccar gets out his special tools and helps with the delicate parts.

Thievery (T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

I have three 2nd level PCs right now: An automaton gunslinger, a human changeling witch, and a Rogue with Bard multiclass. I'd be willing to play any of them.

Ret-con: Riccar appeared to be shoved back from the shadow area, after which he staggered a little. He recovers from his vertigo and explains that the darkness seemed to spit him back out. "Might be magic of the umbral gnomes. Best we see if we can find a way out that doesn't involve that area."

Society (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Riccar strolls down to recover his sling bullet if he can. He takes a look at the deceased ones. "Gnomes. I've heard they form underground clans and can see in the dark. I'm not sure if they're inclined to evil, but attacking first suggests they may be."

Then he waits for healing to be over and says, "Cover me. I'm going to see what's up with this dark area." He holds his main-gauche with the light spell on it and leans in so his head and the weapon are in the dark area.

He withdraws and says, "Must be magical darkness. My spell doesn't illuminate what's beyond."

Then he strolls back to the south end where the doors are. "Let's rest a bit and get healthy again before we move on." He tunes his lute and strums and plucks out some soft, gentle music.

Riccar starts singing a stirring anthem often sung in battle.
"♫ Save your tears, for the day
♪ when the pain is far behind.
♫ On your feet, come with me.
♪ We are soldiers stand or die."

Courageous Anthem: Riccar and all allies in the area gain a +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects. Range 60 feet.

Then he sends a sling bullet in the enemies' general direction and reloads his sling.

Sling (T), courageous anthem: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9
damage B, courageous anthem: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

◆ Courageous Anthem
◆ strike
◆ reload

"The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

Riccar's words empower everyone to fight a little harder.
◆ Courageous Anthem: You inspire yourself and your allies with words or tunes of encouragement. You and all allies in the area gain a +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects.

Since others had further illuminated the cavity, Riccar drops his main-gauche and swings his battle lute with both hands at the nearest creepy crawler.

◆ Strike
Battle Lute (T), CA: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 1 = 22
damage B, 2 hand, CA: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 1 = 9

If that doesn't do it in, he will swing again. Otherwise, he'll move toward the other. ◆ Strike or Stride

Battle Lute (T), MAP1, CA: 1d20 + 4 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 5 + 1 = 1

Just before the centipedes wriggle through, Riccar says, softly, ""Try not to make any loud noises. This ceiling could collapse if anything vibrates a keystone loose.

Riccar picked himself up, concentrated a moment, and light glowed from the business end of his main-gauche, a kind of parrying dagger. "I suspect everything down here has been forgotten, books included. "

As the old man of the group, a spry 49, with a salting of grey in his jet black hair and beard, Riccar has taken a somewhat fatherly attitude toward the young folks, although he clearly is not father to any in this lot. As they had traveled, he regaled the youngsters with stories from his adventures, perhaps giving the impression he was an experienced adventurer, but in fact he was as new to exploring dangerous places as they were. His adventures had always been with Varisian entertainment caravans which always had plenty of fighter types to deal with threats. He was experienced with bar room brawls and romantic escapades, but none of that was really dangerous. He had joined the Pathfinders after three adult daughters he didn't know he had tracked him down and confronted him for his neglect of their upbringing and shamed him into joining the Pathfinders.

He collected his lute, starknife, sling and a few throwing knives. He stood looking around the room. "Well, you were all hot for adventure. Looks like we've fallen into one headfirst. Let's see if we can find a way out."

Riccar is a new PFS character. This will be his first adventure.

I'm adding some background story to his profile which anyone is free to read, once I finish it.

Riccar Singer ready for the adventure. He'll take a minor healing potion.

Will there be a PFS chronicle at the end of this?