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Hey all, I am still around. My wife has had some health issues and I have been taking care of her. I will be on the boards soon. Thanks for the patience.

Hey all, I am still around. My wife has had some health issues and I have been taking care of her. I will be on the boards soon. Thanks for the patience.

Hey all, I am still around. My wife has had some health issues and I have been taking care of her. I will be on the boards soon. Thanks for the patience.

The creature is a manticore. It has scent and darkvision. Its normal attack routine is claws and bite. It can also throw a volley of spikes from its tail. They are known to be lawful evil.

Moira can tell the creatures are bring truthful about their mistreatment. However, the phrase "kind dwarves" did roll off their tongues with some disdain.

"Yep," agrees Moira, as she quickly checks for anything useful on the giants. Mainly looking for potions/consumables, don't want the weapons or armor.

None found.

The party moves west through the doors. A huge square iron cage fills most of this circular chamber, with several crates, chests, statues, paintings, and other art objects crammed between the cage and the walls of the room. Inside the cage, a large piece of furniture sits under a cloth drapery of some sort. The cage has no doors, but you do see a thick chain attached to a pulley near the doors that you think may raise the cage if enough strength is applied.

You sense movement in the cage and suddenly two creatures, a male and female, appear from the back of the cage. Each creature has a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, the wings of a dragon, and its tail ends in long, sharp spikes. Both of the creature's wings have been clipped. The male creature speaks first, "Kind dwarves, please free us. We are the prisoners of an evil giant who starves and mistreats us. Please save us from this mistreatment."

Cage Room Map

Knowledge Arcana trained checks allowed to identify the creatures.

I am out of town until Sunday night on work assignment. I will update then.

I am out of town until Sunday night on work assignment. I will update then.

I am out of town until Sunday night on work assignment. I will update then.

Moira's blow finishes the female giant. Combat over. From this room, there are double doors leading S and double doors leading W, further in.

Quote:

I normally do let wizards swap it out, but the SRD entry on the exploiter wizard states an exploiter wizard forgoes the tried and true methods of arcane focus and arcane schools. So to give them free spell focus would not make sense, so no, unfortunately. :)

Interesting! I always thought that was referring to trading away arcane bond and arcane school, which is all the archetype explicitly trades away. Is your take that exploiters can't take spell focus in general or that it doesn't make as much flavor sense for them to trade scribe scroll for spell focus as it would for other wizards?

The second one. You can take spell focus as a feat if you wish.

Treasure (asterisk = magical):
Wenduag: *potions (2), *wand; mwk chain shirt, club, +1 longbow with 10 arrows, obsidian unholy symbol of Baphomet, 34 gp.
Hosilla: *potion, *potion, *wand, alchemist’s fire (2), tanglefoot bag; chain shirt, +1 glaive, antitoxin, bejeweled book of prayers devoted to Baphomet, lockbox key, 32 gp.
Uziel: MW shortsword, studded leather armor.
Cultists: *potions (2), scrolls (2) of cause fear, comprehend languages; 2 vials of unholy water; MW glaives (2), mwk chain shirts (2), daggers (2), spell component pouches (2), unholy symbols (2), 20 gp.

Trok: They're both pretty good rage powers! Surprise accuracy definitely doesn't have the AC drawback and it does serve as a pre-req for some stuff. But reckless abandon is a bit better, imo, for three reasons:

1. It doesn't take your swift action every round you want to use it.

2. It's a typeless bonus to attack so it will stack with everything (including surprise accuracy!), which is good in case you start getting morale bonuses to hit from somewhere, like the good hope spell.

3. The AC penalty usually isn't that important for a barbarian, for whom AC usually isn't the main defense anyway.

But it'll depend your play style! If you really don't like getting hit, then surprise accuracy may be better.

GM: Thanks on the HP! I've added a google doc link in my Severa profile where I can track campaign-specific rules. So far, it's 90% just copied from the first recruitment post. I asked before and I'm sorry if I missed it, but do you allow wizards to swap out scribe scroll for spell focus? That's the Pathfinder Society norm but I didn't want to assume you were ok with that without asking.

I normally do let wizards swap it out, but the SRD entry on the exploiter wizard states an exploiter wizard forgoes the tried and true methods of arcane focus and arcane schools. So to give them free spell focus would not make sense, so no, unfortunately. :)

1/2HD+1 for hit points.

The party of dwarves tear into the giants.
Moira's AoO hits but her shield attack misses.
Uldruk's longhammer hits.
Stigmar's acid splash hits.
Both of Rhen's attacks hit, and with the second once, his waraxe pierces the giant's skill killing it!
Male Giant: 25+6+31+22+6=90 damage = dead giant!
Female Giant: 39+19+17+2=77 damage.

Angered and severely wounded, the female giant takes her fury out on Moira trying to cleave the party!
1st Power Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32...threat
2nd Power attack on Uldruk: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12...miss!
Confirmation: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22...no confirmation
Damage to Moira: 2d8 + 16 ⇒ (5, 3) + 16 = 24

Party is up!

Everyone gets +3 hit and +3 damage on weapon attacks.
Rhen does 25 damage to the male giant.
Moira does 39 damage and the female giant falls prone.
Stigmar's acid arrow does 6 damage.

Round 1: Giants
The giant screams in pain as the dwarf's waraxe buries itself in his shin. He swings his greatclub down at Rhen, but the dwarf's training allows him to sidestep the attack!
Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24...miss!

The female giant gets up.
Moira get AoO with +4 hit.

The female giant then takes a swing at Moira, but misses poorly.
Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15...miss!

After Moira's AoO, party is up in Round 2.

You bust into the room to see 2 hill giants (one male and one female) chatting. "What...!"

Initiative:
Hill Giants: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5
Moira: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Rhen: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Stigmar: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Uldruk: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Party is up first!

Combat Map

Stigmar listens at the door for 2-3 minutes and hears two giants talking in their native tongue about the orcs' stupid gladiatorial match with the captured dwarf and how they're bored hanging out in this keep. They also mention something about staying away from the haunted chapel - that place gives them the creeps. Go in?

Moira, you can discern 2-3 giants' tracks. You enter the keep and find yourself in a corridor. There are double doors to the south and a passageway east ending in double doors. Which way?

Darn. Good luck all.

The imgbb site is down. I uploaded the map on another site.

I get it, your interpretation was reasonable. But her life not meaning anymore was meant in a "I don't care if I die, but I'm finishing the mission" kind of way. It's hard to tell tone in text. Still, no harm done, and you saw that she will stand up for herself even before hardened mercs. :)

[dice=Survival]1d20+6 +2 to track giants.

Moira seems to have a clue about the tracks.

You definitely find hill giant tracks heading into the keep.

cross the courtyard (as long as the dwarf fighting the bear is still ok)

By the turning of the cheers to boos, it sounds like the dwarf is winning. You cross across the courtyard on the ramparts, pass through two empty guard posts, and reach the barracks at the base of the bell tower. Several decrepit bunks rot in this neglected room. The tracks of numerous footprints have cleared a visible path between the room’s three doors in the thick layer of dust coating the floor. You find a spiral staircase to the west that leads up to the bell tower, which you last saw unmanned. You can go south through a door that leads into a fortified keep built into the southwestern corner of Redlake Fort. Or you can backtrack to one of the guard posts and take stairs to the ground level. Which way?

I just saw this - going to apply with a dwarven diviner wizard. He will be a knowledge guru, specializing in area of effect spells (fireball, etc.), and buffing party members with Diviner's Fortune 10/day. He will join the Champion's games as in his studies he discovered that it has been prophesized that he join and save the world. Will work on more details.

You continue west into a guardroom that offers a splendid vantage of the surrounding countryside. A set stairs in the guardroom leads down to the base of this guard tower. From here you can cross the courtyard or you can go downstairs. Apologies, I did not see the map clearly and there is a wall that prevents you from going further west.

I am still around all, just traveling for business this week. I will update thread tomorrow.

I am still around all, just traveling for business this week. I will update thread tomorrow.

I am still around all, just traveling for business this week. I will update thread tomorrow.

Rhen buries the axe in the ogrekin's forehead, killing it instantly!
Combat over.

On these 2 ogrekin, you find 2 ogre hooks, 24 arrows, and 2 composite longbows (+6 Str).

If you stay on the ramparts, you can go west or head north to cross across the courtyard. Stigmar sees no other threats on any other ramparts. Which way?

I will update thread tonight.

Uldruk inspired.
With the +3 hit, Moira's miss turns to a hit, dealing devastating damage!
Stigmar's acid splash land.
Rhen moves up and drops the half-ogre wounded by Moira with a waraxe to the chest.

Round 1: Ogrekin
The sole remaining ogrekin screams in anger at the death of its brother and brings its ogre hook down on Rhen, clipping him on the side with a decent blow!
Hit: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Damage: 1d10 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Party is up! Too lazy to update map since only 1 enemy left. :)

The party of dwarves moves through a couple of rooms and structures as they move onto the ramparts to move to the other side of the fort. Neither side is surprised when the door to the guard tower some 45' away opens and 2 patrolling deformed ogre-kin meet eyes with the party! Growls from the half-ogres makes it clear that no parlay will be accepted.

Initiative:
Half-Ogres: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Moira: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Rhen: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Stigmar: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Uldruk: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Round 1: Ogre-kin
While the half-ogres have ogre hooks hanging at their belt, they prefer to use their composite longbows! Since they do not see Moira, they shoot Rhen and Uldruk. They growl in disgust as they miss, drop their bows and pull their ogre hooks out. "Come on, ya little runts!"

Attack at Rhen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10...miss!
Attack at Uldruk: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19...since they count as giants, with +4 from dwarf training, that is a miss!

Party is up! There are 2 enemies - 1 green, 1 plain. Map is updated. I couldn't remove the numbers on the map so please ignore. :)

Stigmar, you cross the bridge with no issues. The slime is green slime. Green slime devours flesh and organic materials on contact and is even capable of dissolving metal. Bright green, wet, and sticky, it clings to walls, floors, and ceilings in patches, reproducing as it consumes organic matter. It drops from walls and ceilings when it detects movement (and possible food) below. It does not harm stone.

So what do you want to do now? Deal with orcs in the arena? Continue scouting the ramparts and find a way down into the courtyard?

Uldruk's longhammer caves in the ogrekin's deformed head and the battle is over. Moira has a decent wound on her shoulder. 2 charges from the wand will heal her back to full. You look around and nobody has yet to become aware of your presence. as the dwarf vs. bear spectacle is still ongoing. However, you are out of invisibility potions.

If you're curious, you open the trapdoors and they reveal murder holes above the gatehouse. You believe the guards would have poured green slime on any intruders trying to break in. On each of the deformed ogrekin, you find a composite longbow (+6 Str), 2 thunderstones, and an ogre hook.

The ogrekin's FF AC is 16.
Moira strikes blue for 27 damage.
Rhen strikes green for 19 damage.
Udruk inspires courtage.
Stigmar's acid spell strikes yellow for 5 damage.
Moira strikes blue for 24 more damage, killing it.
Moira moves forward and strikes green for 12 damage.
Rhen strikes green for 21 damage killing it.
Rhen strikes yellow for 19 damage, still alive.

Round 1: Ogrekin
The last ogrekin screams in anger, as his brothers are cut down brutally by the dwarves. He brings his ogre hook down on Moira, inflicting a deep cut on the dwarf rogue.

Attack: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 11 - 2 = 26
Damage: 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Udruk and Stigmar to close out Round 1 and then Moira and Rhen in Round 2. Since there's only 1 wounded ogrekin left, I am too lazy to update the map.

Yes, you can take 10 (a minute), since the spell lasts for 3 minutes.

With Rhen securing the rope, the climb is made much easier. Thankfully, the half-ogres, as you would expect, are not very perceptive or wise, and are a little distracted by the spectacle. Now that you're up close, the creatures look inbred and deformed with extra mutant arms sticking out. They are medium size, about 7' tall, and wield ogre hooks. You also see six trap doors by their feet and two earthenware jars filled with green slime by their feet. Though the ogrekin cannot see the fight well from their perch, they are still distracted by the cheers (when the bear hits) or derisions (when the dwarf lands a blow), which are also drowning out any other ambient sounds. So the party of 3 dwarves is invisibly on the roof and ready to take a surprise action, I imagine.

Initiative:
Moira: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Ogrekin: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Rhen: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Stigmar: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Uldruk: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Party has a surprise round (standard or move action). I will assume that you positioned yourself in flank or next to your enemy before you strike. After the surprise round, Moira and Rhen may take their full round of actions in Round 1. You two, post twice. Then, the half-ogres go. Map and Pic of enemies in Campaign Tab.

Game thread is up. You can dot and make intro character post. I linked the Osirion Map above and Irizi's photo also in the Campaign Tab.

And how many orcs do we expect to be here in total, other than these 4 and the half-ogres?

And the 25 watching the spectacle? Who knows? You just learned of the existence of this Fort occupied by orcs and half-ogres and perhaps giants, since there was a giant on one of the patrol units. Also, remember you're here to recover a dwarven artifact and one of your other dwarven brothers, whom you have not yet seen.

Moira picks up a longbow also, and some arrows. It wasn't her preferred way to fight, but she could manage in a pinch. She then looks up at the bell tower with the half-ogres. "Real trick is keepin' them from ringin' that bell. I'm worried we head on up there and first thing they do is ring it. Any way ta get around that thing?"

Could we get a map of the area again? Having trouble picturing the layout. I'm okay executing Rhen's plan if that's the obvious way forward--just hoping a map will give a better sense of the options.

Updated Map

You've killed 5 orcs in the barbican. To the west there's a bridge in open air, which can be viewed by the 3 half-ogres on the roof of the gatehouse, unless you take special measures. Below the bridge are 4 orcs 15' down on the floor, where the orc tents are located. I hope that clears it up. Please also note that since it is dark now, the bell tower is currently unmanned.

Just FYI, I have a new baby arriving any day now. I probably won't drop 100% off the map but I will be a lot less frequent, maybe without notice, for a couple weeks.

Thanks for the heads up! Congratz!

Marius, the profile is fine. Thanks. Waiting to hear from Marius and Bhorn on the question asked....please try to post at least 1/day or you will be replaced. I had plenty of candidates in the thread.

Marius, please update your Race/Tab profile to reflect your current level and bonuses. Thanks.

To the group, do you prefer starting out as an established party/adventuring group or meet for the first time at the beginning of the AP? Either way works for me.

Rhen's blow punctures the orc's lung and he dies on the floor.
Combat over. 5 orcs lay dead in the barbican. The fight between the dwarf and the bear continues and the dwarf does not appear to be in any mortal danger. You have not been noticed yet. What is the plan now?

Udruk moves 5' closer and swings his longhammer with reach at the last remaining orc, but misses wildly.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 13

Summary of Party's Round 2:
Moira killed the white orc in 2 blows.
Rhen hit the orange orc once, wounding him.
Stigmar and Uldruk both missed.

Round 3: Enemies
Seeing Moira and Rhen destroy the orc squad of archers, the orange orc takes a calculated gamble and makes a run for it toward the west exit, drawing three attacks, one from Rhen, one from Moira, and one Uldruk.

Uldruk's AoO hits: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 21
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 5) + 2 = 11
Moira (no sneak attack) and Rhen each get AoO.

Ok, I'm back 1 hour later, so I did not make you suffer much. Thank you all for your applications. I really enjoyed the community's creativity. I struggled back and forth with different party compositions, but in the end, I picked the characters that appealed to me the most. Without further ado, the four (4) characters selected are:

Ki'dhir: Male human (Garundi) Ranger 9
Zahira: Female human (Garundi) cleric (crusader) of Sarenrae 1/unchained monk 8
Marius: Male human (Taldan) bard (archaeologist) 9
Bhornkild: Male human (Shoanti) unchained barbarian 2/oracle 4/rage prophet 3

To those selected, please report to the Discussion Thread.

If I need additional characters, you will be hearing from me. Thanks again and happy gaming.

Hello all, congratulations on your selection! Feel free to create your aliases and finalize your characters. You can edit your character sheet as you see fit to complement the party. Please format your main stats in the Race/Class Tabs to help me view your main stats without clicking on your profiles. Any questions, please let me know. Let's have fun!

Recruitment is closed. Will post shortly with selections.

Summary of Applicants (updated):

Faro Al-Wati: Male Human Mortal Usher 3/Rogue (Thug, Unchained) 3/ Slayer 3
Alvont: Male half-orc diviner (foresight) 9
Mei: Elven Brawler(Snakebite Striker) 9
Ki'dhir: Male human (Garundi) Ranger 9
Haji: Male Half-elf Paladin (Tortured Crusader) 4/Inquisitor (Ravener Hunter) 5
Hoss’r: Male human (Garundi-Osirian) Ranger (Infiltrator) of Anubis 6/Living Monolith 3
Yesult: Male Human Shaman 9
Zahira: Female human (Garundi) cleric (crusader) of Sarenrae 1/unchained monk 8
Hassan: Male human (Garundi) sorcerer (wildblooded) 9
Marius: Male human (Taldan) bard (archaeologist) 9
Bhornkild: Male human (Shoanti) unchained barbarian 2/oracle 4/rage prophet 3
Khmec: Male Half-orc Inquisitor of Horus (Sanctified Slayer) 8, Dawnflower Anchorite 1
Kheti: Male Catfolk Alchemist (Crypt Breaker) 9

Less than 8 hours to go! If I missed anyone, please let me know.

Summary of Players' Turn:
Udruk took a swing with his hammer and connected.
Moira moves in and with her first attack, bashes in the green orc's skull, killing it instantly. Her second attack wounds the orange orc. 18/21 hps. No sneak attack.
Rhen moves away then and kills the magenta orc in one swing and decapitates the grey orc with his second swing!
Stigmar casts his sensor - for the moment, the tough dwarf is holding his own, wielding a frying pan against the bear, bashing it when it gets close, while trying to not get pinned in a corner. The dwarf has several cuts, but none of them look life-threatening. The orc cheers when the bear connects drown out the sounds of battle.

Round 2: Enemies
The two remaining orcs try to gang up on Rhen, hoping that they can take the dwarf down and make a run for the western door. The first orc slashes Rhen on his shoulder, doing decent damage.

White orc attack on Rhen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 --- hit!
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 = 12
Orange orc attack on Rhen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 --- miss!

Party is up in Round 3. Combat Map has been updated.