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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

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Arc 8 Post 14: The Trouble with Turtles
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    • The Trouble with Turtles ​

    3rd of Neth 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)

    With a friendly smile, open as steel jaw trap, you motion with your head to the turtle and ask: "Why don't you call your friend in for the chat? Is he shy?"

    The smile drops off the man's face, and for a moment you feel a sense of vindication at having trapped him. Then he shakes his head. "Why'd you have to go and choose the hard way?" There's a shimmer in the air, a spell by instinct drawn before you can even say a word, and he's gone beyond even your sight... though not beyond Mina's.

    "He's drawing a..."

    "Turtle!" you shout, pointing at the edge of the trees.

    The whistle of an arrow flying out of the branches of a tall pine tree interrupts you even as Cob dashes off towards where you pointed. Weighed down by his armor and unused to treachery, Urgo dodges too late. Blood spurts red at his neck, between armor and coif, as the dwarf collapses with a clatter of steel. Poison.

    Is that a... frog? Some befuddled part of your mind wonders as you realize the archer revealed themselves in the motion. About the same stature as Cob with bright bulging eyes and skin the mottled green and brown of bark and pine needles, where it is not covered in armor dyed in like manner.

    Grippli... small and furtive folk by the tales you heard, though this one seems to give lie to them.

    Urgor takes 15 Damage
    Urgor Fortitude Save (DC 19): 1d20+6 =     18 (Failure)
    Urgor is Unconscious
    Knowledge (History): 1d20+6 = 25 (Success)

    Rather than charge headlong, Gorok raises up the Taldan sword and utters over it a prayer of lead he had taken from the scrolls of the xulgath onto the weapon for weight and strength in battle, but before he can turn to face either foe a vial flies out of... a hole that had been covered by pine branches not ten feet from where you are standing, a hole that now has a halfling with mud and branches in her hair... The sudden blinding flash of light reveals a faintly regretful smile. Something tells you she regrets the loss of the vial.

    Fungal Stun Vial DC 20
    Gorok, Mina: 19, 20 (Failure, Success)
    Gorok is Stunned for 2 Rounds

    A shout of victory turns to one of dismay as Cob had managed to get on top of the turtle and graze its neck with his bone dagger from above, only to notice that Gorok had been struck blind and stumbling by another foe.

    Cob Charge: 1d20+12 +1 (Alone) +2 (Charge) = 25 (Hit)
    Turtle ??? Takes 10 Damage -> Now at 45/55

    What do you do?

    [] Cast Searching Shadows in front of you, if Gavis has drawn a weapon and turned invisible then he can't have gone far

    [] Try to wake up Urgor with an anti-toxin

    [] Attack the Turtle to keep its attention off Cob until Gorok is no longer Stunned up

    [] Write in

    OOC: Akorian, Sirim, and that Turtle, in that order, have yet to move this turn, then it's back to the top of the round.
     
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    • Oof, maybe we should have readied for a surprise round/rewdied action, if stuff liek those exist in pathfinder.

    At least Sirim would have been able to be ready without needing a Bluff check, since he is unseen/hidden (under someone's cloak, I assume).
     
    Well, seems like we found our thieves at least if that is the same frog Mina saw from earlier.

    Sucks that we are the ones surprised even though we saw the ambush coming however, especially since the first round knocked out our two heaviest fighters.

    @Goldfish, I hope you can pull off some magic. Would it be worth using the fire elemental or figurine?
     
    Yep, there it is. Knew it was coming, but couldn't immediately leap to a hostile stance on the off chance that this was actually a harmless encounter.

    I think it's time for Kori to flex a bit. We're in the heavy forest and the light is definitely not bright here, so depending on whether it's normal or dim light, a Deeper Darkness spell is going to cause either complete darkness or full on supernatural darkness. If it's dim light, Kori will essentially be Blinding everyone within a 60 foot radius of himself. Cob is already on the turtle's back, however, Urgor is unconscious, and Gorok is Stunned for 2 rounds. Mina has already acted this round, so having the party be unable to see is not much of an impediment. If it's just normal light, our whole party will be fine and at least some of the enemy group will be hampered.

    @DragonParadox, is the light condition considered normal or dim in this heavily wooded forest?

    When he doesn't want it to be dark, all Kori will need to do is tuck his blade into his pouch and the effect will be suppressed until he draws it again.
     
    So these look like common thieves, after all.

    I'm assuming they watched the caravan and saw Mina carry that expensive staff. So they planned to put us to sleep with poison and then swoop in and take our stuff. That failed, so they tried Urgor next. Gavaul's tent was probably too well warded.

    The dead guard seems to be completely unrelated.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    It's dim lighting presently.
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    Perfect. :drevil:

    Now we just need to determine what exactly Kori does after casting Deeper Darkness. I'm leaning toward him taking the time to cast Divine Favor as well. It's another round to allow the enemy group to act, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing since it will allow Kori to see what they try to do without them being able to see him, or anything else for that matter. Once he has Divine Favor in effect, while buffed by Haste and his Gloom Blade's power, Kori will be extremely deadly.

    Alternatively, he could immediately follow the Deeper Darkness with something like Barbed Chains or Shadow Enchantment to target enemies directly. What do y'all think?

    [X] Are you afraid of the dark?
    -[X] Kori shouts a warning to his party in the Duergar tongue and casts Deeper Darkness on his Gloom Blade. He shifts from his current position after casting the spell, then casts Divine Favor.
    -[X] Sirim casts Haste on the party, then follows it with Magic Circle Against Evil. He stays in Mina's shadow for now.
    -[X] Mina casts Mage Armor on herself once she has the opportunity, then hunkers down.
    -[X] Cob can't see in the supernatural darkness, but he is already on the turtle's back and knows where its head is. That's all he needs to get to his bloody work.
     
    Artemis1992 said:
    Keep in mind one of them is already invisible.
    Without Mina's sight, nobody can see him.
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    But everyone else is also effectively Invisible to Gavis. A few rounds of Deeper Darkness will allow Gorok's Stun condition to elapse, let Mina and Sirim cast some buffs, and Cob to deal with the turtle, all while Kori acts with relative impunity.
     
    Goldfish said:
    But everyone else is also effectively Invisible to Gavis. A few rounds of Deeper Darkness will allow Gorok's Stun condition to elapse, let Mina and Sirim cast some buffs, and Cob to deal with the turtle, all while Kori acts with relative impunity.
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    Keep in mind that Turtle seems to have a lot of HP and Cob does not get his sneak attack when fighting alone like that. 10 was a max damage for him.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    Keep in mind that Turtle seems to have a lot of HP and Cob does not get his sneak attack when fighting alone like that. 10 was a max damage for him.
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    That's fine. He will also be getting Sirim's Haste buff, so that doubles his attacks per round. Whether he is able to kill it in the next few rounds or not, he'll at least be able to deal significant damage to it despite being unable to see anything.
     
    Sooo... which one is the cat?
    Goldfish said:
    When he doesn't want it to be dark, all Kori will need to do is tuck his blade into his pouch and the effect will be suppressed until he draws it again.
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    I think this has a lot of potential in coordination with Sirim, being able to switch Mass Invisibility equivalent on and off with a prior warning that only we can hear, plus direct his teammates and relay the position of their enemies through second-hand telepathy. Our people could have an idea where the enemy is, while the enemy would be completely blind.
     
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    llenay said:
    The dead guard seems to be completely unrelated.
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    No, I don't think so.

    The frog-person met with something that turned from cat to humanoid, according to the birds.

    Pretty likely the cat got our missing guard?

    In that case it was either another one of the bandits, or one of these here can shapeshift to a cat.

    Also @Goldfish beware the Bat.
    Regardless if that was an Animal Companion, a summon, a shifter or just a tamed beast, it did clearly work with the Gribbli and it won't be hindered by darkness.
     
    Artemis1992 said:
    Also @Goldfish beware the Bat.
    Regardless if that was an Animal Companion, a summon, a shifter or just a tamed beast, it did clearly work with the Gribbli and it won't be hindered by darkness.
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    I think the bat might now be the turtle.

    If it isn't the turtle, it could definitely be nearby and ready to act. Blindsense will allow it to notice Kori's general location, but it will still be heavily penalized. It's nice to have Blindsense because it lets you notice hidden creatures, though it doesn't hold a candle to actual Blindsight.

    Special Abilities – d20PFSRD

    www.d20pfsrd.com www.d20pfsrd.com
     
    Vote closed
    Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jul 31, 2024 at 3:25 AM, finished with 17 posts and 3 votes.
    • [X] Are you afraid of the dark?
      -[X] Kori shouts a warning to his party in the Duergar tongue and casts Deeper Darkness on his Gloom Blade. He shifts from his current position after casting the spell, then casts Divine Favor.
      -[X] Sirim casts Haste on the party, then follows it with Magic Circle Against Evil. He stays in Mina's shadow for now.
      -[X] Mina casts Mage Armor on herself once she has the opportunity, then hunkers down.
      -[X] Cob can't see in the supernatural darkness, but he is already on the turtle's back and knows where its head is. That's all he needs to get to his bloody work.
    Click to expand...
     
    Not sure what to think about it all. At first I thought that either druids were sent after us under mistaken assumptions (much like Farsam Jaffer and his crew), or that they were intending to use us to remove a pest from the woods. These are no druids, but... what are they? The animalistic theme is pretty persistent.

    Perhaps it is a group of shape-changers whose attention was grabbed by Tobyn revealing himself, a highly unusual act for a werekin, their imagination further inflamed by the rumors he's been spreading.
     
    Arc 8 Post 15: Duels in the Dark
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    • Duels in the Dark ​

    3rd of Neth 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)

    "Lights out!" you shout out a warning in dwarf tongue while drawing your shade-touched sword and into it pouring the deepest darkness you now can conjure, beyond sight of even those eyes born to the realms below. But not yours, the gift of the People. Sirim's spell too comes to its end, filling your limbs with vigor and swiftness, but the foe is not idle.

    What had been a turtle looks over the field and seamlessly shifts into an elf-kin woman with eyes like a tiger and claws to sharp as daggers, shaking Cob off her shoulders with a heavy 'oof'.


    "Gavis, shake it out like Cassomir!" The words might be in Taldan, but there's no way to tell what she's asking the unseen scoundrel to do, at least until you see Mina struggling with her staff as a now visible Gavis grabs onto the end of it, trying to pull it away from her. Luckily for her and unlucky for him the wood is still wet from the rain, making his hands slip.

    Pulling back Mina gets out a rushed ward, though she won't be able to hold out long against the wyrm-styled sword in his other hand for long.

    Gavis Miss Chance (DC 50): 65 (Success)
    Gavis Disarm (CMD 14) = 1d20+8++2 (Deft Maneuvers) +2 (invisible) = 13 (Critical Failure)

    As you rush the woman who had been a turtle, another arrow slams into your shoulder. The pain is strangely numb, distant as something tries to pull you down into unconsciousness. But the sound of your friends fighting, bleeding... and, in Cob's case, giggling, keeps you anchored to the waking world. Blind as he may be in your darkness he's managed to slash the shifter's leg from just under the knee, adding more blood to the forest floor, though not without paying a price of his own. As he ducks under one claw another rips his ear open.

    Gripply Miss Chance (DC 50): 85 (Success)
    Attack: 1d20+10 = 26 (Hit)
    Akorian Takes 7 Damage -> Now at 40/47
    Fortitude Save: 1d20+5 = 21 (Success)... immune to ??? Poison for 24 hours
    ...
    Cob Miss chance (DC 50): 100 (Success)
    Cob Attack: 1d20+13 - 28 (Hit)
    Shifter takes 7 Damage -> Now at 38/55
    ...
    Shifter Miss Chance: 89, 97 (Success, Success)
    Shapeshifter Attack: 17, 28 (Miss, Hit)
    Cob takes 7 Damage -> Now at 40/47

    "In shadows, the world's fate is woven," you chant, raising up the blade to strike. Two on one's good odds... A pity that's not what you're going to get.

    The halfling who had popped up out of the ground had drawn back and readied a staff of a sort, though not like Mina, but a sling-staff loaded. Glass and bone-chilling ice strike you in the temple.

    "Watch your aim, Ellie!" the shape-changer yowls, showing feline fangs. Only then do you realize some of the liquid had gotten on her as well.

    "In the bleedin' dark?" the other shouts back, annoyed. "Watch you're back and leave the shooting to me an' Legs!"

    Ellie Miss Chance (DC 50): 85 (Success)
    Ellie Attack: 1d20+8 = 24 (Hit)
    Akorian takes 8 Damage -> Now at 32/47
    Shapeshifter takes 1 Splash Damage -> Now at 37/55

    Out of the corner of your eye you see Sirim spin his shadow form into a ward against enchantment, though you might've wish he'd take a more physical hand in things about now.

    "Fuck this for a game of fools!" Realizing perhaps that Gorok was about to come out of his daze, Gavis tries to grab not for Mina's staff, but her shoulders, likely to pin her in place and unable to use her magic. But for once the darkness proves a help, allowing her to step back just in time, giving him nothing to grab but a tree.

    Gavis Miss Chance (DC 50): 35 (Failure)

    As for Gorok himself though... he wakes, realizing that the halfling, Ellie, had kicked away his fallen weapon as she tried to get out of reach of him, though she's not quite there yet.

    What do you do?

    [] Gorok Attacks one of the enemies in charge range with his claws
    -[] Gavis
    -[] Ellie

    [] Go get his sword (Will cost his turn)

    [] Write in

    OOC: Welp, at the very least everyone got some unlikely bad luck this turn. On the one had the enemy made all but one of their coin flips to hit you, on the other, that disarm attempt could only fail on a 1 given his bonuses... and he rolled a 1.
     
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    • Is it wrong that I kinda just want to let the battle play out with little interaction? Things are slowing down with back and forth, and kinda just want to get it over with one way or another.

    Especially since its been made clear this is at least a competent party who play off each other so this fight could last easily a dozen turns if there is no clear winner soon.

    @Goldfish since Gorok is awake now can he get Warty to do anything? Like retrieve his weapon for him while he fights?
     
    Gorok's natural attacks aren't very high damage, but he normally has three of them, and Haste adds another, so that can add up. More importantly, if he attacks Gavis it will get his attention off Mina and get him within range of Sirim's circle.

    @DragonParadox, how far away is Gorok from Ellie or Gavis? With Haste his base movement speed is 60 now, so he should be able to cover that much distance as a regular Move action without Charging. That will give him 3 claw attacks and a bite attack. Much more likely to hit with 4 attacks rather than 1 that has a +2 attack bonus.

    [X] "Say hello to my Lizardman friend!"
    -[X] Sirim continues to stay near Mina to give her the benefit of his magic circle.
    -[X] Gorok moves to attack Gavis with his claws and teeth.
    --[X] As he does so, he orders Warty to move to guard his sword.
    -[X] Pepper "roars" and attempts to distract the nearest enemy, tangling himself between their feet, clawing their ankles, etc.
     
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