Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Fantasy
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- Tags
- pathfinder
- Location
- Germany
Nah, OOC DP said that she didn't use her ability on the people during her treasure-rescue.
So she must really have it.
Vote closed.
Arc 8 Post 38: Tales in Black and Silver Writ
Tales in Black and Silver Writ
6th of Neth 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
Unwelcome as demons might be on the face of the world or under it you've seen Gavhaul fight enough times to be worried about what he might be hiding in his boot for a bloody day as the saying goes. At least one thing with a voice and a touch of old wisdom, you think, recalling eavesdropping on the tent, more dangerous than than all the swords in Augustana, be they as many as blades of grass. "Gavhaul, if you would ask our judgement great one I think he is the greater peril, not just of great affront."
Silver eyes the size of polished bucklers fall on you and for a moment you fear your curse may have caught on in her mind, but no, she is still focused on Gorok and asks of all you know of the wizard. Sirim and Mina do their best to explain that he is no common sorcerer, nor priest of any god, but empowered in mind beyond his fellows, but you are not sure how well it catches. Sylestrix's own arcane circles are yet limited to the first circle and her understanding of power likewise.
Theoretical Knowledge Arcana: 1d20+16 = 25 (Failure)
In return she freely recounts what she knows of her demonic pursuers: "Two are naught but wicked shades who need not fear the Great Black Ocean that spans between this world and its fair companion, but one... one required the techniques of Old Azlant to come down from the Blighted Jungle so I could not see it past metal and wards, but know this mortals, the creatures of the Pit respect only one thing in their brethren and that is might. That is the one against which I must test myself."
"Noh! Want!" One of the fey-giants, Uku you think, explodes into a violent denial. "Wanna kill big-demon! Old Lord said we could fight big-demon, not scrawny witherling wizard."
Witherling? You wonder, before recalling the changing of the leaves you had seen in the trees upon emerging into the world of the sun, he means seasonal, mortal. You suddenly wonder if the three believe you aren't mortal for some reason, or if it doesn't matter to them as long as you killed the old lord properly in front of them.
"What did your old lord say about the big demon?" you ask, thinking to turn this to your advantage before the dragon recovers herself from being so rudely interrupted.
"That he has big horns for his wall, big, big horns..." he sprawls his enormous arms to large you can only hope he is exaggerating or mistaken
What precisely your shadowy companion says to Sylestrix in her mind in response you do not hear, one assumes because calming a dragon is trouble enough without also taking the effort to 'shout' across many minds, but it does the trick, she relaxes with a snort that is half steam and half some glittering sand you do not know the name of.
Sirim Diplomacy(DC 25): 1d20+13 = 29 (Success)
"Horns are unfortunately rather common among demons, even if we can trust the... source," she rubs one wing over her head in a gesture at once wholly alien and yet somehow sympathetic in its frustration at not knowing enough. "I may share with you that the Blighted Jungle that you can see even now scarring the face of the moon so fair was not always as it it now." Everyone but Cob nods as though you'd all paid great attention to the moon every night, then he does it too, following his friends example. "It was once a place of holding, the City of the Faceless they called it when they called it anything at all. For those too valuable to consign to the River of Souls and the judgement of the Powers and yet too dangerous to contain on the surface of the Cage. Some of those beings were not mortal and they were alas infinitely patient. When the time was right, when the power of Amaznen's geomacy was disrupted the demons ran wild. They are now masters of masters of that remains of that place and it is only my granddam's long stewardship that contains the evil from spilling out and raining onto the realms below armed with befouled weapons of ancient might. Of those demons three have escaped now and it is my duty to end them in memory of ancient friendship. To misoféngaro lámpei sti mními!"
The Crescent Moon Shines on in Memory, you translate the High Tongue instantly, not an old saying that, not one you heard in dreams, but one that echoes with a pain all too familiar. Lonely keepers of a legacy too grand to abandon, too broken to ever restore. Though you do not think Sylestrix would appreciate the sympathy, young and unused to dealing with mortal as she may be, she has it just the same.
Akorian Lore (Azlant) (DC 12): 1d20+5+1 (Guidance) = 16 (Success)
Do you have any suggestions for taking on Gavhaul?
[] Face him head on, the sight of a dragon should be enough to get the sellswords to stay their hands long enough
[] Sneak back into camp and try to ensure Urgor ad Leontas are on your side
[] Write in
OOC: Enjoy.
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Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Ideally I want to do this, and maybe find out if Gavhaul's source is a demon as well.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Going back into the camp is a risk, but it seems like we should at least try to convince Leontas and Urgor not to support Gavhaul. If we don't, there is chance we'll have to deal with the entire group of mercs and a bunch of pissed off Dwarves.
And I would really prefer to have Leontas' crew available for fighting the Demons. They're experienced and equipped for it with Cold Iron weaponry. If we have to fight and possibly kill some of them, the likelihood of them helping fight the Demons is pretty low.
[X] Sneak back into camp and try to ensure Urgor and Leontas are on your side
-[X] Sirim will sneak in alone, with the rest of the group hiding nearby. He has the skills and abilities to not only sneak in, but also to search for magical wards, Possessed individuals, hidden enemies, etc. He can also telepathically communicate with Leontas and Urgor without revealing himself or even getting close to them.
--[X] Kori will cast Protection from Evil and Invisibility on Sirim before he departs, and Mina will cast Hermean Potential and Heroism on him.
--[X] Sirim will prepare an additional Invisibility spell in place of Hypnotic Pattern, and Greater Detect Magic in place of Darkness. He'll alternate using Detect Fiendish Presence and Detect Magic while approaching the camp and moving through it.
And I would really prefer to have Leontas' crew available for fighting the Demons. They're experienced and equipped for it with Cold Iron weaponry. If we have to fight and possibly kill some of them, the likelihood of them helping fight the Demons is pretty low.
[X] Sneak back into camp and try to ensure Urgor and Leontas are on your side
-[X] Sirim will sneak in alone, with the rest of the group hiding nearby. He has the skills and abilities to not only sneak in, but also to search for magical wards, Possessed individuals, hidden enemies, etc. He can also telepathically communicate with Leontas and Urgor without revealing himself or even getting close to them.
--[X] Kori will cast Protection from Evil and Invisibility on Sirim before he departs, and Mina will cast Hermean Potential and Heroism on him.
--[X] Sirim will prepare an additional Invisibility spell in place of Hypnotic Pattern, and Greater Detect Magic in place of Darkness. He'll alternate using Detect Fiendish Presence and Detect Magic while approaching the camp and moving through it.
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Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Should we add to plan our suspicions about Gavhaul's patron? That he is using a bound demon or devil for this mission? Might help convince Leo to be on our side if his employer is in league with one.
Can even mention how demons also after goods and that is why dragon took it, to protect it. And mention Alderman maybe.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
We'll probably need to include all of that once Sirim is trying to convince them, but it's a bit too soon to try to dictate those arguments, IMO.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Well then.
[x] Sneak back into camp and try to ensure Urgor and Leontas are on your side
Don't know how we are supposed to sell the demon hunt to the rest. I assume we will want to take over what's left of the expedition?
Would rather prefer it looked natural, Gavhaul trying to hunt the dragon and being hunted in turn, no traceable backstabbing involved.
[x] Sneak back into camp and try to ensure Urgor and Leontas are on your side
Don't know how we are supposed to sell the demon hunt to the rest. I assume we will want to take over what's left of the expedition?
Would rather prefer it looked natural, Gavhaul trying to hunt the dragon and being hunted in turn, no traceable backstabbing involved.
- Location
- Argentina
Suggestion for continuing:
Bluff our asses off (we are very very good at that), and claim that we are just following orders of the true organizers of the expedition. Gavhaul was a useful tool, but right now, at the edge of reaping the reward, it would be problematic to have him here.
Bluff our asses off (we are very very good at that), and claim that we are just following orders of the true organizers of the expedition. Gavhaul was a useful tool, but right now, at the edge of reaping the reward, it would be problematic to have him here.
- Location
- Germany
That means you are willing to wait a full rest-period while there are demons about and Gavhaul is doing god-knows-what?
Keep in mind, this is already a day after our fight with the Feylord, so our spells and health from that are back at full readiness.
I don't like that, and I don't think the Dragon will.
Anyway, aside from the practical issues, wtf?
The moon is a prison run by the remnants of Azlant, with an old, possibly divine, Lunar Dragon in charge?
And now, thanks to our release of the stasis-pods, some demons escaped, possibly with Azlanti weapons?
Cool stuff.
Lastly a guess, what if the Demon was not any demon with horns, but a Horned Demon:
Demon, Kalavakus (Horned Demon) – d20PFSRD
www.d20pfsrd.com
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- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
That Enslave Soul is horrifying.
If I had a prepared space and that ability, I'd use it on a bunch of mice.
Or have a bag of holding with a magic item/spell that creates air.
Or just some tiny tiny creatures that use much less air than a medium creatures that have been drugges to be asleep.
If I had a prepared space and that ability, I'd use it on a bunch of mice.
Or have a bag of holding with a magic item/spell that creates air.
Or just some tiny tiny creatures that use much less air than a medium creatures that have been drugges to be asleep.
- Location
- Germany
Well.
That works for healing outside of combat, but you can still only have one soul targeted at once.
And the ability is a very powerful debuff.
So yeah, use it on a mouse and kill it if you are wounded or tired, but in battle rather use it on your actual enemy, instead of having a healing potion readied with it.
Or use it as a healing potion I guess, but then you still have just the one, unless you spend more actions on pulling another mouse from your pocket, enslaving it and then killing it.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
Infinite Mouse Works
Edit: If we're facing a (or up to three) bloody CR 10 demons, then I seriously hope the CoRM can be convinced to contribute something that can block that greater teleport.
They're not gonna want demons hanging around either. My first idea is to make up a fake prophecy that states the demons intend to stay and fuck with the CoRM.
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- Location
- Germany
Two of the Demons are identified as Shadow Demons.
Which are very good and versatile bastards, but should be manageable.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
We're not fresh, but I do think we shouldn't rest regardless. Looking backwards through the updates, we've used the following resources. Hope I didn't miss anything.
Kori: Channel Vigor (3) (Fortune Target)
Mina: Heroism (3)
Sirim: Shadow Enchantment (3)
Gorok: Speak with Birds (1) (Fortune Target)
So Mina doesn't have heroism available right now. Hermean Potential only lasts for 6 minutes. I think Mina should go (invisibly) with Sirim to talk to Urgir and Leontas, so she is in position to cast Hermean Potential on Sirim right before the interaction begins - this diplo/bluff roll is to important to risk not having that reroll available.
Also, if Mina is nearby, she can also provide an additional re-roll on Sirim via Fortune, assuming such things are subtle.
@DragonParadox how noticeable would Mina using Fortune on Sirim be? If it is typically noticeable, what if she is invisible when using it?
Effect: The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
-[X] Sneak back into camp and try to ensure Urgor and Leontas are on your side
-[X] Sirim will sneak in with Mina, with the rest of the group hiding nearby. He has the skills and abilities to not only sneak in, but also to search for magical wards, Possessed individuals, hidden enemies, etc. (Mina can keep up Detect Magic, and Sirim can keep up Detect Fiendish Presence) He can also telepathically communicate with Leontas and Urgor without revealing himself or even getting close to them.
--[X] Kori will cast Protection from Evil and Invisibility on Sirim and Mina before they depart, and Mina will cast Hermean Potential on Sirim shortly before the interaction and is on hand to provide Sirim with Fortune.
Edit: We're might going to want to rest before attacking Gavhaul? We're still msotly ok for for combat, espically if we can get the Dragon and Fey involved.
Also, might be useful if we can borrow some of those baubles beofre fighting Gavhaul
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Oh, not at all, hexes are (Su) [Supernatural ability] like a dragon's fire which of course just looks like fire, even if you can stop it with an anti-magic field. That means that hexes do not even have auras. I'm not sure what you would even use to see them... Analyze Dweomer or something high level and esoteric like that, maybe? I'd have to rule it in since by RaW I do not think there is a way to see a Hex being cast.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Plan Goldfish, but today, and with Mina.
Thinking a bit more about it, the easiest way to notice a Fortune Hex would be with Sense Motive since the re-roll does not happen until you fail there is going to be some kind of stutter where the luck kicks in, say you think of the right thing to say at the last moment or a passing seagull steals your sandwich and that causes the other person to sympathize with you more. For rolls that are not social you would have to be an expert in that thing, an arcana specialize (skill 10+) might realistically expect to notice when their colleague who is working in the stacks one row over literally trips on the right book and it flips open to the right page.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
That's what I was worried about, too. I hope we're wrong, but that's probably it.Lastly a guess, what if the Demon was not any demon with horns, but a Horned Demon:
Demon, Kalavakus (Horned Demon) – d20PFSRD
If so, it will definitely be something for Sylestrix to deal with. We can provide some support from range, including buff, but it's not something we can handle otherwise.
I don't think we should need to wait another full rest period to move against Gavhaul. It might be necessary, just based on how the situation has developed and how far the expedition has traveled, but if they are near enough, I don't see why we couldn't hit him today if everything lines up properly.
If we do, the only spells that will have been expended are the ones we used to buff Sirim before he enters the camp. Kori has enough spell slots for that without hurting his ability to fight, so the only real loss is Mina's Heroism spell.
I don't see the advantage of trying to bring Mina with Sirim. The whole point of Sirim going alone is that he is both super sneaky, incorporeal, capable of casting various spells, and telepathic. If you drag Mina along, the entire mission becomes significantly more difficult. With Sirim, Invisibility spells are helpful but not necessary, something to insure he can move quickly without worrying about Stealth too much. With Sirim and Mina, the spell is a requirement and it's short duration becomes more of a concern. She'll also need to be close to anyone she interacts with, while Sirim can just setup out of sight 50 or 60 feet away and speak with Leontas and Urgor telepathically without ever getting within sight of them.
If you plan to bring Mina and to burn all of those spells to do it, with the idea that we'll be able to rest and recover spells afterward, I don't see why we don't just bring the whole party instead? Sending Mina along just doesn't make sense, She's a shitty melee combatant, so if absolutely anything happens which breaks their cover and she has to fight, she is almost guaranteed to be captured at a minimum.
Keep in mind that Shadow Demons are extremely susceptible to bright light, like that from a Daylight spell cast from Mina's staff. Sending her into the camp is sending away out best chance to deal with those Demons if they show up unannounced.
- Location
- Germany
It would be vital to get our hands on a Bless Weapon style effect then.
Her claws barely get through the DR otherwise.
Maybe the ex-crusaders still have a scroll in their bags.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Yeah, getting past its DR would be vital or defeating it. Otherwise, it would be almost impossible for us, even with the Dragon and Ohancanu working together, to whittle it down before it kills everyone.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
Basically I was concerned that the Hermean Potential wouldn't last until Sirim got a chance to make his check.
He has to leave the hidden party/break off from Mina, find the two he's looking for (probably starting with Urgor, since the merc leader never spoke to Sirim before), and then make the diplo/bluff check, and do that in 6 minutes.
I didn't think that was enough time.
I am wary that this veers into asking DP what 'the best option's is but... @DragonParadox does Sirim think 6 minutes is enough time to sneak to the camp, and talk to (I.e. make a check) Urgor and Leontas, or is the camp spaced out enough + far enough from a place for the party to hide that he thinks that he'd need more than 6 minutes?
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(Thinking on it, Kori + Mina + Cob (for backup) could sneak to the edge of the treeline(?) and leave the Fey, the Dragon and Gorok and Warty behind, so the spells on Sirim have maximum duration.)
(Also maybe Pass Without Trace on those four might be useful if we do that)
Edit: If he can make the diplo/buff check in 6 minutes or less, then I agree with Mina staying behind.
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