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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

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BeepSmile said:
First off, this is pathfinder, so after we get our buffs up, can we assume that we're "readying actions"? We've missed using that mechanic in the past.

If there's a third charge in the Scabbard of Blessing, maybe offer a use to Crick? Or one of his crew if he's not intending to use melee attacks. Mainly for Diplomacy reasons.

Cob has used his Unfettered Shirt, but is there anything stopping him from just swapping his with Mina's/Kori's?

Cob and Gorok should activate haste from their boots at the start of their turns - especially if Gorok can Fleet Charge (Swift action) to the golden mask guy, and therefore be able to full attack him.

Also, if we're expending resources here, maybe the golden mask person isn't undead (i.e. immune to poison), I think it'd be worth Gorok putting some jackal saliva venom into his weapon before combat starts (he's gonna need his swift actions in the actual fight).
Some day, that weapon's ability will be useful. Please, let it be this day.

Also also, rather than Cob using the launcher, maybe loan it to one of the lesser/non-Crick constructs?
Cob has better things to do with his action than launch a bunch of items (namely, a hasted full attack action (he can throw cheap daggers, or even stuff that functions as "darts", whatever lets him make sneak attacks)).

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I dunno how many charges in various rods we have left, but due to low Mythic Points, I again think that "Extended Mythic Heroism" is a better choice than "Encouraging Mythic Heroism"; double duration just seems better to me than an increase of +1 to the spell's effects.
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What's Sirim's action in the battle? If he's low on spells he could wait until Gorok makes his attack and attempt to use Blinding Darkness on gold mask person? (Gorok does not have darkvision)
Binding Darkness (Sp): As a standard action, you cast a weave of shadows at any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The shadows entangle your foe for 1 round plus 1 additional round for every five wizard levels you possess. In conditions of bright light, this duration is halved (minimum 1 round). A creature entangled by your shadows has concealment from those without darkvision or the ability to see in darkness, and other creatures likewise have concealment relative to it. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
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Cob not being part of the melee group is deliberate. Gorok will have four Piraticons with him to lead the melee attack. He's the beefiest of our people and has the highest Fortitude save bonus. When you're fighting necromancers and Undead, expect to get targeted with shit that requires Fort saves. If Cob's Bone Burn shot hits, that's 8d6 damage if the target is Undead or 4d6 if it is not. That's pretty respectable, plus judging from the way it reacts to the attack will be a good way to determine if it's Undead or not. Cob can still Shadow Teleport and Sneak Attack in the opening round, if it's called for. I can't remember the exact reason that made me suspect it, but I also had the idea that the leader of the Gebbites might be a Worm that Walks, which means it would take +50% damage from Cob's attack.

The Piraticons won't have to worry about Necromancy spell effects, and Gorok will be heavily buffed. That is also why I prefer Encouraging over Extended for his Mythic Heroism spell. That +1 can make all the difference.

I don't want Gorok to immediately Fleet Charge because that would leave the Piraticons behind. Would rather let them keep up with him to serve as ablative targets, plus allow Kori and Mina's spells, and Crick's Water Jet, to hit them first.

He can still use Fleet Charge for an extra attack, or he can use Sudden Block to negate a hit and gain an extra attack once he is in closer.

Sirim's opening spell is to cast Haste on our combatants. He can target 7 people, so there isn't any good reason not to include Gorok and Cob. That will allow them to save duration on their Boots. From previous uses today, they should each be down to about 7 or 8 rounds of Haste.

As for Gorok using poison, I can have him load a dose onto his blade before combat starts if you want, though the chances of a Gebbite necromancer of this power not being Undead is vanishingly small. Worst case, it's just a wasted dose of poison. I'm having him save the last charge of his Scabbard for later.
 
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The great conflict: Do I give a hugs or an insightful?

Thank you for the explanation.

I would like for Gorok to use the poison please. There is a 3% chance the golden mask person isn't immune :p
 
BeepSmile said:
The great conflict: Do I give a hugs or an insightful?

Thank you for the explanation.

I would like for Gorok to use the poison please. There is a 3% chance the golden mask person isn't immune :p
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I've added poison to my plan.

I'm also having everyone use their Hats of Disguise to make themselves look like Piraticons. If the Undead thinks everyone are Constructs, they'll be less likely to single out any particular targets or use Necromancy spells against them. With Gorok's Mirror Image spell added to the mix, it will look like 1d4+7 Constructs are moving to engage them in melee, which further muddies the water.
 
Goldfish said:
I've added poison to my plan.

I'm also having everyone use their Hats of Disguise to make themselves look like Piraticons. If the Undead thinks everyone are Constructs, they'll be less likely to single out any particular targets or use Necromancy spells against them. With Gorok's Mirror Image spell added to the mix, it will look like 1d4+7 Constructs are moving to engage them in melee, which further muddies the water.
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I'm trying to come up with ways that things might go wrong for us/optimisations.
I really like your plan. It looks great so I want to make it clear that I'm just trying to take the clever work you did and try to optimise it/find failure modes for specific points.

Reading the d20pfsrd I think that if we're facing a Swarm That Walks, then it might be able to just flow through the Web spell - at least that's my read of "swarm of fine creatures". I am worried that it will take advantage of being in the back of the Web behind its minions so our construct friends can't get close.
Hopefully one or two minions will be caught at the edge of it for the constructs to focus on
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After 20 minutes: lol. Every idea I've come up with so far either won't work, or is better addressed by what you've come up with already.
I will say that the launcher - nope. Cob's (presumably) better using that than a construct because of his (presumably) higher attack bonus.
 
BeepSmile said:
I'm trying to come up with ways that things might go wrong for us/optimisations.
I really like your plan. It looks great so I want to make it clear that I'm just trying to take the clever work you did and try to optimise it/find failure modes for specific points.

Reading the d20pfsrd I think that if we're facing a Swarm That Walks, then it might be able to just flow through the Web spell - at least that's my read of "swarm of fine creatures". I am worried that it will take advantage of being in the back of the Web behind its minions so our construct friends can't get close.
Hopefully one or two minions will be caught at the edge of it for the constructs to focus on
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After 20 minutes: lol. Every idea I've come up with so far either won't work, or is better addressed by what you've come up with already.
I will say that the launcher - nope. Cob's (presumably) better using that than a construct because of his (presumably) higher attack bonus.
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If it is a Worm that Walks, it should be at least as vulnerable to a Web spell as any other creature, perhaps even more than normal. Swarms don't get any special bonuses against AoE spells, and Web specifically affects anything that tries to move through the area. If the thing discorporates, it just risks getting it's individual components stuck. Lighting the Web on fire, should that occur, might do massive fire damage to the thing.

Something I forgot to mention earlier, everyone is still affected by the Greater Hide from Undead spell. The mindless Undead don't even get a save against the spell, so our entire group will be Invisible to them. The leader is certainly sentient, so it will need a Will save against each person who attacks it to check if they can be seen.
 
Vote closed.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Apr 13, 2025 at 1:51 PM, finished with 16 posts and 4 votes.
  • [X] Bones Burning Brightly
    -[X] Preparation
    --[X] Kori casts Defending Bone on himself and uses a Life Bubble scroll to cast the spell on living group members. He then casts an Encouraging Bless spell on everyone and Invisibility on Cob.
    --[X] Mina casts See Invisibility on herself and Extended Ashen Path on everyone, then uses her 3rd level Pearl of Power to regain a Heroism spell. She casts Encouraging Mythic Heroism on Gorok and a Reduce Person spell on Cob.
    --[X] Sirim casts Clay Skin on Gorok, plus Mirror Image on himself.
    --[X] Gorok uses his Scabbard to empower his sword and allows Cob to do the same with his dagger, and he uses a Swift Action to apply a dose of Fire Jackal Saliva to his sword. He casts Mirror Image and Shield from his ring, and activates his Unfettered Shirt just before combat is expected.
    --[X] Cob casts Divine Favor and Shield from his ring just before combat is expected.
    --[X] Everyone will use their Hats of Disguise to change their appearance to match that of the Piraticons.
    -[X] Battle
    --[X] As soon as he can see the enemy group, Kori targets them with a Dark-Light spell and Mina targets them with a Web spell. Sirim casts Haste on Crick and his crew, plus Pepper, Cob, and Gorok. Pepper casts Grease beneath the figure in the golden mask.
    --[X] Cob, Invisible and hanging from the ceiling using his slippers, uses the Launcher to shoot a cluster of four Bone Burn vials at the figure in the golden mask.
    --[X] Crick targets the figure in the golden mask and any Undead inline with it using his Water Jet ability.
    --[X] Following in the wake of the spells and ranged attacks, Gorok leads the Piraticons to engage the Undead in melee, focusing primarily on the figure in the golden mask.
    [X] Bones Burning Brightly
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Arc 10: Post 96: When Veils Tear New
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    • When Veils Tear ​

    20th of Abadius 4708 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)

    It is a hallway of clanking brass and gears that soon emerges from the ordered Chaos of arcane preparations, all of you taking on the shapes of Crick's crew, even Anippe, though the girl hangs farther back, though the girls hang back with Mina readying one of the old militia launchers you had gotten in Fusil, her array of useful spells spent. Cob hangs from the stones above unseen while four shadowy serpents lurk under the arch that spans the way, this one painted with scenes of harvest on a long slow river, as far as one can be from the promise of violence soon to come to the halls of Nex.

    The echoes reach you long before the foe show themselves, the rhythmic tap of metal on stone, almost impatient and behind them a shuffling of something softer... moist. Your stomach turns over even as your palms twitch to the by now familiar calling of battle magic.

    "Take aim!" the call is not meant for you but still you heed it, eyes straining against the dark until you see it take shape, a veiled figure tall but not giant, more as if a man had been stretched a third as tall as they aught to be, the fluttering black cloth the only thing that gives them proper physicality, the glint of golden chains and bands all about them and of gold the skull mask they bear.


    For a moment it seems frozen in shock and you wonder if its about to flee back behind the servitors it had outpaced then it waves a hand that seems to blacken the air where it passes, the very fabric of existence scorched as he calls out something in Osiriani. You have just enough time to contemplate the irony that two realms that despise each other quite as much as Nex and Geb still share a language and culture grown anchored in place by by their long lived rulers, before Sirim helpfully translates:

    "Crawl up from thine blanket of dirt that you might know under whose foot you have the honor of being crushed maggots."

    With that wave all glamor-craft fails... though it seems so surprised at that as not to notice that you and Mina are also working magic. Light flares, for you a pleasant blue for those born under the sun eye-searing crimson and webs stick and bind the figure in its tracks.

    Necromancer Dispell (DC 14*): 1d20+10 = 19 (Success)
    Necromancer Reflex Save: 1d20+13 = 14 (Critical Failure)
    *vs Hats of Disguise

    It might have cursed in response, it might have bargained or threatened again, what you did not expect it to do is start laughing, hacking words coming between each peel.

    Anippe whom the eyeless face was clearly turned to shouted a question.

    "It is saying something about a key or an answer and thanking Urgathoa for delivering such a prize into its hands," Sirim helpfully informs all of you before he works his own magic even as a pair of withered hand reach out from behind the Necromancer to pull him back behind a wall of dead flesh.

    "The girl, get the girl out of here!" Oriel shouts, as loud as you had ever heard the cassisian speak.

    "What did you do to my mother?" Anippe adds her own voice to the din, speaking Taldan on reflex you assume.

    "Aided her," the necromancer is still laughing. "As you will aid me."

    What do you do?

    [] See if you can keep it talking, something tells you its remains will not be cooperative once you make it properly dead

    [] You have it out of position, put it down

    [] Get Anippe back, break like of sight

    [] Write in

    OOC: Admittedly I was not expecting this of all beings to fail a save against Web, but Nat 1s are going to nat 1.
     
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    • I'm glad we used the Hats of Disguise. A Dispel targeting them is an action that could have been much more dangerous.

    I intended for Anippe to be in a Bag of Holding for the fight, that's why I didn't include any actions for her in the plan, but looking back at it, I see I didn't specify we were trying to keep her out of harm's way.

    My mistake, but maybe not a bad one. The Blood Lord's reaction to seeing her was very telling. We knew she was important in some manner, both because she was being hunted before we took her to Cheliax, but also due to the Mockingfey's reaction to her and their claim she was linked to the Undead.

    I'm starting to wonder if Anippe is actually Eshe's daughter at all, or even if she is, that she might be much more closely related to Nex than would normally be possible.

    If she is a 'Key', we have to wonder what lock she opens. I'm assuming it's something in Refuge, or perhaps Refuge itself? I'm very curious, but I have no interest in trying to get it to talk. That just gives it more opportunities to escape or do something annoying.

    [X] You have it out of position, put it down
     
    Nevill said:
    It has been happening for two weeks, give or take. It is safe to assume they are at an impasse without something new, something they can use to either pressure Eshe or use as alternative means of entry.

    I am fairly certain their plot won't go anywhere without Anippe, barring some truly atrocious delays.
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    Well, we suspected it for a while now.
    Goldfish said:
    I'm starting to wonder if Anippe is actually Eshe's daughter at all, or even if she is, that she might be much more closely related to Nex than would normally be possible.
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    She should be. Eshe would have no reason to tell she was conceived in Mana Wastes if she weren't. The question of the father was never our business to ask. But if it's something 'more closely related to Nex', what does this have to do with her feeling like the undead?

    It is said Nex and Geb shared a culture, but the Mockingfey pinged her more like a Gebbite than a Nexian. Clearly Eshe didn't think she'd need Anippe for her Refuge expedition, which means that Eshe was (is?) herself capable of... whatever they are trying to do. It also confirms that she can't or won't help them with it in her current state.

    I wonder if Anippe is the key, or just an instrument to make Eshe play nice. We may be barking up the wrong tree here.

    [x] You have it out of position, put it down

    Kill it with prejudice.

    DragonParadox said:
    it waves a hand that seems to blacken the air where it passes
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    Is it 'the hand that withers'? What even is that creature?
     
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    Are we still using Cob to launch a cluster of Bone Burns?

    What is Kori's role in combat? Perhaps we could make use of Spiritual Weapon to inconvenience the necromancer.
     
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    Should we specify anything about Anippe, since the necromancer is here for her (well, not initially)? I don't think our team can be put in a hostage situation (we are likely to keep stabbing and sort the consequences later), but she is unlikely to contribute to the fight, and a lot of spells rely on LoS.
     
    Nevill said:
    Should we specify anything about Anippe, since the necromancer is here for her (well, not initially)? I don't think our team can be put in a hostage situation (we are likely to keep stabbing and sort the consequences later), but she is unlikely to contribute to the fight, and a lot of spells rely on LoS.
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    I'm all for putting her in a Bag of Holding.

    [X] You have it out of position, put it down
    -[X] Once the Blood Lord is dealt with, we'll use the last False Vision scroll Eshe gave us to mislead anyone Scrying us by making our location appear to be back in the holding cells. Anippe and Oriel will hide in our Bag of Holding.
     
    Goldfish said:
    I'm all for putting her in a Bag of Holding.
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    For the fight, or after? I am more worried about now than after the Gebbite is dead. It is a mage of significant power, after all.

    I am expecting to be mostly done with the quest once we kill it, because I can't see what can top a face-off with a dragon and a Blood Lord back-to-back.

    Of course, there is a possibility that it is but one of the intruders...
     
    Nevill said:
    For the fight, or after? I am more worried about now than after the Gebbite is dead. It is a mage of significant power, after all.

    I am expecting to be mostly done with the quest once we kill it, because I can't see what can top a face-off with a dragon and a Blood Lord back-to-back.

    Of course, there is a possibility that it is but one of the intruders...
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    Trying to get her into the bag mid-combat is a bad idea, IMO. The logistics of that would take at Mina or Kori out of the fight, at a minimum, because Gorok is in melee and Cob is hanging from the ceiling. We need our casters ready and able to respond to shenanigans ASAP.
     
    Fair enough. We do need to pick between safety and going hard on the guy.

    I'll note that we have a few semi-combatants like Pepper or Abductor Beast, who could be made to take an action when our main crew have none to spare.
     
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    Vote closed.
    Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Apr 15, 2025 at 8:26 AM, finished with 13 posts and 5 votes.
    • [X] You have it out of position, put it down
      [X] You have it out of position, put it down
      -[X] Once the Blood Lord is dealt with, we'll use the last False Vision scroll Eshe gave us to mislead anyone Scrying us by making our location appear to be back in the holding cells. Anippe and Oriel will hide in our Bag of Holding.
    Click to expand...
     
    Arc 10: Post 97: Carved in Ice, Lit in Flame New
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    • Carved in Ice, Lit in Flame ​

    20th of Abadius 4708 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)

    For a moment silence reigns as though the meeting perched on the edge of battle... then it tips over.

    "Now!" Gorok's voice echoes with command, though he had hardly finished speaking when Cob is revealed hanging upside down from the stone ceiling, glamor torn by the violence of his attack. And oh what violence it is. The Bloodlord seems crowned in blue green fire the quadruple dose of bone burn driven into the back of his skull, the eye and mouth holes of the mask drip as the gold softens in the heat before sizzling in a blast of water from Crick's water-throwers.

    Cob Attack: Automatic Crit -> Bloodlord takes 35 Damage-> Now at 61/95
    Bloodlord Save (DC 18) 1d20+8 =     27 (Success) -> Bloodlord takes 13 Damage -> Now at 48/95

    Yet even as it had been forced back the robed figure had kept its feet, armed raised high, one holding a athame and another a glittering diamond that turns to dust as you watch even as another crystal ice, envelops Anippe her mouth still open to call back something to the monster. The expanding ice throws Mina off her feet, but Sirim manages to get a good look at the spell. "Translocation, don't let it be complete."

    Annipe Will Save (DC 21): 1d20+7 = 15 (Failure)
    Anippe is Trapped
    Mina, Sirim Knowledge Arcana (DC 20): 18, 33 (Failure, Success)

    Behind its now deformed mask the Gebbite seems to hear him because it laughs again, echoes mingling with the sound of its cadaver puppets, armed and armored for battle you note, though with weapons of bronze adorned with flowing knotwork that hint at robbing more of Nex's old trophy rooms.

    "Only if you wish to send her to the River, my lord of Nidal." One steel gantleted hand points to the pulsing star of blue fire that had appeared behind Anippe's ice prison. "Break the ice and I shall see her end in fire, allow me to take her and we need know no other conflict. She is mine, after all." He is, needless to say, lying though his teeth, but judging by the sped with which the crystal is fading from sight all he needs is a moment of hesitation.

    Ice Crystal Teleport 1d4 Rounds: 1

    What do you do?

    [] Gorok turns around and tries to break the crystal, if he can do it now when the fire spell isn't yet properly established he can rush Anippe to safety

    [] Mina, Sirim, and Akorian can dispel the prison and the fireball between them, focus on the Bloodlord

    [] Write in

    OOC: I know this one is short, but given that he managed to pull off the trick with the teleport (luck really turned around there) I thought it would be worth a tactical vote.
     
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    • God damn, this dude is throwing around 6th and 7th level spells. He is 13th level, at a minimum.

    @DragonParadox, how close is everyone to the Delayed Blast Fireball?
     
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