(Pathfinder) The Curse of the Crimson Throne IC

[Leviathan]

Jensi heals all of the captive Varisians, who groan, lapsing into what must be a blissfully pain-free unconsciousness. Meanwhile, Tallox binds Alyssa so that she cannot cast any of her spells. She is promptly awakened by Jensi.

Her dark eyes look steadily at her captors, full of pride. "I am alive? What is it you want from me? I will not beg for mercy."

As she talks, you hear a deep, dark chanting emanate once more. It comes from behind a pair of dark wood doors with an iron image of Urgathoa hammered to them, close to you, and growing louder.

[RocketMan]

Jensi looks down sternly at Alyssa's crumpled form. "You should beg for mercy!" he cries, indignant at her poise. "You've done things - horrible things, terrible things - things I don't think you can even be forgiven for. Why? Why would you want to kill so many people?" he asks with a pained expression. Then the chanting from the next room grows louder. "Also, what's through those doors?" he adds nervously.

[SanguinePenguin]

Ignoring the noise behind the door, Atavian asks hurriedly, "the cure! Your sister mentioned a cure! Tell us more!" Atavian shouts, but it is more of a hastened squeak and a plea.

Tallox has a sudden realization. In a total non sequitur from Atavian's behavior, Tallox lifts the girl to his face, his earlier rage returning full force as he shouts, "THE NAME! THE ONE FROM MY PLANE - WHAT IS HIS NAME?!?"

[Leviathan]

"Through those doors, boy? Your death," Alyssa spits out angrily. "Lady Andaisin is our leader, and she will destroy you!" She gives Jensi a second look over. "You had best kill me now, Varisian. Otherwise, when all your friends are dead, I will take you and make you feel the pain of Urgathoa's perfect death."

To Atavian, she says: "We cured the plague. He demanded it, that in time new torments could befall His victims. It is here, in this very room. Take it, if you wish! Either way, you do His will!" She nods towards a collection of papers and a few tiny vials of orange fluid.

Alyssa looks at Tallox as she is hefted up. "Another of your kind. His name is Gorrox. He was a gift of a our Master... A strange acquisition with ferocity, strength, and a love of torment and torture."

[Blisstake]

Time slows down to an excrutiating rate as Aldrin sits behind the door to the experimentation room, trying his best not to look at the slowly moving forms behind the panes. Were his companions interrogating his sisters properly? Offering them foolish chances at forgiveness? Killing them?

Why do I even care? They might as well be dead for what they've done.

He listens to the muffled dialogue behind the door, careful to be on the move in case either sister had any surprise tactics to use against them while bound. But the listening was become harder, the ambient chants drowning it out. After taking a deep breath, Aldrin gets to his feet, and re-enters the room.

"Not done yet? You should hurry, I don't know what that sound is, but someone or something seems to be coming our way."

[Drothmal]

Once again, she speaks of "He", but both Urgathoa and this Andaisin are females... thinks the fencer. But, before he gets to ask more questions, the magus hears the chanting behind the doors

The sorcerer's entrance seems to catalyze the decision process in the duelist

Aldrin is right. Using our time in further interrogation is inneficient. Tallox, render her unconscious, but don't kill her. Everyone, prepare all remaining resources. Stopping this Lady Andaisin, who is the most probable source of this sound, is our first priority

[Blisstake]

"Except maybe this "he" everyone keeps mentioning. Keep something in reserve for this fight. Especially if we end up having to deal with my sisters again, as unlikely as I hope this is."

[RocketMan]

"She won't destroy us!" Jensi says defiantly, glaring at Alyssa. "We'll get her first! We've already stopped all sorts of bad guys and she won't be any different!" Jensi says, turning back to his companions.

"It's time to stop this, once and for all! I'm sick of the city being... um, well, sick!"

[Minerva]

"This shall not stand. Make no mistake, woman, we will find your master, and she shall taste justice." The inquisitor turns to press on.

[Leviathan]

The doors creak open as you move on, leaving Aldrin's sisters unconscious and bound.

The atmosphere is oppressive, dark, damp, cold, with hard rock on all sides and sinister magic echoing through the halls. And then you come to the end: a room from which no other doors lead save for the one from which you have entered. It is much like the others, lit by a few wax candles held in black iron torch brackets. But a green, acidic light also shines from a circle of runes that sits in the centre of the room. Behind this, the far wall is stacked high with thousands of black metal coffers, all sealed and locked.

In the centre of the circle stands a tall, impressive figure. She is a woman, with long ebony hair and a cold, gaunt face, almost translucent in the light so that blue veins can be seen running beneath her skin. She wears a suit of dark metal armour, and holds between her hands an ornate scythe shaped with the image of a voracious face ready to devour lives.

Around her, four hooded cultists stand, arms raised in exultation.

"And at last they come, desperately seeking salvation, struggling to fight, willing to die, and all for something greater. But there is nothing greater. There is only death, and she comes for all."

Round 1

Map

Spoiler

Show

Buff if you'd like; you'd be able to see the doors to this room and prepare beforehand.

[Blisstake]

"Perhaps, but Death comes for you first. There is no excuse for your actions here, and we're ending this here and now."

The ground once again rumbles as plumes of black smoke escape the surface, and an infernal pit opens beneath the cultist's feet.

Spoiler

Show

Using Spike Pit. It will hit LA and C2, while C4 will slip in as well. DC 19 or [roll]3d6[/roll] falling damage and [roll]2d6[/roll] piercing damage. C4 has a +4 to the save for being pit-adjacent rather than pit-imminent.

HP: 48/51 AC 12
F +5, R +5, W +6
Level 1: 6/8
Level 2: 4/6
Level 3: 2/4

[DaedalusMkV]

"I agree wholeheartedly, Jensi. The sooner we can restore this city to some semblance of justice and prosperity, the happier I'll be." Dastan says in response to the young Varisian's statement. He gestures to the two Cress sisters. "I only regret that people like these two were ever allowed to begin their plots at all. Let us finish this battle, once and for all." He waits a few moments for the others to prepare themselves, then strides through the doors towards the sinister-sounding chant.

-----

Dastan looks at the unholy runic circle and the cultists surrounding it, then glances over their armoured, unhealthy-looking mistress. "Then come, witch, and test your convictions against my blade and my faith." He all but shouts, making a rather traditional taunting gesture as he does. His words carry more weight than perhaps they should, as does the gesture.

Spoiler

Show

Casting Knight's Calling on Lady Andaisin, DC 15 Will Save or be forced to take a full move action towards me, avoiding attacks of opportunity if possible but always doing everything she can to make it adjacent to me, provoking an Attack of Opportunity if she does and being unable to take any other actions. If Aldrin's pit catches her, retarget to one of the Cultists instead, I guess. With any luck, even if the spell fails the challenge will do its job. I will also turf two more uses of Lay on Hands to declare Smite Evil on her, unless she falls in the pit in which case I won't Smite anyone.

AOO if necessary: (1d20+13)[26] (Add 4 if the target is Lady Andaisin)
Damage: (1d8+12)[19] (Subtract 6 if the target is not Lady Andaisin. Add 6 if she is Undead or an Evil Outsider).

Summary:
HP: 63/63

AC 24, FF23, Touch 11 (add 4 against Andaisin, if the Smite goes through)
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +12 (add 1 against Evil Outsiders)
Fire, Elec, Cold resist 5
Immune to Fear (allies within 10' get +4)
Immune to Disease
Smite Evil: 0/2
Lay on Hands: 6/9 (Subtract 2 if the Smite goes through)
Desire for a one-on-one battle between the champions of the Gods of good and evil: Significant.

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian raises his crossbow and fires through the eerie green light at the leader. The enormous beyonder sets his claws into the cultist before him, although his mind is elsewhere. Plotting revenge against this Gorrox - the thief. Striding forward to take on another, he gnashes his teeth violently pretending the enemy is the beyonder who wronged him. Atavian follows his monster.

Actions:

Spoiler

Show

Atavian: Fire crossbow at leader. Load crossbow. 5ft step to stay behind Tallox.
Xbow: (1d20+7)[17] Damage: (1d6)[3]

Tallox: is still enlarged. He has reach. I'm not entirely sure where he is though. He will full power attack cultist C3, then 5ft step to get C1 (and the leader if possible). If he can't reach C1, he'll 5ft step just to get the leader.
R Claw: (1d20+12)[20] Damage: (1d6+11)[17]
L Claw: (1d20+12)[20] Damage: (1d6+11)[14]
Rend: (if L&R claw hit) Damage: (1d6+10)[14]
Bite 1: (1d20+13)[28] Damage: (2d6+19)[25]
Bite 2: (1d20+13)[32] threat Damage: (2d6+19)[31]+30=61 if 23 hits

Buffs:

Spoiler

Show

Mage Armor: Tallox 6 hrs/6 hrs (still active from before)
Prot Evil: Tallox 5/6 Minutes remaining
Enlarge Person: Tallox 5/6 Minutes remaining
Bull's strength: Tallox 5/6 Minutes remaining
Haste: 9/10 rnds remaining On: Tallox, Atavian, Rennard, Dastan, Dresane, Aldrin

Summary:

Spoiler

Show

Tallox
HP: 38/48. AC: 24 (19), 17 (12) Touch, 21 (17) Flatfooted. +2 against evil.
Saves: +5 Fortitude, +3 Reflex (also, evasion), +4 Will (+8 enchantments) All saves +2 against evil.

Atavian
HP: 58/58 AC: 19, 16 Touch, 16 Flatfooted.
Saves: +7 Fortitude, +8 (7) Reflex, +9 Will.
(Note: Saves and AC listed with shield ally in effect)
Spells: 1st: 2/6 2nd: 1/4

[Drothmal]

Faced with the leader of the operation, Rennard does not make any speeches. Concentrating his remaining magic power into Reve, the fencer quickly closes in the closest cultist and delivers two thrusts with the enchanted blade.

Judging the leader to be the greatest threat to the party, Rennard reaches into his dwindling spells, finding the one the duelist had been saving should the party be attacked by another assassin.

Désarmez! exclaims the magus, willing Andaisin's scythe away from her grasp and into the fencer's outreached left hand in a spell that truly connected Rennard's understanding of both blades and magic.


Actions

Spoiler

Show

Swift: Activate Arcane Strike
Full Round: Spell combat (the description above is for fluff, Rennard will cast the spell before entering melee)

Cast Pilfering Hand as an Abrupt Maneuver to try do disarm Lady Andaisin
Disarm - (1d20+11)[21] (vs CMD)

5ft step NE to face C4

2 Attacks (1BAB + 1 Haste)
Attack - (1d20+13)[22] (4 BAB+4 Dex+3 Magic+1Trait+1Feat+1 IounStone +1 haste -2 spell combat)
[roll=Damage]1d6+6[roll] (1 STR + 3 Magic=2 Arcane Strike)
Attack - (1d20+13)[16]
[roll=Damage]1d6+6[roll]

Buffs

Spoiler

Show

From before:
Shield (?min)
Mirror image for 3 copies (?min)
Ablative Barrier= 30 points (6 hours)
New Buffs:
Haste = 9/10 rounds
Arcane pool (last point) on Reve = 9/10 rounds

Status

Spoiler

Show

HP=52/52
AC=25 (15 touch, 20 FF)
F=+8, R=+8, W=+6
Arcane Pool=0/11
Black Blade Arcane pool= 0/2
Empower magic = 0/1
CMB= +5
CMD= 19
Hero points= 2/3

Mirror image active
Ablative Barrier active

[Minerva]

She aims her bow. "Time to face justice. I sentence you by the law of Asmodeus to die. According to the laws of the city, you would be tortured and executed. I can't torture you, but I will do my best to make your death excruciatingly painful." She fires.

Spoiler

Show

Full attack, swift for bane.

Pre-buffing with flames of the faithful.

Attack 1 vs C1: (1d20+15)[32], damage (1d20+4)[24]+(4d6)[14]
Attack 2 vs C3:(1d20+15)[16], damage (1d20+4)[12]+(4d6)[12]
Attack 3 vs C4: (1d20+15)[18], damage (1d20+4)[18]+(4d6)[12]

EDIT! Screwed up damage rolls with d20s instead of d8s. Rolls ooc.

[RocketMan]

"We're stopping you all!" Jensi calls, waving his hand in the direction of one of the cultists.

Spoiler

Show

Hold Person on C4

[Leviathan]

Two of the cultists fall screaming into Aldrin's hellish pit. But the woman, who you presume to be the Lady Andaisin Alyssa referred to, does not. She merely inclines her head towards Aldrin as the ground gives way beneath her, and stands calmly in the air above the pit.

Dastan challenges Lady Andaisin, but the cult leader does not seem to take note of it.

She takes even less note of Atavian's crossbow shot, that deflects harmlessly off a black shimmering layer of magical defence that flashes into existence as the bolt nears it.

But when Rennard's spell rips her scythe away from her grasp, she screams in anger, even while her armour deflects the duelist's attacks harmlessly.

Dresane's arrows fly wide, for the most part, though her first shot finds its way into one of the cultist's stomachs. He still stands, but is obviously quite hurt.

The other cultist who has not yet fallen into Aldrin's pit resists Jensi's attempt to restrain him with magic.

Lady Andaisin rises up into the air. "Return that to me," she hisses at Rennard, her voice dangerously low. "NOW!" A bolt of blood red vapour flies from her hand. It coils once around the magus, then starts to burn with pure evil.

Spoiler

Show

53 damage to Rennard.

The two cultists left alive rush the group, drawing sickles. Neither are effective, though, against Dastan and Tallox, who easily fend them off. Tallox kills both cultists in a flurry of claws and fangs.

Round 2

Map

Spoiler

Show

UPDATE: All cultists are dead, seeing as I didn't add in Tallox's attacks from last round.

[RocketMan]

"Rennard!" Jensi cries as the cult leader strikes the magus with her evil magic. "Please don't be dead, please don't be dead!" the oracle calls as he rushes to the fallen man. Placing his hand on Rennard's wound, he whispers a prayer. A pulse of pure white light ripples forth, mending the wound.

Spoiler

Show

Cure Serious Wounds on Rennard: (3d8+6)[18]

[SanguinePenguin]

Tallox steps forward to attack the levitating woman. His long black claws strike at her body, but he has to hop a bit to deliver two successive chomps with his toothy maw.

Seeing that Tallox can reach the woman, Atavian casts the same growth spell on the paladin almost immediately. Still terrified by what the woman did to Rennard, the halfling shouts, "Dastan! Take her down!"

Actions:

Spoiler

Show

Atavian: Cast enlarge person on Dastan

Tallox: From the description for Talloxs motion, be should be occupying the 10ft square with C3 in the lower right corner. 5ft step (into the circle) to be adjacent to the levitating woman
R Claw: (1d20+12)[14] Damage: [/roll]1d6+11[/roll]
L Claw: (1d20+12)[13] Damage: [/roll]1d6+11[/roll]
Rend: (if L&R claw hit) Damage: Damage: [/roll]1d6+11[/roll]
Bite 1: (1d20+13)[20] Damage: 30 (see OOC)
Bite 2: (1d20+13)[26] Damage: 24 (see OOC)

Buffs:

Spoiler

Show

Mage Armor: Tallox 6 hrs/6 hrs (still active from before)
Prot Evil: Tallox 5/6 Minutes remaining
Enlarge Person: Tallox 5/6 Minutes remaining
Enlarge Person: Dastan 6/6 Minutes remaining
Bull's strength: Tallox 5/6 Minutes remaining
Haste: 8/10 rnds remaining On: Tallox, Atavian, Rennard, Dastan, Dresane, Aldrin

Summary:

Spoiler

Show

Tallox
HP: 38/48. AC: 24 (19), 17 (12) Touch, 21 (17) Flatfooted. +2 against evil.
Saves: +5 Fortitude, +3 Reflex (also, evasion), +4 Will (+8 enchantments) All saves +2 against evil.

Atavian
HP: 58/58 AC: 19, 16 Touch, 16 Flatfooted.
Saves: +7 Fortitude, +8 (7) Reflex, +9 Will.
(Note: Saves and AC listed with shield ally in effect)
Spells: 1st: 1/6 2nd: 1/4

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan steps forwards, adapting quickly to his newly increased mass and height. "Gladly. Die, coward!" He answers Atavian and addresses the plate-armoured cultist at once, sending his now terribly oversized weapon whistling at her with the intent to cut her out of her perch in the air.

Spoiler

Show

From where Dastan is, he should be able to 5-foot-step and Full Attack. Might as well power attack again. Eat divine wrath, silly Will-save-passing dark cleric.

Attack 1: (1d20+15)[26] (+5 Str, +6 BAB, +4 Smite, +2 Enhancement, +1 Bless, +1 Haste, -1 Size, -2 Power Attack)
Damage 1: (2d6+18)[26] (Add 6 to the first hit if the target is undead or an evil outsider)
Attack 2: (1d20+15)[29]
Damage 2: (2d6+18)[26] (Add 6 to the first hit if the target is undead or an evil outsider)
Attack 3: (1d20+10)[15] (+5 Str, +6 BAB, +4 Smite, +2 Enhancement, +1 Bless, +1 Haste, -1 Size, -2 Power Attack)
Damage 3: (2d6+18)[24] (Add 6 to the first hit if the target is undead or an evil outsider)

Summary:
HP: 63/63

AC 24, FF23, Touch 11 (add 4 against Andaisin, if the Smite goes through)
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +12 (add 1 against Evil Outsiders)
Fire, Elec, Cold resist 5
Immune to Fear (allies within 10' get +4)
Immune to Disease
Smite Evil: 0/2
Lay on Hands: 4/9
Desire for a one-on-one battle between the champions of the Gods of good and evil: Thwarted.

[Blisstake]

"And look how quickly your numbers dwindle."

Aldrin sends a burst of sonic energy at the woman, hoping it will keep her occupied while his companions combine their attacks on her.

Spoiler

Show

Ear Piercing Scream

(3d6)[12] damage. DC 17 fort.

[Drothmal]

As the evil magic hits the magus, the world goes black

Bonded! screams Reve inside of Rennard's head

But to no avail, Rennard's mind is quickly approaching nothingness and his fingers begin to let the cursed weapon go

And then Jensi's spell washes over the duelist, healing him and allowing him to recover his wits

Realizing that disarming the enemy seemed to have made a huge impact on the fight, combined with the knowledge that he could not survive a second attack like that, the magus opts for a tactical retreat

Sheathing Reve, the magus uses his free hand to use the invisibility spell that had served him so well against previous enemy spellcasters

Actions

Spoiler

Show

Move: sheathe rapier
Standard: cast Vanish on self
5ft step to the side, preferably behind Dastan

[Minerva]

Dresane fires her bow at the airborne Lady Andaisin. "Stand and fight! You. Will. Pay." With each word, the Hellknight draws and fires, sending three arrows whistling at the priestess.

Spoiler

Show

Attack 1: (1d20+15)[20], damage: [roll]1d8+4[/roll(4d6)[19]
Attack 2: (1d20+15)[32], damage: [roll]1d8+4[/roll(4d6)[12]
Attack 3: (1d20+15)[24], damage: [roll]1d8+4[/roll(4d6)[14]

And... that's my last Bane round for today. Hopefully she dies soon.

Darn, messed up the bow rolls. OOC it is.

[Leviathan]

Jensi's desperate healing restores Rennard's drained body somewhat, though the magus is still far from healthy. Perhaps wisely, Rennard vanishes from sight, concealing himself behind a layer of invisibility.

Tallox, grown tall enough to reach Lady Andaisin, lashes out at her viciously. But only one of his attacks makes contact: a gnashing bite that crunches against the woman's blackened armour, making her cry out in pain.

Dastan does the same, but the noble paladin's righteous fury leads him to greater success. His blazing sword sears her pale skin and makes her shriek in anger.

She shrugs off the worst of Aldrin's spell, just in time to dodge two of Dresane's arrows. The third hits her, and she cries out again.

The two cultists who still linger in Aldrin's hellish pit have no luck removing themselves from it. You can hear screams coming from its depths as they cut themselves to pieces attempting to climb out.

Lady Andaisin looks around for Rennard, the thief of her weapon, but cannot find the invisible magus. With the room's ceiling directly above her, she has nowhere else to go. She steps through the air away from Dastan and Tallox, and unleashes another spell, focusing enough to ignore the physical danger she is in.

"Paladin," she screams at Dastan; "you should never have come here! You meddling will be your end." Dastan's holy sword seems to have enraged her, and she hurls a spell at him. It is an impossibly black sphere, that strikes the paladin between his eyes, splashing down as though the smoke it creates were liquid, to conceal his eyes.

Dastan

Spoiler

Show

Fort DC18 or be permanently blinded

Round 3

Map

Spoiler

Show

[RocketMan]

"You can't get away that easy!" Jensi says angrily as Lady Andaisin floats higher into the air.

Spoiler

Show

Casting Levitate on Dastan to raise him up to the level where he can hit Andaisin. If Dastan is blinded, Jensi will instead cast the spell on Tallox.

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan smiles at the enraged dark cleric, his flashing teeth almost predatory as he easily shrugs off her putrid magic. "No, I believe it will be yours." He replies calmly. Though he seems momentarily surprised at being lifted into the air, Dastan quickly takes advantage and continues raining blows on his target.

Spoiler

Show

Full Attack from Reach again, I guess? Power Attack as usual.

Attack 1:(1d20+16)[17]
Damage 1: (2d6+18)[23]
Attack 2:(1d20+16)[29]
Damage 2: (2d6+18)[30]
Attack 3:(1d20+16)[26] Edit: Screwed up. Subtract 5.
Damage 3: (2d6+18)[26]

Summary:
HP: 63/63

AC 24, FF23, Touch 11 (add 4 against Andaisin, if the Smite goes through)
Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +12 (add 1 against Evil Outsiders)
Fire, Elec, Cold resist 5
Immune to Fear (allies within 10' get +4)
Immune to Disease
Smite Evil: 0/2
Lay on Hands: 4/9

[Leviathan]

Lady Andaisin raises her hands to shield herself as Dastan follows her. Twice she manages to evade him, but the paladin's blazing longsword cuts through her defences. All of Iomedae's power rushes into the blade in the instant that it cuts aside Andaisin's armour and reaches her black heart. With a scream of richly-deserved pain, she dies, clutching at the sword that is her end. She slips from the blade, her spell of airwalking giving way in death. It may well be fitting that her limp, bloodied body plummets downwards into the fiery hell-pit below her...

The battle is won, and, hopefully, the city is now safe.

[Blisstake]

Aldrin exhales and turns back to the beaten forms of his sisters. "When we spoke earlier... there was something buried deep in their minds. I don't know exactly what it was, but maybe that woman held her grasp on them. Whatever it was, they're still responsible for what happened here, and if they offer resistance, then we will finish them here. We've given them enough chances, and we will act as we would under any other circumstance with dangerous individuals. Jensi, can you wake them up?"

[Minerva]

Dresane nods severely, her face a cold mask of anger mixed with a tiny hint of relief. "It is over. We should, as Cress says, interrogate his sisters properly. They may have much to say, but even silence will tell us something."

"There is also the matter of this room. We must search it. I wish to find anything there may be. Cress, your spell will end soon?" she asks of his pit. "The bodies inside should be searched."

Spoiler

Show

If we interrogate the sisters, Leviathan, could you assume Dresane uses detect lies on everything they say until I run out of uses?

[Blisstake]

"I'm not entirely sure..." Aldrin states, looking at the depression. "I haven't done that before today. In fact I wasn't even sure it would work; I got the idea from a book on the Infernal magics practiced during the Thrune uprisings, and... oh, look, it's rising."

The ground slowly rises, and the spikes lining the pit vanish into smoke, until both the cultists and the Lady Andaisin are level with the ground.