Rise of the Runelords [PF Gestalt] (IC)

[lostsole31]

Though there is a very thin passage through nettles to a trail beyond, there are a lot of goblins making noise over on the other side, so the party backtracks. Three thistle tunnels open into a large cave-like chamber. Above, the thorny canopy grows thin enough that tiny slivers of the sky above can be seen, while below, the ground consists of trampled dirt. To the west, the distant sound of sloshing waves echoes up from a hole.

"Sea cave," murmurs Shalelu.

"The bottom is out of my range of darkvision," says Celiss, an observation seconded by Kurgol.

"This might be worth investigating later, but let's leave it alone for now," warns Shalelu.

Continuing around winding trails, Shalelu comes around a bend when there is suddenly a chorus of loud barks from up ahead.

"Damn," spirt Kurgol. "Guard dogs. Well, we're committed now."

Celiss casts haste on the party. Kurgol surprises by briefly concentrating; there is a shimmering in front of him before that shimmering disappears. Shalelu casts a spell on her quiver.

Spoiler

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By now you recognize haste without any problem. You have no idea what to think about Kurgol's ability. Shalelu casts a common ranger spell, abundant ammunition, which allows her to have an unlimited number of arrows during the spell's duration.

What does Du do?

[PSinger]

Du casts mage armor on herself and gets ready to charge in ...

[lostsole31]

R1T22: Celiss moves up within 10' of the dogs and casts color spray. Three of the four dogs instantly fall unconscious.

R1T21: "Goblin dogs," says Shalelu with disgust. "Skin-to-skin contact can cause a nasty rash, like a severe case of poison ivy."

She uses a ferocious pull style to get power into her shot to hit the goblin dog in the neck for 16, instantly disabling it.

R1T20.9: Kurgol advances quickly with his strange axe and though he slashes with it, on the backswing it slips and turns and he nails himself in the back as the pointy end goes into the rear of his lung for 2 CON and he coughs and burbles a little bit of blood, and he can't stop giving out a loud cry of pain.

Radish awaits his owner's order.

R1T4: Du?

[PSinger]

Du is going to "be brave" and forward to give a final merciful stroke to the dog with her scythe.

Spoiler

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Attack (1d20+3)[22], damage (2d4+3)[8]

[lostsole31]

R1T4: Du bravely goes forward to give a final merciful stroke to the dog with her scythe, making it drop. Radish stays dutifully.

The sounds of yipping and goblins comes from over to the west.

End Round 1, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T22: "Well," says Celiss, "let's go say hello. Du, start making sure these dogs are dead, saving the one that we just cut down for last."

She has her rapier out and steps around the corner to go to the strange hole/ well with the noise below.

R2T21: Shalelu likewise steps just around the corner of the hedge.

R2T20.9: Kurgol takes out a potion and downs it, entirely healing the puncture hole to his lung (but not any actual damage he received in the previous battle).

R2TT4: Du, do you do as Celiss said?

[PSinger]

Sure. She'll drop out of rounds if need be to finish off the dogs. She really hates the concept of killing animals, but she knows that these dogs trained by goblins would be too hard to deprogram from their visciousness.

[lostsole31]

R2T4: Dušana really hates the concept of killing animals, but first things first, she attacks the one awake dog with a fine slash for 10.

R2T3: The leashed dog snaps back, deep into Du's shoulder for 9. "Radish!" she calls out.

R2T2: The giant toad bounds forward and bites into the dog for 7, dropping it.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T22-21: Celiss and Shalelu continue to ready for the goblins.

R3T20.9: Kurgol pierces the skull of the unharmed goblin dog.

R3T4: Du cuts the last unharmed goblin dog for 21.

[lostsole31]

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T25-21: Two goblins come moving about the corner. Celiss had already prepared for this and stabs the first one in the upper chest near the neck and it goes down. Before the other goblin can move in, Shalelu was likewise ready and disables the goblin coming her way, with that one stopping its tracks in pain. Another goblin steps up to Celiss for swordplay but misses, while Shalelu jumps over the swing meant for her knees. Shalelu starts giving tactical advice to Celiss regarding goblin-fighting.

R4T20: "You need to take care of that," says Kurgol to Du, motioning to the terrible bite she suffered. He then concentrates, and his muscles in his arms and legs to incredible proportion, and grow hair like some sort of ape.

R4T19-13: Two goblins file in behind the others, but these two have shortbows, and other goblins are heard yipping. One arrow bounces off of Celiss' mystical protection while another misses the elf.

R4T4: Du? Are you going to try to heal part of your wounds?

[PSinger]

Du focuses on her scythe and casts CLW on her grievous bite wound.

Spoiler

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CLW (1d8+2)[6]

[lostsole31]

R4T4: Du focuses on her scythe and casts CLW on her grievous bite wound for 6 healing.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T26: Celiss' magic is poured into her blade and she grazes her opponent's neck for 8, and follows it up with a graze to the head; but such is her strength, the magic of the blade, her personally channeled magic, and Shalelu's advice, the grazes in the head and neck are enough to drop it. "Standby!" she calls out. "Haste is almost out."

R5T21: Continuing with tactical advice for Celiss. Shalelu fires point blank and opens up an AOO but the stupid goblin bonks itself in the head, stunning itself. Shalelu puts all of her power into the shots. She drops it as it goes into shock being hit in the brachial artery. Another arrow hits the one shooting back, and an arrow in the nasal cavity drops it. And yet another shot as she makes full use of Celiss' temporal enhancement and she fells the last opponent she can see (though she does hear several more).

R5T20: "I'm pretty sure I heard someone casting on the other side of these brambles, around this corner," Kurgol warns loud enough for the warrior women to hear.

R5T14-13: Two goblins wheel around with their dogslicers to face Cel and Shal. The faintest shimmer occurs at the wizard's left hand to solidly block aside the little cleaver, and the exact same occurs for Shalelu.

R5T12: Stepping right out of the brambles as if they weren't there, right behind Radish, is an older-looking goblin with all sorts of animal fetishes on him. He casts a spell at Radish. He looks into Radish's eyes, pointing to Kurgol, and he says, "Attack the green-faced one!"

The goblin also has a wand that spouts a flame, and from another hand is a scimitar made of pure flame.

R5T11.9: "It's about time I had a target!" shouts Kurgol, entering into a blood fury. He rushes forth at blinding speed (courtesy of Celiss' spell), but not before Radish nips him for 7. The enemy caster was entirely unprepared for the raging man and he easily gets wrapped up in Kurgol's now titanic strength for 13. The caster screams out something in Goblin while in pain. "He's called for something called a Tangletooth" informs the half-orc.

R5T11.8: Coming around the corner from the direction you were originally heading speeds a hunting cat. It bites into Du's left calf and shin for a bloody, crunching 8, and she is thrown to the ground.

R5T11-8.9: Two more goblins, taking out bows, take rear positions as before and fire and miss.

R5T4: Du, you are in dire straits. This is a fire pelt, a type of medium big cat (similar to a jaguar or cheetah). Nothing special to know, other than there is no way you can stand up to it physically, especially since you are badly wounded at this time. You know without a doubt that the caster is a druid, and if that is so that means the fire pelt is likely even tougher than normal for its kind. Also, from what Radish did, you know the druid was successful in charming Radish. What do you do?

Radish on deck, Celiss in the hole ...

[PSinger]

She has few options remaining. Du, pressed at the worst, tries to quiet her mind through the pain and casts a spell that brings about a slumber in the area.

Spoiler: Desperately Needed Sleep

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Cast sleep defensively. Concentration DC 17 (1d20+6)[24]

If successful, start with the fire pelt. If anything leftover ... include herself. She can't fake it to an animal, but if she goes legitimately unconscious the beast might leave her for another target. I understand Radish will get leftovers. However, I will purposefully fail my Will save.

[lostsole31]

R5T4: She has few options remaining. Du, pressed at the worst, tries to quiet her mind through the pain and casts a spell that brings about a slumber in the area. With the greatest threat comes her greatest insight and with great focus her intellect forces her to overcome the fear of imminent death and she is able to cast her spell. She casts the spell, but forgets that despite knowing the cat is more powerful, she is weaker. She gives in to her own spell and falls asleep, hoping that the fire pelt does not continue mauling her, but forgetting that Radish is charmed against Kurgol.

Snooze ...

[lostsole31]

While Dusana is out, the battle concluded with firepelt killed, Radish severely knocked out, and Gogmurt stabilized from death. Celiss, who always had a knack for magic and focused on spell theory in the Carmendine Monastery, is able to detect the magic of Gogmurt's gear and figures out what each thing is. Dusana will wake up from her magical sleep during this time.

Spoiler: Stuff

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Elixirs: Speak with Animals (2), Tree Shape (2).
Potion of Cure Light Wounds.
Wand of Produce Flame (34 charges)
small +1 leather armor
cloak of resistance +1

He also has a spear and a sling, but uses rocks for the latter.

Dusana, what do you do?

[PSinger]

Glad to awake to find herself ... awake, and not eaten ... Dušana sees Gogmurt and is given the situation. "We need to find out what he knows. We need to wake him. After that, can you charm him, Celiss? Just being wounded should be enough."

Dušana taps into the local ley lines and casts a menhir savant spell of healing on the goblin.

Spoiler

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CLW with additional +1 CL for ley line, (1d8+3)[6]

[lostsole31]

The spell heals a bit more of his wounds, but he is still comatose ...

[PSinger]

"That's it," Dušana says. "We would need to pull back and allow me to meditate more in the forest than this fell briar so I may get more healing to wake the prisoner."

[lostsole31]

The party pulls back from the evil druid's work to a place that's more conducive to a good druid in tune with the land. The goblin is tied. Du prays and meditates and after an hour uses the CLW she prepared and casts it on the goblin druid. He awakens after 9, still badly wounded, but much better. As he awakens he starts cursing and spitting. Celiss (with Shalelu's help) tries to calm the ungrateful goblin. Failing that, Celiss tries to help Kurgol to intimidate the creature, but threats work no better than cajoling.

Du, do you do anything?

[PSinger]

I have absolutely nothing. The making nice/ interrogation stuff is NPCs. Du sits watching the proceedings, but letting the others take the reins and make the decisions regarding the goblin druid.

[lostsole31]

From a fit of pique, Kurgol simply ends it. He chokes the druid and snaps his neck. And done. Celiss is surprised and not sure how to feel about that. Shalelu has no malice towards Kurgol.

"He asked for it, and didn't even try to save himself," Kurgol explains. "Consider it a sacrifice he bravely made for his tribe."

[PSinger]

Dušana is taken aback by the hyper-violent display. "We spared him, and the land gave me power to heal him. Couldn't you have shown some patience? I'm sure given time we would have worn him down."

[lostsole31]

And after a very heated argument, Dusana Essert leaves ... leaves the party, leaves the area.

[PSinger]

"Come," says Celiss Nightrom. "We shall camp close to the enemy, a half-mile from the thickets, 'ere we strike again tomorrow."

[lostsole31]

On second thought, Kurgol successfully shows the wisdom of returning to Sandpoint and seeing if there are any wanderers in town that might want to make a few coins and a share of any (doubtful) magic that might help round out the party.