Aegis Tristalt In-Character Mk. II

[Silver Night]

Kasha & Ajat


Wrathful Healing for Ajat! Now he has a stance of his own.

They attempt to continue on!

[Mousedigits]

Trasil points his sword to the flail wielder.

All right, let's go at it. Traditional duel. Whenever you're ready.

[Aegis013]

Renia and Trasil:

The axe wielding ghost accepts Renia's challenge with a nod and floats forward, it raises its axe, ready to initiate the test.
On its turn, it swings its axe towards you using various and unexpected techniques to attempt to overcome your defense, however it doesn't seem to have great ability to discern your strikes. It stops its attacks short before actually dealing damage to you.

Spoiler: Set of attacks

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It uses various maneuvers you've never seen before, some of them may end up catching you off guard.
Attack 1: (1d20+25)[31] - just a straight forward swing (10 BAB, +10 Str and other attack bonuses, +5 cha mod for bluff)
Attack 2: (1d20+25)[40] or (1d20+25)[43] - whichever is higher - The ghost uses a technique to make its axe appear to coming along two attack paths simultaneously
Attack 3: (1d20+25)[34] or (1d20+25)[29] or (1d20+25)[38] whichever is highest - as technique above, but with three trajectories
Attack 4: (1d20+35)[38] as technique above, but it turns out two of the attacks are simultaneously real (doubling str and other attack bonuses)
Attack 5: (1d20+45)[59] as above, but with three legitimate trajectories

Defense 1: (1d20+30)[37]
Defense 2: (1d20+30)[35]
Defense 3: (1d20+30)[50]
Defense 4: (1d20+30)[39]
Defense 5: (1d20+30)[37] (10 BAB, +8 Str, +12 (including +8 racial for ghost) to spot

The flail wielder accepts the challenge with a nod and floats forward, the flail beginning to swing in a circle, building momentum

Spoiler: Initiatives

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Flail (1d20+12)[14]
Trasil (1d20+18)[26]

Kasha and Ajat:
You open the door, revealing a long hallway with nothing apparently inside but a door far forward at the other end. Looking very closely, you see a strange membranous barrier so thin that most would fail to see it entirely, blocking the doorway.


Sahael:
The dragon construct unleashes its breath weapons, surrounding itself with fire, lightning, frost, corrosive gas as it charges towards you. As a construct, you easily outwit its complete lack of intelligence, allowing it to crash through the pillars collapsing parts of the room onto it dealing it substantial damage. After only a few of these collapses, the construct is too damaged to continue, and its armor shifts, revealing the text to allow you to learn another skill.

Spoiler: Martial Options

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From here on in, you're making your own! Up to 8th level at this point.

[whoiam]

Spoiler

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Renia has: BAB 10, Str +3, Sense Motive +33, Spot +22, so her defenses are:
"Ghost Attack 1 (Sense Motive)" - (1d20+46)[61]
"Ghost Attack 2 (Sense Motive)" - (1d20+46)[66]
"Ghost Attack 3 (Sense Motive)" - (1d20+46)[65]
"Ghost Attack 4 (Sense Motive)" - (1d20+46)[53]
"Ghost Attack 5 (Sense Motive)" - (1d20+46)[51]

I'm assuming that the Maneuvers count as feints, not as illusions (which Renia gets automatic chances to save against).

Renia has BAB 10, Str +3, Sleight of Hand +5, and Bluff +33. So no guesses that she's going for 5 feints.
"Feint 1" - (1d20+46)[53]
"Feint 2" - (1d20+46)[60]
"Feint 3" - (1d20+46)[61]
"Feint 4" - (1d20+46)[57]
"Feint 5" - (1d20+46)[54]

Renia, it seems, had chosen her skill challenge well - managing to get her mace into the way of the Ghost's first four attacks, before finally being outfoxed by it's triple-attack effort.

On the other hand, her own skill at feinting proved too much for the ghost to handle - she might not be able to hit terribly hard, but her dance training had left her with the ability to make her attacks change target in mid-swing - too close to impact for the ghost to mount an effective defence.

[Mousedigits]

Trasil grins, then charges towards the phantom, bringing his sword down in a heavy, two handed strike.

Spoiler: OOC

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To hit: (1d20+26)[40]
Crit conf (15-20x2 crit): (1d20+26)[41]
Damage: (1d8+33)[35]
If crit, add: (1d8+33)[39]

[Silver Night]

Kasha and Ajat

They wait a minute or two for Ajat to be completely healed. While waiting Kasha attempts to identify the membrane. If she isn't able to identify it, she encourages Ajat to give it a poke.

Spoiler

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Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+26)[38]
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (1d20+26)[46]
Knowledge (the Planes) (1d20+26)[36]
Straight up Int check: (1d20+7)[25]
Lore check: (1d20+10)[26]

[Aegis013]

Renia and Trasil:
The specter backs away from Renia, glyphs lighting up on its axe, revealing in conjunction with the door, enough to form a usable martial script.

Trasil:
You swing your weapon, dealing a resounding blow to your flail wielding enemy. The enemy responds by shifting his stance and swiping the flail in an arcing motion towards your feet, it looks like this is going to be some kind of special technique.

Spoiler: Attack

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(1d20+30)[31] (remember not to include magical benefits to your AC) to hit.
If it hits, the enemy attempts to trip (1d20+18)[27] to trip

If the primary attack hits, it deals, (2d8+13)[21] damage, if the trip is successful, the force of the blow flips you upside down while the foe whips around and slams the flail against your chest for an additional (2d8+13)[21] damage. It launches you 10 ft away, and an additional 5 feet for every 5 the enemy beat your trip attempt by. If he launches you 20ft or more, it slams you into the wall, dealing yet another (3d6+20)[27] damage (like a mini dungeoncrasher in a maneuver). This also leaves you prone, if the trip attempt was successful.

If the specter's first gambit was a success, you notice he appears to initiate some technique and using the placement of his body prepares for something else. If his opening gambit fails, he does nothing instead.

Spoiler: Action

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He now has a readied action! What could it be?

The Specter critically misses.

Spoiler: HP and conditions

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The Specter takes 35 damage and has 85 HP remaining.

Kasha and Ajat:
Kasha manages to recognize the membranous film as some kind of ooze. Almost like a soap bubble. She seems to recall this type of ooze maintains a depressurized zone inside of it and can cause chaotic effects to occur within its confines as it attempts to "digest" things that happen to wander in. Being undead, Kasha and Ajat have no need to concern themselves with the lack of air, or having fluids torn out of their bodies by lack of pressure, but the chaotic effects may be an issue.

If Ajat pokes the thing, it will likely break the seal, pulling both of you inside.

[Mousedigits]

Trasil easily sidesteps the specter's attack, his face determined. The enemy had obviously just tried a risky maneuver. What was his game?

Trasil goes in for a full attack, trying to dispatch his opponent before its gamble succeeded.

Spoiler: ooc

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To hit: (1d20+26)[45]
Crit conf (15-20x2 crit): (1d20+26)[30]
Damage: (1d8+33)[34]
If crit, add: (1d8+33)[38]

To hit: (1d20+21)[25]
Crit conf (15-20x2 crit): (1d20+21)[34]
Damage: (1d8+33)[41]
If crit, add: (1d8+33)[39]

To hit: (1d20+16)[36]
Crit conf (15-20x2 crit): (1d20+16)[32]
Damage: (1d8+33)[38]
If crit, add: (1d8+33)[38]

[Aegis013]

Trasil and Renia:
Trasil's attacks strike true, scoring a critical blow, you drive the specter onto its knees. "I yield." it states, flatly, defeated. Glyphs light up on its flail, in conjunction with those on the door, they provide sufficient material for a martial script.

[Silver Night]

Kasha and Ajat will try to find something to hold on to to avoid being immediately sucked in, and then Kasha will throw a caltrop at the membrane.

[Mousedigits]

Trasil backs away from his defeated foe, then gives a respectful bow. You fought well. Thank you for the honor of sparring with you.

He then turns his attention to Renia's contest, watching intently, sure that she'll succeed in her challenge, yet still slightly nervous. All it takes is one bad stroke of luck...

He turns to Renia. Well, that was fun.
Now, let's see what fun martial techniques we can learn in this room.

[whoiam]

Spoiler: OOC

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Post retconned out, see above.

[Aegis013]

Kasha and Ajat:
You throw the caltrop into the membrane, it passes through without breaking the ooze and is immediately blasted by lightning from the walls. The caltrop is destroyed. Who knows what other effects will occur as you go through?

Renia and Trasil:
You get to design your own Martial Stance, Strike, or Boost. Try to keep it in line with 8th level maneuvers.

[Silver Night]

Kasha & Ajat

Kasha shrugs, "Not much to be done but move ahead. You go first." She does take the precaution of tying herself and Ajat together with a length of rope.

[General Patton]

Sahael advances into the guarded chamber where all 3 paths intersect, and presumably has an uneventful wait as his companions complete their respective trials.

[General Patton]

Sahael looks to the two guards. "Do you have any tales of others who have made it this far?"

[Aegis013]

Kasha and Ajat:
You tie yourselves together with a length of rope and push through the shimmering membrane into the bowels of the odd ooze before you. (Unless specified otherwise, since you know the ooze will trigger random effects each round while you're encapsulated within it, I will assume you both sprint for the other side to make as much progress as possible)

Spoiler: Effects

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Random effect table:
1. 6d6 Fire damage, reflex DC 23 half
2. 6d6 Cold, reflex DC 23 half
3. 6d6 Lightning, reflex DC 23 half
4. 6d6 Acid, reflex DC 23 half
5. 6d6 Sonic, reflex DC 23 half
6. Mind-affecting Confusion Will DC 23
7. Slow Will DC 23
8. area Dispel Magic (Caster level check (1d20+10)[16])
9. Disintegrate DC 23 (affects objects) - (24d6)[82] damage or (5d6)[19] damage
10. Attempts to Teleport you back to the beginning of the path Will DC 23

Sprinting through as fast as possible means you only need to deal with 5 random effects (It's a very long path), unless you should fail a save against being teleported back to the beginning or be affected by Slow.

Effects:
1. (1d10)[7]
2. (1d10)[4]
3. (1d10)[5]
4. (1d10)[1]
5. (1d10)[2] ...and just in case...
6. (1d10)[6]
7. (1d10)[10]
8. (1d10)[1]
9. (1d10)[9]
10. (1d10)[9]

Sahael:
The glaive wielding Reth Dekala before you alights with ephemeral green flame. "I'm unable to tell you how long it's been since the last seeker of the sublime way made it this far, decades perhaps. Maybe centuries. The last before you passed through alone. She was a wiry thing, but polite and earnest. Before that, I recall a group composed of an elf, skilled in martial combat, an extremely resilient orc, a skillful human who was excellent at motivating his companions, and the one that made their group so memorable, a large beastman, like a half-man, half-whale that wielding an enormous sword. They used their talents to get past this point, I know not the details of their fate, but I believe the elf died within the temple. All but the whale were already practictioners of the sublime way seeking to hone their skills."

[Aegis013]

Forgot to roll damages on elemental effects:

Spoiler: Rolls

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(6d6)[21] Acid
(6d6)[22] Sonic
(6d6)[20] Fire
(6d6)[21] Cold
(6d6)[26] Fire again (from the just in case)

[whoiam]

Having beaten Trasil to finishing her reading (because she's just that awesome, and totally not because she started earlier than he did), Renia's the second one into the chamber where the paths converge. As such, she gets to overhear half of the Reth Dekala's response. And once it's finished, she buts in with, "Well, I guess when you're that large and ugly you just plain don't need to study! Speaking of which, how did my favourite crime against bipedal aesthetics find his path?"

Renia had had a cool demonstration of her new stance planned out - walking over to Sahael and giving him a peck on both cheeks simultaneously - but one look at his slime-covered skin, and even Renia's insane will score just wasn't high enough for her to go through with it. She settled for coming up alongside him and giving him a playful punch in the shoulder... both shoulders simultaneously, naturally. Showing off had still been on her to-do list...

[General Patton]

Sense Motive (1d20+34)[52] to discern Renia's original intent, before she decided to go with punching.

"Well, I can do this now." Sahael slips out of her reach and into the floor before she can hit him. He promptly bursts from the ground on the other side of the room, twirling through the air towards her and pulling her into a hug. DC 23 Reflex Save or she is unable to interrupt/react.

"I'm glad you're safe. I made it through my path without a scratch, but I regrettably had to slay 3 ratfolk before the others fled, and I was unsuccessful at administering first aid to them."

[whoiam]

Spoiler

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"Bluff" - (1d20+33)[52]
"Reflex" - (1d20+33)[38]
Yes, that's a coincidence, not a typo. Renia Bluffs and makes Reflex Saves at +33.

Also, I can't actually remember who wins on a draw...

While Sahael may have been able to get a grip on Renia's original intentions, his attempt to get one on the half-celestial herself is dodged with almost no effort. Renia's reflexes were impressive even before the time manipulation powers...

"Impressive! That's certainly not something I can do, anyway... Still, try not to dwell too much on the Ratfolk. It's regrettable, but I don't think we're always going to have the chance to do things 'perfectly'."

By now, Renia's worked out what Sahael was attempting to do to her (before she jumped aside), and spreads her arms and wings wide, offering him the chance to come in for a regular hug. Assuming he didn't think the moment was lost now he hadn't gotten her from behind...

[General Patton]

After totally failing the grab, Sahael gratefully accepts the hug. A moment later, as the realization of Renia's intentions hit him, he whispers. "Wait... you were actually going to..." He pulls away, cheeks burning as much as if she had actually gone through with the cheek-pecking plan

"U-um, yeah, I guess I shouldn't beat myself up too much. It's just that... I'm trying my best to be a better, less sadistic person."

Suddenly becoming self-conscious, and beginning to fidget. "Ugh, I really need to change out of this foul skin. Furthermore, I could probably do with some glamered armor. Is there anything you think would look good on me? Maybe a nice suit?"

[Mousedigits]

Trasil followed behind Renia, smiling. It was good to see that Sahael had made it ou-

Were they flirting?

Trasil's smile broadened, and he began chucking softly. Then he began laughing in earnest, tears rolling down his cheeks. After a solid half minute of laughing, Trasil managed to regain some semblance of composure.

"All right, you two, save it for when we get out of here. We've likely got another challenge ahead of us, and distractions aren't often conducive to victory." He leans against a wall, still chuckling quietly to himself. "Just wait until Kasha hears about this!"

[whoiam]

"Oh, don't be such a wet blanket, Trasil. The Abomination " Kasha, obviously. While Renia's still going to work with her, she's unlikely to ever truly forgive her for willingly turning herself into the undead. "hasn't caught up with us yet, so there's plenty of time." She's got quite an impish smile on by now. Going by how serious she normally acts, it's easy to forget that (amongst other things) this is a 24 year old bard they're adventuring with...

Then she turns back to the suddenly bashful Sahael. "I wouldn't worry so much about fashion, honestly. There comes a time in every person's life when their body is undergoing certain changes... admittedly, you're a little older than normal... and they're not usually quite so extensive... Anyway, point is, not much point in trying to pick the perfect clothing until your body settles down. You'd just have to change it too often. Just pick something comfortable and useful, and you can worry about fashion once your body's done changing..."

Yeah, Renia was teasing him. Also, she might have had to give the puberty talk to members of the congregation a time or two too many...

[General Patton]

Sahael frustratedly mutters. _{"Ruined the moment."}

Continuing to address Renia "Hey, are you doing alright? I'm starting to notice some coping mechanisms. You're handling this adventure quite well, but if anyone can recognize the stresses of responsibility, it's me."

[Mousedigits]

Trasil's smile falters when Renia says the word "Abomination."

"Hey, that's not... he stumbles slightly over his words. "We can't dismiss her as an "Abomination" simply because she's something not quite natural. She's still Kasha, the same person we've been working with all this time. She's still our friend."

[whoiam]

Sahael's question kills Renia's smile, more or less instantly. It seems not to be a subject she particularly wants to discuss.

...Still, she shrugs, and replies, "I'll be good for our time limit. Not really sure what I'll be like two weeks from now, but... if I live that long, that'll be achievement enough."

Then back to Trasil's indignation. "I'm not dismissing her. Fallen Celestials are some of the most dangerous entities I know of, regardless of the precise nature of their fall. While we're still aiming for the same goal, that's useful. Once our common cause runs out... then it's going to become more of an issue. But don't assume I'm selling her short with such designations. Remember, this is no accident that she was a victim to, this is what Kasha wanted to be all along."

[General Patton]

"I'm sorry to kill this facade of a good mood, but it is better to make sure you're handling this in a healthy way instead of letting it fester. For the longest time I let the burden of responsibility tear me apart. It would've led me to ruin. It already led my past lives, seemingly all of them, to ruin. You need to trust that we can do this together, and that we will always be there to support you. If my cursed soul can learn to defy its very nature and achieve inner peace, then so can you."

[Mousedigits]

Trasil's face becomes even more troubled. You're right, this is what she wanted. Just because she's an undead now doesn't mean she's changed mentally. She's still who she was before her transformation; she's not evil. We should trust that she won't turn on us after this whole "saving the world" business just because she's a undead!

Spoiler: OOC

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For all Trasil's intelligence, he certainly doesn't know much about how undead-ness tends to corrupt. He's definitely too trusting, as well.

[Silver Night]

Kasha and Ajat

Kasha and Ajat attempt to dodge!

Spoiler

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Just to make this a little easier on myself:
Kasha is immune to electricity, and has resist 10 to fire and acid

Ajat doesn't have resistance, but has fast healing 10.

Kasha:
Reflex: (1d20+17)[19]
Reflex: (1d20+17)[29]
Reflex: (1d20+17)[35]
Reflex: (1d20+17)[33]
Reflex: (1d20+17)[28]

Ajat:
Reflex: (1d20+7)[25]
Reflex: (1d20+7)[8]
Reflex: (1d20+7)[23]
Reflex: (1d20+7)[22]
Reflex: (1d20+7)[9]

Edit: rereading the thing, I misunderstood! Let me see if I can figure this out again and do any other rolls I need (Or I can redo these rolls with the correct modifiers and do any additional ones I need.)

Edit2: Okay, so, they both avoid the initial slow effect, which is nice.
Kasha takes a total of 23 assorted elemental damage after accounting for resists
Ajat takes closer to 63 or 73, but with fast healing ends up with a total of 33 I think by the end of the run.