Legacy of Fire SoP/PoW/SoM Edition II: Electric Boogaloo

[digiman619]

After clearing the level, the party goes down the secret tunnel and end up a level lower. As you exit, you hear chanting in Infernal coming from down the hall. You end up crouching next to a large double door. you take a quick peek and see a huge room; easily over 100 feel long and 50 feet across. in the lower third of the room, you see a circle of robed gnolls around a large wooden table upon which 4 emaciated slaves are tied to it, There are also a couple of groups of guards talking to themselves while the ceremony goes on. Up in the upper half of the room, there is a throne with another huge gnoll on a crude throne; no doubt this is the Carrion King. At his right hand side is Ransk, the traitor who killed Lark's former clan leader. The two of them are talking about something, but it's impossible to tell from this distance.

They haven't noticed you and you could probably rush in blasting, but the closest of them are about ~50 feet away, so it could be tricky. What are you gonna do?

Spoiler: New map

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I didn't bother drawing it, but you guys are outside the bottom-most door.

[SwordChucks]

Goma bristles upon seeing the Carrion King and the traitor.
Whispering to the group, Goma says "How do you want to handle this? It looks like eight spellcasters, eight warriors, and the king and his lieutenant."

"I'd suggest going after the casters first, freeing the slaves, and retreating to a choke point. This doorway should work."

After thinking a moment longer he says "Rowan, can you teleport the slaves to us all at once?"

[lostsole31]

"I could actually try drawing off some of the warriors with a charm first," whispers Khwaja Malak.

[bcool999]

Rowan

"No I cannot bring all the slaves out at once. I can only do one at a time." Rowan answers Goma, "One thing I can do, is give us a decent chance to avoid blows from the warrior while focusing on the casters."

"I can drop one person right into the middle of that ritual to defend the slaves and harry the casters, or should I just sling spells from the back?" Rowan confers with his allies and after a plan is agreed on, Rowan casts protective magics on the party.

Spoiler: OOC

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Pre battle buffs.
Casting After Image with Group Time and spending the spell point to avoid concentration (-2SP 1/5 time SP remaining): Goma, Riq, Rafe, and Akaash all get 30% Miss chance as a blur effect. Duration 6 Minutes.
Casting After Image (a second time) and spending the spell point to avoid concentration (-1SP 0/5 time SP remaining): K-M also gets 30% Miss chance as a blur effect. Duration 6 Minutes.
Casting After Image on self maintaining concentration as a move action with easy focus: Rowan gets 30% miss chance as a blur effect. Duration Concentration.

[SwordChucks]

"I volunteer to be dropped in the middle of them. No surprise there." Goma says with a smile and a pat on the shoulder.

"Akaash, can I get another spell cast on my shield? If you think you have enough magic remaining for that of course."

He digs into his pack a draws a potion.
"Khwaja, you're up first, then we can all take our preplanned actions. I'll hold off the casters as best I can, and everyone does what they think is best to protect the slaves and take out the Carrion King." That said Goma downs the potion and doubles in size.

Spoiler: ooc

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Drink a potion of enlarge person, lasts ten rounds.

[stack]

Akaash lays a hand on Goma's shield, channeling destructive power into the arcane matrix.

Spoiler

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spendign the spell point to make it 7d6 nonlethal, plus a trip check at +14

[PSinger]

"And I'll just run in and poke things with a metal stick," says Rafe.

[pfm1995]

"That sounds about right." Alssariq concurs.

[digiman619]

The gnolls remain unaware of your presence. If you want to strike, the time is now.

Spoiler: The map, in case you forgot

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[bcool999]

Rowan
HP 40/40
AC 19

After someone opens the door, Rowan starts off the festivities with a chant, the end of which sends Goma across the room to appear uncomfortably close to two spellcasters working on the ritual. Maintaining concentration of his own spell, Rowan steps into the room.

Spoiler: OOC

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Teleport Goma, spending 1 SP to get him out to Med range (up to 160') I plan to teleport him into the circle of casters directly to the east of the table of sacrifices.

Rowan maintains concentration as a move action, and 5ft steps into the room.

[lostsole31]

Khwaja Malak gets as close as he needs (but not closer) to lay a whammy on the closest three gnoll warriors. In Gnoll, "Go to the main entrance of the House of the Beast and await a vision of the glory of Rovagug that this pretender can never show you!"

Spoiler

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Cast group charm + powerful charm
Perform (oratory) (1d20+14)[28], affects three gnolls. Will save 15 negates, but because of powerful charm they take a -2 penalty on their save.

If the Perform check is not up to snuff, but w/in 6 points it can be full CL, I will spend a point of inspiration. Note that I will not edit this post so it won't seem like I'm metagaming if I rolled low. Obviously, if I rolled well, the inspiration won't be needed.
Inspiration (1d6)[6]

[stack]

Akaash leaps forward, riding a wave of air to send a flying kick toward the southern most of the east side casters.

Spoiler

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energy blade. I would have walled the warriors, but didn't want to mess with the charm

(1d20+10)[23] vs flat footed
damage (1d6+6)[11] +5d6[/roll] nonlethal, (5d6 = 26, rolled in discord)
trip (1d20+14)[32]

Falcon Kick!!!

[pfm1995]

Alssariq runs straight past the lesser gnolls and up the ramp to the Carrion King's dais, ducking and trying to stay out of the king's sight.

Spoiler: Actions

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Double move, and then a stealth check once he's on the ramp and hopefully out of view. (1d20+14)[22]

[SwordChucks]

Goma appears and sets up his defensive perimeter.

Spoiler: Combat

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Full round action: Defensive Focus to increase threatened area by 10ft for a 40ft total.

Pre-rolled AOOs:

AOO1: (1d20+10)[28], (2d8+8)[21]+(1d6)[3]
AOO2: (1d20+10)[16], (2d8+8)[11]+(1d6)[5]
AOO3: (1d20+10)[24], (2d8+8)[14]+(1d6)[2]
AOO4: (1d20+10)[20], (2d8+8)[18]+(1d6)[5]
AOO5: (1d20+10)[18], (2d8+8)[21]+(1d6)[4]
AOO6: (1d20+10)[22], (2d8+8)[10]+(1d6)[2]

[PSinger]

Rafe charges the closest caster that Akaash does not attack.

Spoiler

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I don't know my actual distance or if I have straight-line or not, so you're call if it is a charge or not. I won't adjust the attack roll for a charge.

(1d20+8)[21], damage (1d6+3)[7] + (3d6)[17] sneak attack
* If he does sneak attack, apply the "Disoriented" penalty ... -2 attack rolls, -4 if against Rafe.

[digiman619]

The battle was therefore joined. Malak moved in to bend the minds of some of the warriors, but couldn't quite get as many as he wanted in range. Still, the two that he did hit ran past him in order to see this revelation of Rovagug. Rowan teleported Goma closer while just entering the room himself. Akaash flew headfirst into one of the casters, twisting midair to land his foot square into the gnoll's face, slumping him to the floor. Likewise, the Water Prince rushes one of the casters, but doesn't find as much success and the caster doesn't fall to the attack. As 'Riq heads up, the Carrion King begins to stir and he realizes that if he heads all the way up, there's nothing blocking the King's line of sight to him, so he positions himself just behind the jutting wall to ambush him when he advances. And Goma lands between the casters and readies himself against all comers.

Ransk jumps at the king, who in an apparently practiced maneuver throws him across the chasm towards the circle. He lands and begins moving forward. The king in turn gets off his throne and begins heading to the battle below. Two of the remaining casters threw some dark energy at the Water Prince (the caster he attacked moving out of the way to do it), but he expertly dodges. Three of the remaining ones fire such blasts at Goma, but one of them actually hits, causing a wound to appear on his arm, bleeding quite a bit, doing 2 bleed damage. Interestingly, he was able to counter strike the two who missed, but the better aimed one was also quicker on his feet, it seems. The lowest two each summon forth a ghostly form (one of them eating an attack from Goma over it) and send them after Goma, Somehow them managed to summon them into being next to Goma rather than have them move towards him, but regardless, neither of them land a hit. The remaining southern Solders swarm Akaash, but neither manage to land a hit. and the closer of the two northern solders attack Goma but fail to land a hit either. The back two can't get into charging range so they settle in just out of Goma's striking distance instead.

Spoiler: DC 15 Perception

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They aren't really moving; you'd think combat would have them move out, but they haven't

Spoiler: DC 25

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Moreover, when Akaash dropped one, they all seemed strain slightly more.

Spoiler: DC 15 Spellcraft or K: Arcana

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They must be using the energy they'd normally spend moving doing something else.

Spoiler: DC 20

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They must be trying to maintain the ritual; either it's really important or the backlash is bad enough that they want to complete it at all costs.

ROUND 2, FIGHT!

Spoiler: Updated map

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[PSinger]

Rafe does a quck sidestep to close distance with the nearest enemy but also to get nearer to Rowan (he's red, right?). He then tries to fake out his enemy and stab when the moment is right.

Spoiler

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FA: 5-foot-step to the SE to be adjacent to Red Dot (to SE) and red-rimmed enemy (to NE).
MA: Bluff to feint (1d20+13)[15]
SA: Attack w/ CE (1d20+6)[26], damage (1d6+3)[9], sneak attack (3d6)[18]
* Cause enemy to be hampered ... move half speed, cannot take a 5-foot step.
* Rafe's AC this round is 23.

"Hey, there's something strange about those two!" Rafe shouts, pointing at the two that seem like they're constipated.

Spoiler

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Can you please provide a "key" at the bottom of the spoiler for your map that defines which enemies are which?

[PSinger]

Critical threat!

Spoiler: Critical Threat

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(1d20+6)[17], damage (1d6+3)[7]

[stack]

Akash leaps away from the guards, flipping over towards the prisoners. As he touches down, he sends the wind that carried him whipping out to form a buffeting wind, interposed between Goma and the foes nearest him.

Spoiler

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move to just south of the prisoners, dizzying tumble means guards adjacent to start must make Will 18 or be nauseated 1 round

athletics to avoid AOO (1d20+16)[34]

energy wall, 1 SP, 10 ft radius centered on the north east corner of the space of the red dot north east of Goma. Radius should exclude Goma but intersect or encircle 4 guards and 1 caster

those that intersect get a reflex save DC 17 to negate damage, if they fail or anyone that tries to pass through takes (4d6)[10] nonlethal + bullrush (1d20+12)[30]

[bcool999]

Rowan
HP 40/40
AC 19 + 30% Miss Chance

Rowan concentrates on his defensive spell and takes a step to the south to line up an easy shot on the caster in front of him. A short chant later and a Searing Blast makes its way to the nearest enemy caster.

Spoiler: OOC

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5ft step south. Move action Concentrate on After Image. Standard Action Searing Blast on the caster directly 35' east of Rowan's new position after the 5 ft step.

Ranged Touch: (1d20+7)[23]
Damage: (6d8+6)[36] Fire Damage

[SwordChucks]

Goma keeps it simple by slamming his shield into the caster to the southeast. Healing energies flowing from the point of contact and into Goma.

Spoiler: combat

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Standard action: Enduring Crane Strike, healing Goma.

Shield: (1d20+10)[18], (2d8+8)[11]+(1d6)[1]
Healing: (1d6+5)[6]

[pfm1995]

While Alssariq waits with baited breath for the Carrion King to draw just a little bit closer, he draws the bow from behind his back and knocks an arrow. He fires two quick shots at the two closest casters, hoping to at least distract them a bit.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Move: Pick up the Barrage Sphere
Attack 1 - (1d20+11)[18] Damage - (1d6)[6]
Attack 2 - (1d20+11)[23] Damage - (1d6)[1]

[digiman619]

Malak moves in next to Akaash and sets of his serendipity as Rafiq stabs one of the casters in the gut. As he pulls out his blade, the three of them form a battlefield tableau, like like a trio of battling angels. It is soon interrupted however, as Akaash does an aerial flip onto the large table with the slaves and sets up a hemisphere of agitated air. The ones nearer the edges do okay, but the ones at the center are sent flying. Alsariq shoots at the casters, but only nicks one, though his hiding spot still seems secure. Rowan does his best to maintain his spell, moving at a snail's pace, but he has the wherewithal to blast one of the gnolls, causing it to slump to the floor in a charred mess.

Goma was about to bring his shield down on the closest caster, but was interrupted by a sudden strike to the back of his knee, knocking your blow aside, dealing 2 damage to you [[DR already accounted for, so you've taken 6 so far including the bleed]] and setting you slightly off guard causing you to just miss*. that moment was all it took however for Rasnk to climb up Goma's back and clench a hold around his neck. He quickly shouts to the gnolls around you to fight the others; he wants to take Goma on all by himself. As he holds tight, he whispers into Goma's ear.

Spoiler: Goma

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"I'm gonna enjoy breaking you."

Spoiler: *

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Actually, Goma just missed by 1 and Ransk had nothing to do with it, but this is more cinematic, so whatever

The strain the faces of the casters is even more evident now, though you don't know why. [DC 20 Kn: Arcana/Spellcraft]. The two warriors that were attacking Akaash moved in to hit 'Riq and Malak, but neither hitt, the first due to aiming for the illusion rather than "Riq himself, the other simply arcing too wide). The summons swarm Akaash, but also miss. Akaash's good fortune persists as the northern casters send a pair of black bolts his way, but hit the illusion instead. the thre in what I will generously refer to as the bottom three casters each exuded a wave of negative energy. As the waves expand, each time it hits a gnoll, a glint of purple is seen from their necks (and the necklaces that you had previously ignored) and instead of feeling the pain the party feels as it washed over them, they are instead invigorated. Indeed, the one caster that Akaash knocked out sudden jerks its open, though it is still prone. Oddly, the waves stop when they hit the table; the slaves are unharmed.

The king continues his path downwards; his throne was place there for the granduer, not the convenience.

Goma, Make 3 Relex saves at a -3 penalty. If you fail all three, you're taking 29 damage (the rolls were 12, 5, 12). You're taking 14 regardless.
Akaash, Malak and Rafiq, make 1 Reflex save with a +1; you were only hit with the lowermost one's channel and are within Malak's serendiptiy. You're taking 6 damage regardless

Spoiler: DC 20 Kn:Arcana or Spellcraft

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They are trying to maintain whatever ritual they are casting; either it's important enough or the backlash is big enough that the dare not risk completing it.

Spoiler: New map with legend

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Here's a rundown of who's who:
Akaash is Red
Rafiq/The Water Prince is Goldenrod
Alssariq/'Riq is Green
Khwaja Malak ibn Sulayman ibn Wasim ibn Talaat (or simply "Malak") is purple
Goma is Medium Blue
Rowan is Turquoise
Dim Grey with Red rings are casters
Dim Grey with Blue rings are warriors
Dim Grey with Green rings are monsters that the casters summoned.
Normal sized Dim Grey with the Goldenrod ring is Ransk
Large Dim Grey with Goldenrod ring is the Carrion King.

Any questions?

[bcool999]

Rowan
HP 40/40
AC 19 + 30% Miss chance

Rowan glares at the approaching warrior before picking an uninjured enemy caster to attack with a bolt of flame.

Spoiler: OOC

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Standard Action Searing Blast on uninjured Caster which doesn't have Cover or firing into melee penalties. (I think one of the north most casters might be fine)

Ranged Touch: (1d20+7)[23]
Damage: (6d8+6)[27] Fire Damage
Free action: Know Arcana for spoiler info: (1d20+14)[15]

Move action: Maintain Miss Chance on self

[SwordChucks]

"We'll see who breaks, kinslayer!"

Goma shouts and attacks with shield and fang.

Spoiler: Combat

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Swift action: Encouraging Roar
Full round action: Full attack with tower shield (held in one hand) and bite, both with a -2 to hit for being grappled.

Shield: (1d20+10)[11], (2d8+8)[14]+(1d6)[3]
Bite: (1d20+3)[15], (1d8+6)[14]
Trip: (1d20+12)[32]

[PSinger]

Rafe does a quick tumble to minimize the pain.

Spoiler: Reflex save

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Ref save = (1d20+10)[24], includes aura bonus.

Question: I have evasion. Doesn't that mean on a successful save I avoid damage?

Rafe artfully moves his sword to confound the warrior in front of him.
The following include bonus from Malak's aura ...

Spoiler

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MA: Bluff to feint (1d20+14)[21]
SA: Attack w/ CE (1d20+7)[15], damage (1d6+4)[8], sneak attack (if feint successful) (3d6)[11]
* If feint successful and he does sneak attack damage, he Disorients the warrior ... -2 to all attack rolls, -4 if attacking Rafe.
* AC this round is 23.

[pfm1995]

Alssariq fires off two more shots from his bow before dropping it and drawing his long knife.

Spoiler: Rolls

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If it wasn't clear, attacking the casters again.
Attack 1 - (1d20+9)[10] Damage - (1d6)[6]
Attack 2 - (1d20+9)[17] Damage - (1d6)[3]

[stack]

Akaash leaps over the prisoners, sending a driving back kick toward the traitor, looking to push him into the wall of wind.

Spoiler

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spellcraft (1d20+15)[24] + (1d6)[6]

acrobatics for no AOO (1d20+17)[33]
adjacent enemies Will save 18 or sickened 1 round

move to the other side of the prisoners, energy blade + air blast against Ransk
(1d20+14)[18] (includes flanking, encouraging roar, no aura since I don't see a post moving Malak)
damage (1d6+8)[12] + (5d6)[20] nonlethal
bullrush (1d20+17)[18] (includes flanking, encouraging roar, no aura)

energy wall damage (4d6)[18] nonlethal
bullrush (1d20+17)[19]

[stack]

Spoiler: spending inspiration

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on the attack roll +(1d6)[1]. Uses both of his daily inspiration points.

[digiman619]

Rowan blasts one of the northern wizards, immolating the gnoll and 'Riq plinks the recently revived gnoll as well. Rafiq kips up from his acrobatic roll (avoiding the damage from the channel incidentally), and stabs the closest gnoll, which Malak takes a step back and blasts as well, two blasts emanating from it to strike the two nearest gnolls as well. The fight against Ransk does not go nearly as well, though as Goma flails helpless and Akaash fails to land a hit.

There is good news, however. Firstly, with half of the gnolls wizards downed, they could no longer maintain the ritual, exploding with untyped damage. Thankfully, none of the party was within range of their explosion, but it took out one of the remaining gnolls and the two that were standing next to each other are definitely not doing well. Regardless, they are stunned for the round and aren't doing so hot. The remaining warriors converge at Malak and the Water Prince, but none of them are able to land a blow on them. Likewise, the King finally makes his way to the fight, and completely fails to notice 'Riq. For what it's worth, Ransk ignores Akaash and continues his methodical hold on Goma, doing a total of 11 nonlethal damage him. He also continues to whisper in Goma's ear.
[spoiler=Goma]He goes into crude details about all the horrific things he plans to do to you once he has you under his power. The details are best not spoken aloud, though.[/quote]

Spoiler: Updated Map

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