PF2e Abomination Vaults IC

[Thunder999]

Firtina contiues bleeding, taking (1d10)[10] more damage.

EDIT and that's Unconscious at Dying 1

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Someone trained in Medicine with a Healer's Kit could Administer First Aid, DC 20, success lets Firtina make another flat check to end the bleed, at a DC of only 10 rather than 15.
Healing to full HP would also work.
Pretty sure Khaza'dun is the only one who has a Healer's Kit, despite Firtina also having the skill, which is odd.
I suppose I Firtina could Aid Khaza'dun or not because she's too busy Dying.

[Zero Prime]

Khaza'dun, High-helm Exile AC: 17 | HP: 23 | Current: 15 | Hero Points: 1 Fortitude: +8 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +5 | Perception: +7 Active Effects: Dazzled. Conditions: None. Watching Sister Firtina drop to the ground, blood streaming from her eyes and ears snapped the stoic dwarf back to the present ... he was unaccustomed to dealing with threats that couldn't be defeated through the judicious application of dwarven steel, but this ... this seemed beyond him. So he concentrated on what he could do, it was less than an hour ago that this woman had forestalled his own death. He rushed to her side, throwing open his healer's kit, his thick, calloused hands, deftly removing bandages and poultices. "C'mon child," he urged, "don't let the spirit o' the damned pull you down with them. Pharasma knows, it ain't your time. You got work to do here. n' we need you and the grace of your Matron." As he worked, "Lera!" He called to his companion, "Let's get some o' that soothing water o' yours on her. Wash away this blood, yea?"

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

Show

Exploration Activity: Scout

---

Free Action: Switch Maul to 1 Hand
Reaction: None.

---

Action 1: Stride to Firtina
Action 2 & 3: Administer First Aid (1d20+5)[19]

[Xihirli]

Firtina’s blood continues to pour, and then… stops. Her breathing becomes less ragged and she settles into fitful unconsciousness, no longer dying but certainly not healthy.

[Bobthewizard]

Lera Trask Human Kineticist AC: 18 | HP: 20/20 Fortitude: +9 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +4 | Perception: +4 Hero Points: 2 Active Effects: Armor in Earth, Gate Conditions: None

Lera continues to try to help Firtina. Once the cleric is stable, Lera suggests we wait a bit to let her rest and heal. But she also makes it clear that she thinks we should follow the haunt.

"Sachiko, let's wait until Firtina is ready before we go confront this thing again."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

[Thunder999]

Khaza'dun manages to stop the bleeding with some quick first aid, staunching the bleeding then stabilising her.

It takes another half hour to get her and the rest of the party back to full health.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

We've been at this a while, so everyone gets a Hero Point.

[Xihirli]

Firtina, still bloody and gross but alive and happy, smiles gently.
"I was nearly to the boneyard… but your hands pulled me back. I would like to thank you very dearly… but I’ll have you know I am quite drained for today. I can still recite my simpler prayers, and have them heard. But I may have to remain in the back doing sadly little for a time."

[Thunder999]

The party moves along to the next room, the door opens easily this time, revealing a ruined office.
The ceiling has collapsed in the southwest corner of the room. The walls bear several shelves, but the books and papers once kept here have rotted to ruin long ago, as have the desk and chair in an alcove to the northeast.

Firtina finds a hidden drawer in the desk that has fallen partially open, revealing a few still-potent alchemical elixirs: a lesser comprehension elixir, a minor elixir of life, and a lesser skeptic’s elixir.

A door at the back of the room reveals a triangular room that might have once seemed comfortable, but after years of rain and exposure to the elements through the two arrow slits in the northwestern wall, it's rather miserable looking, the room’s divan, armoire, and tapestries have fallen to decay.

Searching among the detritus Firtina finds an old keyring, 6 iron keys are rusted beyond recognition or use, but two ornate brass keys have withstood the test of time, one is decorated with a picture of a lighthouse, presumably Gauntlight itself, the other an open book. Thus far the only locked door you've seen is atop the staircase in the blood room.

Onwards to the final room(s), getting in here is going to require you to climb up over the rubble and down the other side.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

DC 10 athletics to climb up, there might well be something on the other side, so choose who to send first.

[Zero Prime]

Khaza'dun, High-helm Exile AC: 17 | HP: 23 | Current: 15 | Hero Points: 1 Fortitude: +8 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +5 | Perception: +7 Active Effects: None. Conditions: None. Khaza-dun was glad to see the Pharasmin's servant recovered and moving about, he was, however, concerned about this whole venture. He assumed that the Gauntlight was some ruin that had been occupied by goblins, orcs, something like that. Blue-skinned fae, maggots and flies, ghosts, haunts, and worse ... what lay ahead for them. He certainly didn't know ... As the other's searched the room, discovering alchemical flasks, a key ring, he arched a thick, bushy brow. Shouldering his maul, he nodded towards the rubble, "Seems like we gotta go over that before we clear the ruins." He moved towards the slope, and began to scale the incline ...

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

Show

Exploration Activity: Scout

---

Free Action: None.
Reaction: None.

---

Action 1: Stow Maul
Action 2: Climb Rubble & Debris (1d20+7)[11]

[Bobthewizard]

Lera Trask Human Kineticist AC: 18 | HP: 20/20 Fortitude: +9 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +4 | Perception: +4 Hero Points: 2 Active Effects: Armor in Earth, Gate Conditions: None

Lera watches Khaz lead the way. She's impressed by his ability to get over the rubble, but doesn't want him stuck on the other side by himself.

"Alright everyone. Let's stick together and see what's over this."

She follows after Khaz, climbing the rubble and get to the other side.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Athletics: (1d20+6)[21]

[Infernally Clay]

Sachiko Kaminaga Kitsune Thief Rogue 1 AC: 18 | HP: 16/16 Fortitude: +3 | Reflex: +9 | Will: +6 | Perception: +6 Hero Points: 1/1 Active Effects: None Conditions: None

"I'm right behind you."

Spoiler

Show

Athletics: (1d20+0)[13]

[Thunder999]

Khaza'dun climbs easily up and down, it's not a hard climb, just enough of a barrier to seperate this area off.
The ceiling of this room has fallen in two places. A smaller collapse destroyed a flight of stairs that once led up to thenow‑ruined upper floor. A larger collapse mostly buried the southern double door, leaving a hole in the roof partially blocked with several crossed timbers. A second double door to the north has a stone face carved with skulls caked with tangles of moss.

There's no time to ponder the meaning of the skull carvings, for a pair of scorpions dwell here, one a monstrous specimen the size of a horse, the second merely as large as a man, perhaps a juvenile.

Spoiler: Initiatives

Show

(Giant) Scorpion1 (1d20+9)[29]
Khalandel (1d20+6)[21] (stealth)
Firtina (1d20+8)[20]
Sachiko (1d20+8)[16] (Stealth)
Khaza-dun (1d20+8)[15]
Lera (1d20+5)[15]
(Smaller, weaker) Scorpion2 (1d20+5)[10]

The giant scorpion's long legs let it easily move over the floor, but the rubble in this room is difficult terrain for everyone else.

The giant scorpion reacts quickly, a natural ambush predator, it's long reach lets it immediately reach out with a pincer, slicing deep into Khaza'dun's flesh and grabbing a firm hold, then squeezing down on him, crushing his bones and armour, his maul slips through his fingers as he loses consciousness.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

So that's a nat 20 on its initiative then another 20 on the Pincer attack, critting for 20 damage, then an action to grab and finally a Constrict which does another 6 damage (failed a basic fortitude save, you'd need a nat 20 to critically succeed so a reroll is unlikely to save you.
As a result, he's unconscious at dying 1, also Grabbed.
Enough time has passed that Ocean's Balm is available.

Spoiler: Map

Show

The entire party may act in whatever order you choose.

[Bobthewizard]

Lera Trask Human Kineticist AC: 18 | HP: 20/20 Fortitude: +9 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +4 | Perception: +4 Hero Points: 2 Active Effects: Armor in Earth, Gate Conditions: None

Lera watches in horror as Khaz is almost cut in two by the lightning-fast pincers of the giant scorpion. She acts quickly, showering Khaz with healing mud before moving to engage the scorpions.

"Be quick, everyone! Khaz needs our help."

She runs into the room, hoping to distract the scorpions and keep them from finishing off her dwarf friend. She stabs at the larger one with a sword made of rock and mud.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Action 1: Oceans Balm (1d8)[6]
Action 2: move to 17,20
Action 3: attack Giant Scorpion, weapon infused blast, (1d20+7)[20], (1d8+3)[10] piercing

[Thunder999]

Khaza'dun regains consciousness as he's healed, though is still in a tight spot, grabbed by a huge pincer and unarmed.
The giant scorpion's stinger lashes out towards Lera as she moves past, but fails to penetrate her rocky armour.
Her own spike of earth has better luck, piercing the beast's carapace.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

AoO from the big one that luckily missed.
Giant Scorpion has now take 10 damage.
Khaza'dun is conscious at 6hp, but still Grabbed (and therefore Flat Footed and Immobilised), Wounded 1 and his maul lies on the floor (because you drop whatever you're holding when falling unconscious).

[Infernally Clay]

Sachiko Kaminaga Kitsune Thief Rogue 1 AC: 18 | HP: 16/16 Fortitude: +3 | Reflex: +9 | Will: +6 | Perception: +6 Hero Points: 1/1 Active Effects: None Conditions: None

Sachi quickly dashes forward, taking advantage of the distraction caused by Lera to strike at the larger scorpion.

Spoiler

Show

Action #1 - move to 14, 20
Action #2 - +1 Striking Rapier attack vs Giant Scorpion. To hit: (1d20+8)[20], to damage: (2d6+4)[10] damage, plus (1d6)[1] sneak attack damage.
Action #3 - +1 Striking Rapier attack vs Giant Scorpion. To hit: (1d20+8)[16], to damage: (2d6+4)[11] damage, plus (1d6)[3] sneak attack damage.

[Thunder999]

Sachiko's first strike is a good one, the flanked scorpion distracted enough to let her rapier slip between two plates of chitin to the flesh beneath, though her second stab scitters off harmlessly.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

The giant scorpion takes 11 more damage, for 21 total damage taken.

[Zero Prime]

Khaza'dun, High-helm Exile AC: 17 | HP: 6 | Current: 15 | Hero Points: 1 Fortitude: +8 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +5 | Perception: +7 Active Effects: None. Conditions: Grabbed; Wounded 1 It was becoming somewhat of a pattern, blinding pain from an unknown adversary, the numbing void washing over him, calling him to the Boneyard, and suddenly his spirit is ripped back to his battered and beaten flesh, he shook his head, a thick string of blooded spittle draining into his beard. He nodded his thanks towards Lera and Firtina, one of them had called him back ... again. He hoped one day, to repay the favor. He reached over his shoulder, despite the vise like grip on his mailed torso, he could feel his ribs creaking as if about to break from the immense pressure. "Gaarrrgh!" He screamed, hefting his maul towards the massive pincer that pinned him to the ground, "Torag take you! You oversized cockroach!"

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

Show

Exploration Activity: Scout

---

Free Action: None.
Reaction: None.

---

Action 1: Interact [Retrieve Maul] DC 5 Flat Check 8
Action 2: Strike # 1 (Maul) (1d20+9)[25] vs Giant Scorpion for (1d12+4)[11] Blunt.
Action 3: Strike # 2 (Maul; -5 MAP) (1d20+4)[10] vs Giant Scorpion for (1d12+4)[13] Blunt.

[Thunder999]

Khaza'dun manages to reach his maul on the ground despite being held in the Scorpion's grasp, his first swing lands solidly on the limb holding him, but the second hits only air.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

11 more damage, up to 32 total.

[Xihirli]

Firtina runs in to stay with everyone, then sends another wave of light into the larger scorpion.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Stride in and DIVINE LANCE
(1d20+7)[24]; (1d4+4)[6]

[CasualViking]

Khalendel Khalendel clambers atop the rocks, and fires a bolt, only to see it scatter off the beast's armored body. *Stride to (14,20) *Exploit Weakness - (1d20+7)[11], *attack - (1d20+6)[14], damage - (1d8+4)[8] Spoiler: Attack of opportunity if the big scorpion moves Show attack - (1d20+6)[11], damage - (1d8+4)[7]

---

^{AC: 18| HP: 9/15 | Perception: +6 (lowlight) | Hero Points: 1/1 | Active Effects: None | Conditions: None}

[Thunder999]

Firtina clambers into view and fires a lance of divine magic, which seems to hurt the beast.

Khalandel (if he makes it) is unable to recall any weaknesses of scorpions, he believes the beast can only lash out reflexively (AoO) with its stinger and that the poison is particularly virulent. His attack also flies hopelessly wide.

Next the smaller scorpion acts, it's claw lashes out at the stone-clad woman next to it, grabbing painfully onto her body, though the follow up strike with its stinger is thankfully blocked by her stone armour.

The giant scorpion crushes Khaza'dun, the tough old dwarf lasts longer than you would expect, defiantly remaining conscious after the first squeeze, but the creature simply squeezes a second time, dispatching him once more, his maul falling to the ground and his barely patched up wounds splitting back open. It then lashes its other pincer towards Lera, helping its smaller companion, the chitinous blades lacerate flesh, but it doesn't grab her.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Divine Lance hit, bringing the total damage taken by the giant scorpion to 38, it's badly hurt, but shows no signs of fleeing.
Lera is hit for 4 slashing damage by smaller scorpion, then Grabbed
Khaza'dun succeeds his first save vs constrict, taking only 3 damage, but fails the second, taking 5 more.
Khaza'dun is once more unconscious and now at Dieing 2.
Lera takes 9 damage from its other pincer, though it hasn't got actions left to grab.

So in total, Khaza'dun is dieing 2 and Lera is down to 7/20hp and grabbed.

Spoiler: Map

Show

[Bobthewizard]

Lera Trask Human Kineticist AC: 18 | HP: 20/20 Fortitude: +9 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +4 | Perception: +4 Hero Points: 2 Active Effects: Armor in Earth, Gate Conditions: None

Lera watches in horror as Khaz is again cut in two by the giant scorpion. Knowing what it can do, she is terrified of being trapped by the smaller one.

"Ouch!"

But she knows we need to defeat the large one first, so she takes her stone sword and stabs twice at it.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Action 1-2: 2 action weapon blast (1d20+7)[25], (1d8+7)[11] piercing
Action 3: agile blast (1d20+3)[19], (1d8+3)[7] piercing

Did not adjust anything for flanking or grabbed

[Thunder999]

With a final stab of Lera's sword, the giant scorpion collapses, sucuumbing to it's wounds, a twirl of a smaller, more agile blade allows here to get a good stab in on the smaller one holding her too, it's quite badly hurt, clearly far weaker.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

RIP Giant Scorpion, bane of dwarves.
The smaller one has also taken 7 damage.

[CasualViking]

Khalendel As Lera slays the large scorpion, Khalendel releases the breath he has been holding since the start of the fight, unclenches, and puts a bolt in the smaller scorpion. *exploit weakness - (1d20+7)[26], *attack - (1d20+6)[20] dam - (1d8+4)[6], *attack - (1d20+1)[9] dam - (1d8+4)[10]

---

^{AC: 18| HP: 15/15 | Perception: +6 (lowlight) | Hero Points: 2/2 | Active Effects: None | Conditions: None}

[Xihirli]

Firtina gasps in horror and, after a moment to mutter a prayer, aids in finishing off the last scorpion.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

I’m gonna use one action to aid the soul in moving on

Then divinely lance (1d20+7)[23]; (1d4+4)[5] spirit damage.

[Thunder999]

Khalandel recognises the scorpion on this second attempt, no natural weaknesses or resistances, extremely hardy, yet weak willed. This smaller version is considerably weaker than the behemoth you just slew, difference is that it lacks the ability to crush grabbed prey, the claws having not yet gained sufficient strength.
This is purely academic, as between his first bolt and Firtina's Divine Lance the creature dies quickly.

With the threat handled you are able to examine the room more closely and realise that the moss is not simply the natural decay of this place, but seems to part of the design. None of you are able to recall what a mossy skull represents, perhaps Wrin could look into it for you, she's always known more than anyone else you know.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I rolled recovery checks for Khaza'dun in the rolls thread, he'd actually be stable, we can say he died if you'd prefer, or he can simply return to town, suddenly unwilling to risk his life having glimpsed death.

[Xihirli]

Firtina draws a shaky breath.
"I think we need to return to town. At least for a time. I don’t fancy sleeping here… too many dangers lurk these halls."

[Bobthewizard]

Lera Trask Human Kineticist AC: 18 | HP: 20/20 Fortitude: +9 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +4 | Perception: +4 Hero Points: 2 Active Effects: Armor in Earth, Gate Conditions: None

Lera nods in agreement at Firtina's recommendation. Despite healing everyone, Khaz isn't looking great.

"I agree. Khaz is badly injured and we should tell Wrin what we've found so far. She might be able to tell us what this mossy skull is."

She helps the dwarf up and lets him lean on her as they leave.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

[Thunder999]

By the time you return to Otari the streets are practically empty and businesses closed, it's far too late to do much beyond head home to rest.

[CasualViking]

Khalendel "See you all at Wrin's tomorrow then?", Khalendel asks as he heads off.

---

^{AC: 18| HP: 15/15 | Perception: +6 (lowlight) | Hero Points: 2/2 | Active Effects: None | Conditions: None}

[Bobthewizard]

Lera Trask Human Kineticist AC: 18 | HP: 20/20 Fortitude: +9 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +4 | Perception: +4 Hero Points: 2 Active Effects: Armor in Earth, Gate Conditions: None

Lera goes home and sleeps for the night, inviting anyone over who needs a place to stay. Her house isn't much. It's muddy and wet, but there are a couple dry spots for others to lie in if they need to. In the morning, she goes and buys a wooden shield, and a backup. When she meets up with the others, she recommends we go see Wrin. Once there, she describes what we've found so far.

"What do you make of the skull? What about the haunt in the tower? and do you need us to go back or was that enough?"