chapter 2 - a meal to die for

Everyone jumps across the oil spill and into the room.  Jace is waiting for a spot to open up on the floor.








Roll initiative!

everyone gets a +1 for Zontreaux's scouting

Herger and Grim start with weapons at the ready

Herger's initiative:

Thu Jun 22 2023 08:32:55 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 7 to total : 6, + 7, TOTAL: 13

INIT


Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

12 + 5 = 17

Jace

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +6" :

4 + 6 = 10



doggos
Rolling "1d20 +6" 4 times

1: 6 + 6 = 12
2: 20 + 6 = 26
3: 2 + 6 = 8
4: 15 + 6 = 21


Initiative

dog 26
dog 21
Zontreaux 17
Herger 13
dog 12
Jace 10
dog 8

Chris wrote:


Initiative

dog 26
dog 21
Grimgar 19
Zontreaux 17
Herger 13
dog 12
Jace 10
dog 8

The first 2 dogs take their turns.
1 - lost to gate
2 - stride\step
3 - strike

1 dog needs an acro check to deal with the oil spilled by its master

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

15 + 5 = 20


dog 1 attacks Herger
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +6" :

3 + 6 = 9

miss

dog 2 just uses Step so he doesn't need a save vs the oil
dog 2 attacks Herger
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +6" :

14 + 6 = 20

The dog passes under Herger's shield and CHOMPS on his leg

Melee  jaws +6 [+1/-4], Damage 1d4+1 piercing
Pack Attack The dog’s Strikes deal 1d4 extra damage to creatures within the reach of at least two of the dog’s allies.

he gets to add his "pack tactics" damage

Result of the throw of dice "2d4 +1" :

1 + 2 + 1 = 4

doh, poor little pooches





Grimgar is up
Zontreaux on deck
Herger in the hole

Quite an impressive flow chart! Only small issue is the 2nd attack has a -5 penalty
The nat20 with a +1 is a hit normally at 21, so it is still a crit. Remember, a nat20 raises the success level by 1, it isn't an auto crit.

1st attack misses, but the crit drops the dog hard. F6 doggone

Grim raises his shield.

Zontreaux is up

Fyi, i have a retirement party for my boss tonight. She made it 28 years as a public defender!

Is the control wheel for the dog gates visible? Is the mysterious person still standing there? Can you note it's location on the map?

Thanks in advance!

Chris wrote:


The party spots someone watching through a slit in the door (I-7), the
mystery person begins turning a wheel that raises the iron gate as
soon as the party enters the room.

Nobody can see the control wheel as it is on the other side of the door, noted as I-7.

Zontreaux can spend 1 AP to make a Perception check as an action to look for the person behind the slit in the door.

"Hmmft! Dogs and ghosts and more dogs...surely a ghost dog will come around any moment now?"

---

1 AP: Trip attack w/ whip, target dog left of Herger at F/4.5
Athletics vs Reflex DC

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +6" :

16 + 6 = 22

Success grants Panache

1 AP: Rapier attack at same, Precise strike/confident finisher (use Panache)
2nd attack -5
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +2" :

15 + 2 = 17

DMG
Rapier
Result of the throw of dice "1d6 +3" :

2 + 3 = 5

Precise Strike
Result of the throw of dice "2d6" :

6 + 3 = 9

If attack misses, target takes half of precise strike dmg (Confident Finisher)

1 AP: Stride to F/7

Nice combo!
Zontreaux trips and finishes off doggo #2.

I will try to update the map but probably not until tomorrow. Both dogs in the main room are gone. Only the 2 in the pen remain.


Herger is up

if I'm reading this right, we have to dispatch the dogs as the gate can't be closed from here?

Two attacks, one at each dog and then a shield raise.

Sun Jun 25 2023 15:19:38 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 9 to total : 2, + 9, TOTAL: 11

ack, probably a miss

2nd attack:

Sun Jun 25 2023 15:20:16 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 4 to total : 12, + 4, TOTAL: 16

probably a hit?

Sun Jun 25 2023 15:20:43 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d8 + 4 to total : 7, + 4, TOTAL: 11

raise the shield and done

Stat Block:
HP: 20/ 16
AC: 18
Fort: 7
Reflex: 7
Will: 4
Move: 25'
Initiative/Perception: +6

Herger takes 2 swings at the only dog in his melee range, missing once and then dropping the mutt on the second hit.

Jace is up

1 - step forward to E6
2,3 - cast TK Projectile

Jace glows with arcane energy and tendrils of pure magic reach out to pick up one of the crates in the room and hurls it at the last dog.

PFS Standard
Telekinetic Projectile
Cantrip 1
Attack Cantrip Evocation
Source Core Rulebook pg. 377 4.0
Traditions arcane, occult
Cast  somatic, verbal
Range 30 feet; Targets 1 creature
You hurl a loose, unattended object that is within range and that has 1 Bulk or less at the target. Make a spell attack roll against the target. If you hit, you deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage—as appropriate for the object you hurled—equal to 1d6 plus your spellcasting ability modifier. No specific traits or magic properties of the hurled item affect the attack or the damage.

Critical Success You deal double damage.
Success You deal full damage.


Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

9 + 7 = 16

hit!

Result of the throw of dice "1d6 +4" :

6 + 4 = 10

the crate smashes into the dog, killing it instantly.




combat is over and the party earns 120xp  

720/1000


Everyone can hear cursing and the sound of heavy footfalls moving away from the door at I-7.  That is where Zontreaux spotted a mystery person through a slit in the door and heard the turning of a wheel which opened the cage.


What would you like to do now?

"You cannot escape Zontreaux!"

Move forward and open the door so we can move through

MAS wrote:"You cannot escape Zontreaux!"

Move forward and open the door so we can move through

It is locked.  Thievery to unlock, it says it takes multiple attempts, but instead of rolling dice, checking with DM, rolling more, etc.  Let's just say you can roll once but it will take more time to unlock.

Does Zontreaux hear the villain snickering or is it only in his mind?  


Would anyone like to do anything else while Z works on the lock?

You can also declare your next Exploration Activity like Defend, etc

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

17 + 7 = 24

Herger will Defend for now

navyik wrote:Search the room for evidence connecting this location to the poison.

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

7 + 5 = 12

Guidance for Zontreaux

Zontreaux gets a +1 and is now immune to further Guidance for 1 hour

Zontreaux's adept fingers work the lock and it opens with a click after a few moments.





stats for the loot


Alchemist's Fire (Lesser)
Item 1
Source Core Rulebook pg. 545 4.0
Price 3 gp
Bulk L
The bomb deals 1d8 fire damage, 1 persistent fire damage, and 1 fire splash damage.

Zontreaux will step aside and motion to Herger and Grimgar with their shields "After you, Mezzons"

Herger will grab the alchemical fire for the moment (unless someone else wants it)

He will move forward

Herger motions for the rest to follow him and he will slowly pick his way through the room (wait till everyone else is present before investigating the unknown room to the south)

its a passageway\tunnel, not a room







What do you all want to do now?

navyik wrote:Maybe we should check for secret doors to ensure we’re not leaving an enemy at our backs. We can search for evidence later. Gotta catch up with the guy who sicked the dogs on us.

anyone that wants to do a quick search for secret doors can make a Perception check
or declare any other Exploration Activities you might want to do

does Herger just need a Perception check then?

Tue Jun 27 2023 12:35:56 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 6 to total : 11, + 6, TOTAL: 17

Search/Perception

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +4" :

9 + 4 = 13

Herger and Zontreaux quickly ransack the room looking for secret doors. They don't find any, but instead find the following, in addition to the above-mentioned locked box

Grim checks out the tunnel




Zontreaux can roll Thievery and\or Perception on the box

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

20 + 7 = 27

I GOT YO BOX RIGHT HERE

Nice roll!

But is it Perception or Thievery?

Chris wrote:Nice roll!

But is it Perception or Thievery?

Yes?


Perception

MAS wrote:

Chris wrote:Nice roll!

But is it Perception or Thievery?

Yes?


Perception

good call as Zontreaux notices a poison needle hidden in the lock

Thievery to disarm (in the future, this would be a good use of Guidance as there is a consequence to failing.  and nobody can use Aid unless they are also "Trained" or better in Thievery.  A hero point (reroll) would also be well spent on trap disarms, just sayin)


since you got a Critical Perception to find the trap, Zontreaux gets a +2 to the check

"I'm beginning to get the impression our host doesn't like guests. There is a needle trap, likely poisoned. I will disarm it."

Thievery

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

12 + 7 = 19

MAS wrote:"I'm beginning to get the impression our host doesn't like guests. There is a needle trap, likely poisoned. I will disarm it."

Thievery

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

12 + 7 = 19

Zontreaux spends a few rounds disarming and unlocking the box.  The box took 3 attempts + the disarm.  I really don't get why PF2e does that.... I mean who wants to sit there rolling so many times.  There is no consequence for failing the lock pick.  The trap, yes, but that is 1 roll or take damage.  

It is clear the papers in this chest belong to the village bully, Hallod.  If the party recalls, you all saw him bullying the goblin chef on the night of Bort's murder.


21gp and 37s

The party earns 30xp (story reward) for finding the map, plus another 20xp for the trap on the box

770\1000




This is where I am going to pause the adventure until the weekend of July 8th.  The second half of this dungeon is ahead, including a final confrontation with the brute Hallod!

the adventure continues!




Go ahead and declare your Exploration Activity while I work up the next map

Herger will defend for now.... is a light source needed?

I think somebody had a torch earlier, didn't they?

No natural light though

I thought that was the case? (light from a torch)

Scout

Ok, we will assume there is light via a torch.  Jace can always carry it in 1 hand if needed.  Its a small room, so I don't think vision\light range is an issue here.





I have Exploration Activities as

Zon - Scout
Grim and Herger - defend
Jace - detect magic


as noted in the description of the room in the above post, there is a path around the pool.  any tile with a rock in is difficult terrain which costs 10ft per square.

would anyone like to take any actions or move on the map?

navyik wrote:Grim will survey the structure of the cavern. “Might be the kind of place a fleeing criminal would collapse on pursuers.”

So there are 2 ways we can do this mechanically within the rules of PF2E

Grim can change his exploration action to Search (so he loses the Shield Up part from Defend)

or

We can roll initiative, go into a 1-sided combat for the purposes of organizing the action as you move through the cave. On Grim's turn, he could then move into the cave (1), take the Seek action and roll Perception (2) and then Raise Shield (3).

It's up to you all on how you want to proceed. It's not like something scary is going to jump out at you or anything