[Pathfinder Planescape] A Stone in the Tide Party #2

[DeusMalum]

The current party composition is as follows:

Player | Character | Sheet
Cdr. Fallout | Tyemno | http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=455902
Iron Victory | Dengrel Rahzora | http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=477254
ITookUrNick| Bus Fairhaven | http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=479557
Kira the 5th | Abithi | http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=477444
ProudTortoise | Orenar | http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=478802


[Note, I’ll be reserving this color for NPC speech text. Please let me know if this color is a pain in the butt so I can change it sooner than later. Please reserve a color in your opening post and I’ll add it to this OP for bookkeeping.]

[Please field OOC questions and statistical info here if possible, using [] tags for ease of reading. Dice rolls should take place in spoilers. OOC chatter should go in here: OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263527)]

In times long past, the region now known as the River Kingdoms were the hunting grounds of the elves of Kyonin, a land they called Telvurin. Though these days have long since passed into antiquity, the evidence of their ownership of the land still remains, places like the Sevenarches. One such locale is Caer Cigfrain, a border fort of the elves overlooking the Sellen River north of the lake town of Riverton, fallen and broken in some ancient battle that ripped the foundation of one of the fortress’ two stone towers up from the ground, toppling the tower and collapsing the fortress’ gateway.

Situated on a hill in an otherwise flat river floodplain, the ruined keep can be seen looming over the horizon from Riverton on a clear day. It has been unoccupied for most of the past several millennia, with travelers and locals occasionally spending the night behind its smooth, angular stone walls during a storm, or on a dare, but few stay more than day at the place, and those who do speak of an ever-present feeling of dread and unease that permeates the ancient stone. In the past few years, fey lights have been seen from Riverton, moving and dancing in strange rhythms and motions, as if the inhabitants of the First World have made of Caer Cigfrain another borderland on Golarion.

Up until now, strange lights and stranger noises at night have been the worst any in Riverton had seen from the ancient fortress, but that has changed. In the past month, strange, otherworldly creatures have been spotted at night in the plains around the fort, and those who venture too close to it are never seen again. The townsfolk are afraid, but ill-equipped to deal with such a threat. They have prompted the mayor of Riverton, Jurias Vernon, to post a reward for any who would investigate the keep to determine, and deal with, the source of its apparent haunting. Scraping together what he can from the town’s treasury, Vernon is offering a total of 3,000 gold coins to whoever can make the lands north of his town safe again.

This is where you come in. The five of you have decided to band together and seek out the posted reward. It was an unusually warm morning in Kuthona, the first month of winter, in the year 4712 AR as your party began the trek toward Caer Cigfrain, but that warmth has since fallen to winter’s chill as you near the ruined fortress and the day progresses. The air is crisp and clear, and filled with the lingering ambient sounds of nature in wintertime accompanied by the erratic howl of the cold northerly wind. The trek is lengthy but uneventful, with no sign of the creatures the townsfolk spoke of.

At last the keep draws near. The shattered gates of the fortress have long since rotted away, leaving behind a wide gap in the fortress wall filled now by evening shadow and jagged stone edges. The sun hangs low in the sky, and will set before you complete your journey. The walls of the fortress, where they still stand, are of an impossibly smooth, polished stone of a light grey coloring, weathered little by the passage of time. They stand fifty feet tall and seem to be built of a single, solid sheet of stone, as if the bones of the earth were summoned up out of the ground by the ancient elven crafters who constructed the keep. Within the northwest corner of the keep’s walls stands a single, lonely tower, standing at twice the height of the walls. The remains of its fallen brother litter the inner courtyard of the fort and the area immediately outside the gates. The earth within 50 feet of the keep is barren and empty, and the natural ambience has given way to stillness, as if the land itself waits in anticipation. By all appearances, the fortress is empty.

You are 50 feet out from the gap in the walls left behind by the destruction of its gate. Sunset is imminent. Your task is to enter the keep and investigate, searching for the cause of the strange lights and strange creatures reported by the townsfolk of Riverton. What do you do?

[Given we're starting late on a Wednesday night, let's set Saturday night as the close-out period for posts in this cycle, with an update to follow on Sunday.]

[iTookUrNick]

Brief description of the character and tactics (Bus):
Lucius ''Bus'' Fairhaven, Aasimar ("fallen angel" heritage)
Red haired, freckled face. Lazy and a little cowardly, but intellectually active.

Conjurer wizard, specialist in teleportation (hence 'Bus') and crowd control spells (clouds, pits, webs, walls...).
Among other things, he can provide Haste for everybody at the start of combat, plus Enlarge person in the following rounds.
Rope trick will make sure our rest is uninterrupted.
If we want/dare to try, he is fully equipped to bind an outsider of choice.

His Fairy Dragon familiar has telepathy 100 ft, good stealth and can become invisible, making him a good scout if durability is not an issue.

Active Effects: Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Protection from Arrows.

Bus takes the initiative in organizing the team, strong of the expertise he gained during his service. He will never be a leader himself, but usually people let him handle logistics so that they do not have to.
He clears his voice before speaking, earning the attention of his companions: the narrow-minded brawler, the mob enforcer, the mad worshipper and that other 'thing' (best not to dwell on what thing exactly). There are times when Bus wonders how he got miked up with such a group, but then remembers that it is always best to have such reputable fellows on one's own side...

"Alright gentlemen, here we are. I suggest we press on today, even despite the approaching darkness. You may start examining the courtyard in order to garner some clue on what we are dealing with here, while me and my familiar make a flying sweep of the area. Keep ...ehm... all your eyes open. As usual, we will be in contact telepathically, so please lower your voices to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. If we do not find anything, our next step will be to enter, all together, the tower that remains standing".

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar, nibbling on a small tree branch, takes a few rounds to change to his perceptive array. Then he drops his worldly guise, manifesting 10 eyes, a few gaping mouths, a tentacle and a heavy fin. He drops the branch and searches the courtyard, eyes rolling in every direction and mouth gaping at the air.
Perception check (work, forum die roller!): 1d20+16
Also uses his trailtasting mouth to smell the air, searching for scents.
WHY is the die not rolling? Am I using the wrong format? (To save time, can you roll that 1d20+16 for me when you reveal the search's result, Deus?

[DeusMalum]

[Here's hoping it works. If not, I'll make a thread in Dice Rolls subforum.]

[roll0]

The dim light is little obstacle, and your eyes scour what you can see of the courtyard from outside the keep. You don't notice anything out of the ordinary, but something sticks in your mind. Not only do you not notice anything unusual, but the sheer LACK of things to notice is odd enough on its own. Besides the remains the of the broken tower, the courtyard is dead and empty, with no plant life, no insects, no vermin.

[Edit: I'm going to go ahead and assume you're going to exclude the party from having to deal with the negative effects of Manifest Form.]

[iTookUrNick]

Bus' Perception rolls:
I forgot about it...
Bus: Perception [roll0] (without alertness)
Familiar: Perception [roll1]

[DeusMalum]

Bus sees the same thing described above. The courtyard is completely devoid of anything notable aside from the shattered stone of the fallen tower.

[iTookUrNick]

Also, Detect Magic everywhere, just in case.

[DeusMalum]

From where you're standing, 50 feet out from the walls, your Detect Magic doesn't let you see any auras beyond just inside the gates. From what you CAN see, there aren't any magical auras within 60 feet of where you're standing, besides any magical items your party brought along.

[Iron Victory]

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/050/0/3/039d8c6f01fbd9578e983caedd4509b4-d4qbx3d.jpghttp://ageofreckoning.warhammeronline.com/sites/war/files/images/whitelion-concept-03.jpg
"Whatever you say, Bus. Let's just wrap this up and get paid." The burly aasimar dismounts Challa, giving his lion a friendly pat. Dengrel and companion perform a brief courtyard sweep before approaching the tower doors. His eyes sweep over the monster that is Orenar, "Hey freak, find anything?" Resting against the fortress's stone wall, he takes a long swig from his wineskin. "It's too damn cold out...", he mutters to nobody in particular.


Perception
Dengrel: [roll0]
Challa: [roll1] [scent]

Please let me know if my colour choice is invalid.

[Chromascope3D]

http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w394/Chromascope3d/tyemno.png

He smiled, as he always does. He began speaking in that foul tongue. He laughed. The words dripped out, oozing into the back of Bus' mind, Yessss, massster.
He looked around, and continued, I see nothing massster. Shall we continue on?

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar's eyes all swivel towards Dengral. With two mouths he hisses, "Nothing. Abssssolutely nothing," deliberately trying to intimidate Dengral.

Although Intimidate checks are only for NPCs, Orenar does have a +25 on intimidate checks, so he's obviously pretty darn intimidating.:smallwink:

He then turns to Bus, suppressing his Manifested form. "I don't think there's anything in the courtyard. Perhaps we ought to go inside."

[DeusMalum]

[Iron Victory, your color choice is fine, but keep in mind I said you're 50 feet outside the gates, not inside the courtyard. Either way, you also don't notice anything in the courtyard from where you're all standing.]

[iTookUrNick]

If I may, I suggest using Italics for telephatic messages and normal or bold for verbal ones.
"All clear. Everybody proceed to the courtyard and look for a way in. Stay frosty"
As usual, not the best choice of words from Bus. It's all very quiet, very cold, but then it's normal in a place like this, isn/t it? He looks West, and wonders if things are going to change after sunset.

[Proud Tortoise]

Why do we have telepathic messaging?:smallconfused:
Also, I hereby dub it "TMing".:smallcool:

Orenar goes to enter the tower. He picks up his branch again and finishes eating it.

[iTookUrNick]

@PT/all about telepathy:
My familiar has telepathy with a 100ft range. I will try to keep him in range, thus up to 200 ft between party members, and relay all communications between them. These are standing orders. Whenever you use it, you will receive a positive chime if the message has been relayed to the intended recipient, a error chime if it has not, and nothing if the familiar is not in range/disabled.
If the distance is up to 100ft, he will stay near me by default.

[DeusMalum]

[Thanks to everyone who got actions in before the deadline, I'll have a more substantive post tomorrow.]

[DeusMalum]

As you pass the fortress's gatehouse, the sun begins to set. Before Orenar can cross to the tower's door, a single, clear tone is heard, sounding like the ringing of an enormous bell. The sound seems to emanate from the top of the tower, though from where you stand you can't see the source. As you look on, the uppermost windows of the tower begin to glow an emerald green, like that you've described by the townspeople of Riverton.

Bus, if he's still maintaining the spell, detects at least a dozen magical auras pop up without warning or source, their sudden surge of power threatening to overwhelm his heightened senses. All around you, plants begin to grow, springing up spontaneously from the barren, dead earth and spreading outward. Green vines begin to snake up around the walls and tower of the fort, and in moments the area is filled with the vibrant green shades of a lush jungle. The sounds of the jungle follow not long after, the tittering and buzzing of insect life, and the cries of predator and prey.

You stand just within the courtyard, though with the sudden thick vegetation it's impossible to see back outside to the land beyond the fortress' gates. The full dimensions of the courtyard covered a hundred fifty feet by hundred fifty. The tower's door should still be to the northwest.

[Note: We're not in combat yet, so no need for initiative or setting up an order of action. Also, does anyone have any objection to my rolling initiative for everyone when combat DOES start? That way we can avoid an extra posting cycle just to determine who gets to go when.]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar drops his branch and manifests his true form in surprise.

He turns to the party. "What... Was that?"

[DeusMalum]

[Incidentally, if anyone has Knowledge (the planes) feel free to roll it.]

[Iron Victory]

Readying his weapon, Dengrel hops astride Challa. "What in the Nine Hells just happened?" The lion lets out a nervous growl.

Knowledge: The Planes
[roll0]

[iTookUrNick]

Go ahead and make any obvious roll for me. Anything to keep up the pace.
K: planes [roll0] I'm thinking I might know more than a little about what's going on :D

Also, just in case it is needed:
Preception: [roll1]
Steath: [roll2] (among the trees and such)
Fam: perc: [roll3]
Fam: stealth: [roll4]
Bus averts his gaze, while his conscious minds lets go of the spell: no sense blinding yourself before an ambush. If this is is an ambush, after all: there are no enemies in sight, although definitely a lot of places to hide. Also, the whole thing looks like... could it be...

"That's odd". Unexpected, surely. Hovering just above them, amidst the foliage, Bus adress the resto of the party, communicating his theory and planning their next course of action: "Mr. Rahzora, Mr... Orenar, I must reiterate my suggestion to keep quite whenever possible. These, the plants and vines, are not dangerous, but there might still be danger coming from an unknown source. The top of the tower has brightened, that makes our obvious goal. I'll try and get a better look at it from a safe distance while you move towards the bottom". Obviously, Bus does not anticipate any danger in what is doing, or he would not be doing it in the first place.

[Proud Tortoise]

Alamix snickers at Bus and moves toward the base of the tower, still in manifested form.
Knowlege(the Planes): [roll0]
Perception: [roll1] plus Scent ability
Stealth: [roll2]

[DeusMalum]

[Alamix? Also I'll have responses up for what your rolls uncover this afternoon or tonight. The lab above my office sprang a rather large leak over the weekend and my Monday morning has been spent surveying the damage and trying not to murder a few hapless scientists.]

[Chromascope3D]

"H'grtlach," he states. After surveying the botanical influx, he ponders for a moment. He makes no movement to conceal himself, instead moving to the tower, where he begins testing the strength of the climbing vines.

He activates his Cloak of Darkness ability
Knowledge (planes): [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[iTookUrNick]

@Cmdr Fallout:
Did you look at the dual-cursed oracle (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/archetypes/paizo---oracle-archetypes/dual-cursed-oracle) archetype? If you did, why did you decide against it? I'm not making any suggestions here, I'm just curious about your rationale, since the archetype I mentioned is like a Luck domain bonus on steroids.

Also, you can speak freely in Abyssal. I'll translate.

[Proud Tortoise]

[Sorry, Orenar. Mixing up my characters.:smalltongue:]

[DeusMalum]

['sall good. Figured as much, but I had to scramble through your backstory for a second to figure out if you had an undisclosed split personality.]

With the exception of Dengrel, who can't seem to recall something relevant to your situation, your studies of planar phenomena lead you to the realization you're standing smack dab in the middle of a planar conjunction. That is, a portion of a plane has been hastily stitched onto another, in this case the recipient being your native plane. The originating plane, based on the flora and -from the sound of it- fauna, is most likely the First World, the lush, chaotic template that seems to have been a prototype world for the one you occupy now. It's famous for it's voracious predators, heavily-armored prey animals, bizarre-but-familiar creatures, and oh yes, immortal, soulless, and alien Fey creatures.

Of course knowing where you stand and how isn't so big a question right now as why. These sorts of things do occasionally happen randomly, but the account of the villagers implies a month of occurrences following a pattern of behavior. That would imply this isn't happening randomly, but is driven by some power or intelligence. But who or what that could be is anyone's guess.

As you move forward, wary of your surroundings, Bus notices, from his vantage point above the rest, movement among the foliage. A rustle of leaves, a shadow against the fading sun, you can't quite make out its features but have a reasonable guess for where it is. It's movement through the brush indicates a stalking of your companions, but it makes no indication of having noticed you. As you look around, you notice a number of skulls, some animal, some human, decorating the trees around you, as if propped up like grim hunting trophies.

None of the rest notice anything at the moment, including Bus' familiar.

[Proud Tortoise]

Oblivious to the danger, Orenar continues toward the tower.

[iTookUrNick]

Bus' heart skips a beat when he perceives the creature's presence. He doubles his efforts at staying hidden, knowing that it might make a difference later. That also means casting no spells for the moment. Fortunately, he can still warn his allies.

"Please do not react too openly to this statement, but I think there might be a dangerous creature stalking you through the foliage above your position. I do not know what it is, but it has not spotted me yet, probably due to dumb luck on my part. Again, just giving a heads-up. Figuratively of course, do not look up all together.

Anyway, it this thing does not show itself before we enter the tower, we might want to try and lay down some sort of ambush ourselves once inside and see what happens. But I'd wager we will not get that far".

[DeusMalum]

As you warily continue towards the tower, the shape in the trees abruptly breaks off, moving at a rapid pace through the foliage towards the east. You hear what sounds like the pained cry of some enormous deer, which ends in a gurgle. You're about a hundred feet from the tower.

[Got a post up in the other thread but I'm being called away. Please hold up, I'll try and get a response up later this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest.]

[Iron Victory]

Leaving his companions behind, Dengrel urges his mount. Challa erupts into a sprint towards the tower.

Challa can move 100 ft in a round if he double moves. Dengrel readies an action to strike anything in his path.

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar begins moving more quickly toward the tower.

[iTookUrNick]

The beastie found easier pray. Keep going.

[DeusMalum]

Picking up the pace, you manage to make it to the tower's door without further incident, ever watchful of your surroundings, and the canopy of trees above. The tower here is covered in vines and plant life, wrapping around the tower up past where you can eyes can see. It's too thickly-packed with greenery to see up to the top of the tower, and the light that seems to be your goal.

As Dengrel, the first to arrive, reaches for the door, however, the thick vines suddenly close in, preventing immediate access to the door. As the rest of you reach the door and consider your options, you hear off in the distance a shrill howl, followed closely by several more, clearly some manner of hunting call. The trees around you seem to bend inwards, providing a bit of extra concealment as something moves in the trees, headed towards you.

[You have a moment to prepare before you're met in battle by whatever is heading your way.]

[iTookUrNick]

"I can get us all on the other side of the door, no fighting necessary. Unless f course you are curious about what is coming our way. I confess I am not".

[Proud Tortoise]

"Well what in the Waste is it, Bus?" Orenar's strange features quickly disappear. He takes a move action to get closer toward the tower [hopefully reaching it].
He takes a standard action to start shifting to his standard array, beginning with removing eyes and placing his spike. If I misunderstood and he was already at the tower, he contributes his move action to this end as well.

[DeusMalum]

You were already at the door, so your full turn goes to shifting your manifest form.

[Chromascope3D]

They will burn.. The thought floods the minds of his companions. He turns to face their current assailant. His aggression, pent up from these few weeks, soon to be unleashed upon his foe.

Perception: [roll0]
@Nick
The archetype bores me. Also, he hasn't bothered ever actually trying to verbally communicate with any of you, since he can do so mentally.

[iTookUrNick]

"Well what in the Waste is it, Bus?"
"I honestly do not know. I have yet to clearly see the creature". Tyemno's thoughts reach him. He sighs, then continues: "Apparently, we will know soon enough. Let me know if you change your mind. I'll be around".

With that, he murmurs a simple incantation [Haste on the whole group, including the lion] and goes back to hiding.

Haste:For the next 9 rounds:
+1 to hit for all attacks
+1 dodge bonus to AC
+1 to reflex saves
+30ft enhancement bonus to all movement modes (up to twice the starting amount)
+1 attack at maximum bonus in a full attack action

[Proud Tortoise]

[Orenar continues shifting into his standard array]

[Iron Victory]

"Well, if you can get us through the door Bus, now's the time!" Dengrel points his lance at the foliage and waits...

Ready an action to charge anything that approaches the tower.

[iTookUrNick]

Already out of sight: "I cannot proceed without unanimous consensus. If such situation is reached, regroup in front of the door and we shall make the jump. That's all I can say on the matter".

[Proud Tortoise]

"Open. The bloody. Door. Bus," Orenar broadcasts as he continues shifting his features.

[iTookUrNick]

"I never said I could open the door. I said I could get us through. And that only if we are of one mind. Mr. Tyemno, would you care to revise your position on the matter?"

[DeusMalum]

[Talking's a free action. Let's wait on a response or two.]

[DeusMalum]

[I'd recommend you follow through with your plan should Cdr. Fallout not respond by the end of day. Not trying to rush you, Cdr., but I'd like to keep things moving.]

[iTookUrNick]

[I'd recommend you follow through with your plan should Cdr. Fallout not respond by the end of day. Not trying to rush you, Cdr., but I'd like to keep things moving.]
[Assume that if Cmd. Fallout indeed does not respond by the established deadline I will follow your suggestion, teleporting everyone on the other side of the door using my Arcane School power. Note that if he answer he'd rather fight, I will respect his decision]

[DeusMalum]

[Best way to play it, I'd say. If your goal was a unanimous decision and he wants a fight, the choice pretty clear.]

[Chromascope3D]

His allies cower. He may not win this battle on his own. Realizing this, the shrouded one recedes. Very well... massssster. He begins cackling.

[iTookUrNick]

'He sees reason, of sort, thank the gods" thinks Bus, careful not to transmit that.
"Let's not waste any more time then: Dimensional Step!"
Considering the dorr and the vines, I'd say I expend probably 5 people * 10 ft = 50 ft of my daily allotment, right?

[DeusMalum]

[If you're planning on getting everyone to just inside the doorway, 50 ft sounds about right. I'll have a post up later tonight.]

[iTookUrNick]

[If you're planning on getting everyone to just inside the doorway, 50 ft sounds about right. I'll have a post up later tonight.]
I confirm that is my intention.

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar tilts his head at his companions. "What's so funny?" Then he turns away. [color="seagreen"]"C'mon, Bus! Allons-y!"

[DeusMalum]

Hurrying quickly through an incantation Bus has performed so often it's a reflex, the wizard summons and disperses the power needed to move all of you through the vines and door of the tower to the safety of the walls inside. As the spell manifests and you fade through to the other side, you see your would-be hunters burst forth from the cover of the trees, leaping towards you at full speed, those same trees quivering with the movement of yet more creatures coming your way.

They are a trio of what look like trees carved into the shape of gangly, hairless elves, their long arms ending in razor-sharp claws, and clothed in leaves and vines. You've heard of such creatures, grimmstalkers, before in your studies of the planes.

Before their arc through the air can bring them down upon you, the spell ends, leaving you safe on the other side of the sturdy tower walls from the grimmstalkers. You hear them outside, scrambling and scraping the vines and slamming their arms against the door, howling with murderous rage at being cheated of prey. For now, it doesn't seem like they'll be able to break through the door. With the danger outside temporarily passed, you take a moment to look around your new surroundings.

The bottom floor of the tower is hollowed out and empty, and dark, though this poses little problem for you. Stairs beginning at the far end lead up to the next floor, and each floor seems to be roughly fifty feet across. Given the lack of anything immediately rushing at you to kill you, it seems you have a moment to catch your breaths.

[iTookUrNick]

The sound of ungodly beast scratching furiously and uselessly with their sharp claws on the other side of a sturdy, blocked door: not even the sweetest melody can compare to that, at least in Bus' own personal opinion.

Having left immediate danger behind for now, he looks around, carching his breath. The path to the top is obvious as his place in the marching order [last, of course].

Perception (just in case):
Bus: [roll0] Fam: [roll1]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar grins at Bus. "Sure you want to be last? After all... What if something sneaks up behind us?"

[iTookUrNick]

Orenar grins at Bus. "Sure you want to be last? After all... What if something sneaks up behind us?"
[Second to last, of course] :smallbiggrin:

[Proud Tortoise]

We start our ascension of the stairs. [I'll take rear, if that's OK?]

[DeusMalum]

You ascend the white stone stairs. Now that the adrenaline is no longer flowing, you notice that the air in here is still as balmy as the outside, though it lacks the foliage of the rest of the fort. A faint smell of rust hangs in the air, though you see no iron around you on this empty level. The grimmstalkers slamming against the door appear to give up as you climb, and a comfortable silence settles, marred only by your footsteps and a faint buzzing noise heard from upstairs.

[Sorry for the short post, things are going to happen as you reach the next floor, but I don't have time to write it out. Birthday weekend is starting early. Expect a post up Sunday during the day.]

[Iron Victory]

Dengrel takes the lead of the group, with Challa ambling along in front.

"So, does anyone got a clue what's going on?"

[Happy Birthday!]

[Proud Tortoise]

Continuing up the stairs behind Bus, Orenar says, "Well, I suspect that, what with the regular planar superimposition occuring at this site, there is a planar nexus somewhere nearby. A portal to another world..." Orenar trails off dreamily.

[iTookUrNick]

"A most curious phenomenon indeed". One studies this things in books and wonders, but doen not hold a candle to the actual experience. The air, the sounds, the inhabitants, the smells... "Pardon, gentlemen: are you by chance smelling rust as well?"

[Happy Birthday, see you after the end of the World as we know it]

[Chromascope3D]

He inhales. After glancing around he reaches a conclusion. His conclusion makes him laugh.
I smell blood.

[iTookUrNick]

He inhales. After glancing around he reaches a conclusion. His conclusion makes him laugh.
I smell blood.
"Ah, that must be it! The contact of certain blood components with fresh air does lead to a reaction that is surprisingly similar to that of a rusting metal object. Clever of you to bring it up".

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar, sniffing, says, "I can follow the trail if you like... Although it hardly seems necessary, does it?"

[iTookUrNick]

Orenar, sniffing, says, "I can follow the trail if you like... Although it hardly seems necessary, does it?"
"You are quite right, there is no need. I just thought it peculiar to smell such a thing in the middle of what it appears an extraplanar jungle, that's all".

[If we meet a rust monster, I called it. If we don't, it was the blood all along :smallsmile:]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar says, "Well, I for one do not rely on weapons of iron and steel."

[DeusMalum]

Despite your conversation and banter, you keep a wary eye on your surroundings as you climb the steps up to the tower's second floor. The smell remains as you reach the next floor, and as Dengrel, having taken the lead, is the first to notice the source. The buzzing noise also increases in volume, though you can make out a faint cadence to it now, as if it follows some strange rhythm.

In the center of the room, covering a circle 10 feet wide, is a large raised stone platform of a material different to the rest of the tower, it's surface and side carved with intricate glowing runes. Spaced evenly around the room, 25 feet further from the platform, are a quartet of iron statues facing outward and standing almost to the ceiling, 10 feet up. Each is armed with a spear and shaped to appear armored in full plate, though the one closest to you is missing its arm, and the spear of the farthest lies broken upon the floor. The smell of rust likely comes from them, the balmy air and whatever length of time they'd remained here contributed to their oxidization, and indeed you see the signs of it all over them. The stairs to the next floor are on the opposite side of the room.

As you pause for a brief moment to take this in, nothing leaps out to kill you, yet.

[Thanks for the birthday wishes, guys!]

[iTookUrNick]

As you pause for a brief moment to take this in, nothing leaps out to kill you, yet.
Yet being the operative word here. Bus has seen his fair share of magical towers (in fact, he has often fantasized how he would make his own, one day). Among other things, he knows not to break any circle of glowing runes and to be wary of all and every statue to be found in such location.
In fact, he is not quite sure if it would be safe for them to simply traverse the room to the other side.
"With your permission, I will now examine the room for possible magical hazards. By any mean, please take a look around yourself, but let's try to coordinate our movements across the room. And stay sharp."
I'd like to detect magic, first on the statues, then on the circle, and study any aura that I come across. I trust you to make the relevant rolls. My familiar makes his own perception (Bus:+11/Fam:+11) roll but Aids me for things like linguistics (+19/+9) or spellcraft (+24/+12).

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar picks up the spear and walks toward the raised circle.

[DeusMalum]

All 4 of the statues have a magical aura on them, the stone in the center does as well. You'll need to analyze it a bit longer to tell what sorts and how powerful those auras are.

Orenar, the spear is near the statue farthest away from you, meaning you'd either need to walk around the circle of statues or pass between them. Which path do you take to get over there?

[Oy, that's what I get for not hitting refresh before posting.]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar walks around the statues to pick up the spear, then passes between two of them on his way toward the circle.

[Iron Victory]

Dengrel hangs back by the door.

"I don't like this... Let's leave well enough alone."

[iTookUrNick]

"Careful. Magic is at work here. I'll need a little more time to understand its function. Please refrain from touching anything else at least until I have finished examining it. Indeed, perhaps it would be wise to leave everything unmolested"
That would be the best thing to do. He should make a stronger argument in favor of this decision. Many a curious adventurer, even wizards (especially wizards) have found their demise associated with a magical contraption they do not fully understand. Isn't it what they were warned about the first day at the magical academy? He should... nine circles of hell, he need to know. If he dies, he will be pissed.
Bus analyses one of the statues first, for the necessary duration (3 rounds).
Check for school: Knowledge (Arcana): [roll0]. Add +2 if my familiar can Aid me (share spell + check: [roll1]).

He then proceeds to examine it in detail, taking another 3 rounds to try and understand its functioning using his spellcraft.
Spellcraft: [roll2]. Add +2 if my familiar can Aid me (check: [roll3]).

Then, if nothing alarming (strong transmutation, permanency and contingency come to mind at the moment) comes out of this evaluation, Bus proceed to do the same thing for the magic circle.
Check for school: Knowledge (Arcana): [roll4]. Add +2 if my familiar can Aid me (share spell + check: [roll5]).
Spellcraft: [roll6]. Add +2 if my familiar can Aid me (check: [roll7]).

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar frowns. "I think the proper way to go about it would be to jam this spear into that circle. It just seems like it might do something," he says as he approaches the disc.

[iTookUrNick]

Orenar frowns. "I think the proper way to go about it would be to jam this spear into that circle. It just seems like it might do something," he says as he approaches the disc.
Bus cries a little on the inside. Such is his lot in life. Without stopping his magical inquire on the two things (but postponing the through examination he had decided to conduct), he retreats, trying to gain cover a few steps down the stairs.

[Chromascope3D]

He felt Bus' pain. It filled him with euphoria. Though perhaps the wizard was right, and they were making a terrible mistake.

Oh well. He turned to wave goodbye to Bus, and settled in to watch the fireworks.

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar steps into the circle and drives the spear into the center.

[DeusMalum]

Round 2: There are two layers of enchantments on the iron statues and one on the stone platform in the center. While you can't yet separate the enchantments out and determine their characteristics, you know that each has at most a Moderate aura of magic, something likely worked my mortal means, and likely recently.

As you ponder this, Orenar moves around the edge of the room to the fallen spear. As he approaches the spear and the statue it had fallen from, Bus sees one of the spells on the statue trigger, expending itself and dissipating with no visible effect. Given the rest of you lack the heightened awareness of magical effects, no one else notices this. The Moderate aura around the statue persists.

As Orenar approaches the platform, passing between two of the statues, Bus sees the spell on the platform and the other statue trigger as well. Before Orenar's spear can strike the platform, the stone begins to unfold outward, taking on the rough appearance of a large humanoid as it rises to nearly touch the ceiling. The runes upon it continue to glow brightly, and two bright blue pinpoints of light appear where its eyes should be, as its head turns toward the puny human brandishing a spear at it.

It's clearly a stone golem, and as it lifts a hand to strike, clearly designed to deal with intruders into the tower. It doesn't look as sturdy or well-made as some golems you might've seen in your travels, but it's still likely to kill you very dead if you're not careful about dealing with it.

[If you don't mind, I'm going to roll initiatives for everybody to speed things up. The stone golem stands at the center of the room, Orenar is either adjacent to it or 10 feet away, and the rest of you rather more wisely are back near the stairs. Bus, now that the spell has triggered on two of the statues, you can roll Spellcraft if you'd like to try and determine what they were.]

Initiatives:
Bus Init: [roll0]
Dengrel Init: [roll1]
Orenar Init: [roll2]
Tyemno Init: [roll3]

[The golem goes after everyone except Dengrel.]

[iTookUrNick]

A little knowledge in what we do: K(arcana) [roll0]. Broadcast the results telepathically.

Obviously I need to see what the Oracle is going to do, but I was of a mind to create an extended acid pit (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/a/acid-pit), grease the walls and maybe even block the exit with a wall of stone for good measure, or at least have people hit him from above while he tries to climb up. If you have any suggestions on the matter, please let me know. Also, anything that impairs its Reflex save and/or his Climb check could come in handy, as well as trippers/bull-rushers. Read the spell description for more info.

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar broadcasts, "I could try to eat it."

Orenar good at grappling, so if you want I could try that- although it is pretty large.

[iTookUrNick]

Orenar broadcasts, "I could try to eat it."
Orenar good at grappling, so if you want I could try that- although it is pretty large.
Not to mention made of stone. But hey, whatever you feel confortable doing. :smallbiggrin:
If you do not like the pit and you would rather take it head-on, I could provide a DR 10/adamantine to all the fighting types (up to 90HP each) and you can fight it out as you see fit.

As long as we have a plan, any plan, I'm good. If not, I'm afraid you are all going to die (while I teleport away, or maybe up the tower). :smallamused:

[Proud Tortoise]

"Or I can jump into my stomach and climb out a few feet away."

I'm good with the pit; if I fall in I have a few options to escape. Although I don't know about the acid, won't the pit just punch through the floor?

[iTookUrNick]

"Or I can jump into my stomach and climb out a few feet away."
... wait, what? :smallconfused:

The pit is extradimensional (like a portable hole) and 40 ft deep, with acid at the bottom. I figured that a stone thing would be susceptible to falling down...

[Proud Tortoise]

[Let's move this discussion to the OOC]

[DeusMalum]

[Yes please. For the record, the ceiling isn't high enough that you could safely stay above it without resorting to the sort of acid pit trap you're discussing, where you're in essence magically increasing the distance between floor and ceiling.]

Bus can tell that the triggered spell on the golem and both statues were a type of alarm spell designed to notify the caster when triggered. It's highly likely your presence in the tower is known now, if it wasn't before. He relays this information to the rest of the party.

Also he can tell, now that the alarm spells are no longer on the statues, that they have some form of Transmutation spell placed inside them, awaiting activation. It can be assumed he relays this to the rest of the party as well.

[iTookUrNick]

"If you have any way to do it without too much troible, try and avoid passing between the two statues Orenar did not pass close by".
K: arcana check to recall a stone golem strengths and weaknesses: [roll0]

[DeusMalum]

[Good roll!]

Bus was forced to learn quite a bit about these during the latter days of his training. Stone golems are designed to counter skilled wizards in the simplest way possible: by being utterly immune to their abilities. The runes and spells woven into the golem's structure render it entirely immune to magic. Barring the use of adamantine weaponry it also has a fairly high resistance to normal means of damage, owing partly to its construct nature and mostly due to the fact it's made of stone.

It's slow, but makes up for it with its longer reach. It hits hard, and can take a beating, though you get the impression that this one isn't so tough as some you've studied in the past. However it likely has the other trait that makes stone golems dangerous on the battlefield: its runes also grant it the ability to slow those around it for a period of time, and often uses this to compensate for it's slow movement speed. The range is limited, but those caught within the blast will find it difficult to stay out of range of further attacks.

You know that, if you had access to Stone to Mud or Stone to Flesh spells this fight would be easier, as one would slow the construct down, and the other would temporarily remove its immunity to magic and resistance to mundane injury.

[iTookUrNick]

Bus senses the Mad Oracle's indecision, as both mind and magic attacks cannot harm this thing directly. He hears Orenar's half-formed idea (not breaking new ground here, for when all you have is a mouth...). Speaking of breaking ground...

"You know what they say: the heavier they are..."
Tapping the power of the rod he keeps at hand for just such an occasion, Bus mutters few incantations and the floor below the golem lurches down, while a steep slope surrounds the newly formed hole. Orenar finds itself himself on the edge of the slope, safe for the moment.
Casting Extended (Rod) Acid Pit
The golem must make a reflex save wit a DC of 25: 10 + 4 (spell level) + 10 (int mod) +1 (spell focus: conj) or fall down. The pit is 40ft deep, and the acid does 2d6 dmg/round.

[DeusMalum]

Reflex Save: [roll0]

It tries to lurch towards the edge of the pit as the gap widens below it, but fails miserably and falls down into the acid pit below.

[Will roll for damage when I get back, running a few errands. Still need actions from the rest of you, for now Dengrel can also act, as it's unlikely the golem will do anything meaningful in the next round.]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar jams the spear into the center of the circle, then fires his crossbow down at the golem. "Can any of you spellslingers protect me from that acid?"

[iTookUrNick]

"Can any of you spellslingers protect me from that acid?"
"Not me. Not today at least. Nor anyone else, I'd wager. So try and stay out of the pit".

[DeusMalum]

[For the record, and not that this likely matters, but Bus can tell the spear is nonmagical. Oh ****ing A now I need to look up the rules on falling damage into a "yielding surface".]

[DeusMalum]

Falling Damage: [roll0]
Acid Pit: [roll1]
The golem lands prone, largely submerged in the acid.

[Orenar, gimme a roll for the crossbow shot.]

[Iron Victory]

Dengrel strolls up to the edge of the pit astride Challa. Smirking, he turns to the wizard. "Ha, that's one way to do things. Remind me not to get on your bad-side Bus." The cavalier points his lance at the golem, should it try to climb free.

I'll ready an action to attack the thing if it comes into my 10 ft. reach.

[Chromascope3D]

He glanced down into the pit. That works too. Effective.
Still, though, it was nothing too impressive. Not to him, at least. He felt another laugh welling up within him, as he watched the monstrosity bumble about. He had no choice but to release it.

Sorry about that. Busy holidays, plus a total creative blank

[iTookUrNick]

Bus smiles back at the soldier. He would not easily admit it, bit he has a soft spot when it comes to praise on his magical prowess... also step 1 of the plan (keep the golem away from my brittle, chicken-like bones) was a complete success, and a tinge of rare optimism has taken hold of Bus' limbic system.

"It's not over until it's over". His good spirits let him leave this tautology unmolested. "Whatever happens, do not let it get out of that pit.
Also, I do not think crossbows are going to be very effective agaist that thing: we need to think about some other way to damage it".
He looks around the room, empty but for the for statues. An idea, perhaps the one of the stupidest idea he ever had, comes to his mind:
"It might end up triggering the quiescent spell the statues have on them, but do you think it would be possible to roll them in the pit and on the golem's head?"

If that is not possible, I guess I'll just start shooting my acid spit on my turn for the next 18 rounds for a whopping 1d3 acid damage each. At least it's an easy target :smallsmile:
On second thought, I might just go ahead and do it. I mean, it's not like I can help with the statues...
EDIT: Enlarge Person on Orenar might be helpful in that regard. If he is ok with trying, my familiar can cast it on him at a moment's notice using a wand. The three of them (Big Orenar, Dengrel and his cat) might be able to do move the statues in a timely fashion. Orenar's reach would also be affected, making it easier for him to strike the golem from safety should he succeed in climbing all the way up.

[Proud Tortoise]

"Reach? I can do reach, given half a minute."

[iTookUrNick]

"One thing does not preclude another. But mostly, I was concerned about easing the work of..." - swift change of registry, let's see how it works - "moving stuff around. Big Orenar is stronger than small Orenar, big Orenar throws statues down the hole, yes?" It's hard to read the expression of a creature with an arbitrary set of facial features, but this does not seem to be helping at all. Just act normal, Bus.
"Ahem, anyway, what I meant was... increasing your size would provide benefits other than reach, including but not limited to an enhanced carrying and dragging capacity". Middle ground, darn it. Why can't he do middle ground? He coughs a couple more times, trying to avoid eye contact.

[Proud Tortoise]

"Well, you could enlarge someone else while I climb down and attack it..."
How deep and wide is the pit?
Also, I am not in manifested form and therefore do not have an arbitrary set of facial features.

[iTookUrNick]

The pit is an inverted frustum with a 10x10ft base and a 20x20ft opening on top, 40ft deep and with smooth, steep slopes going down.
And believe it or not, you are the only valid target for the enlarge person spell in our group right now, I believe. Unless you are of the Aberration type, in which case I might just exchange the wand with something else...

[Proud Tortoise]

"Why am I your only valid target?"
I believe I gain the Aberration type next level.

[iTookUrNick]

"Why am I your only valid target?"
I believe I gain the Aberration type next level.
Because I can only target humanoids with it. Aasimars and Fetchlings are native outsiders, the lion is an animal, the other guy dropped out and next level you will be an aberration. So basically if you need it this level great, otherwise I'll probably never use it again (unless we shuffle with the other group).

[Proud Tortoise]

"Well, cast the spell and we'll try it."

[iTookUrNick]

The small dragon familiar perched on Bus' shoulder fishes the wand from the wizard's backpack and cast Enlarge Person (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/e/enlarge-person) on Orenar.

[DeusMalum]

[Bus, correct me if I'm wrong, but the pit walls are just simple stone, right?]

The statues don't seem to be anchored into the stone beneath by anything other than old-fashioned construction and placement, and should be moveable with enough effort. The golem for now has righted itself, and while the runes aren't any dimmer the visible stone on its form seems to already be damaged by exposure to the acid. Rather than begin attempting to climb the sheer surface of the pit, it begins to pound on the wall, carving out makeshift handholds in the wall. This process it slow and arduous, and it does not yet manage to drag the lower portions of its body up from the acid.

As this occurs, Bus' spell takes hold of Orenar, and the Ozadrin suddenly grows in size, doubling in height.

Acid Pit: [roll0]

[Iron Victory]

Dengrel's eyes dart around the room as the golem slowly ascends.

"If we're going to do something, we better do it soon. That statue suggestion seems worth a shot."

Without further ado, the rider dismounts and orders Challa to push the nearest carved figure into the pit. He pulls from the opposite side, magically empowered muscles straining.

Combined, Dengrel and Challa can push/drag 15,200 pounds. If a strength check is required, here you go:

Dengrel: [roll0]
Challa: [roll1]

You read right. Strength score-wise I'm actually stronger than my lion!

[DeusMalum]

Good god, I'm going to need to estimate the weight of a ten foot tall iron statue now, aren't I? :-p Between the three/four/five of you you should be able to move one of the statues to the edge of the pit, at which point the sloped angle of the pit's lip and gravity should do the rest of the work.

density of iron = 7.874 g/cm^3
height of iron "column" = 10ft
radius of iron "column" = 2ft
volume of column = h*pi*r^2 = 10*pi*4 ~125 ft^3 ~3.35*10^6 cm^3

rough estimate of weight: 7.874 * 3.35*10^6 ~= 26377900 g ~= 58153 lbs
rough estimate of a cone of equivalent dimensions = 19384 lbs

...yeah you guys should be able to handle it, with a little effort and some time. It'll likely take a quarter of a minute to drag the statue to the edge, though it'll take significantly less time if you can find some way to combat the friction of the floor or alleviate some of the statue's weight.

[Chromascope3D]

He watched them debate, all the while the lumbering mass was attempting to escape. The Lion Tamer moved to move the iron statue. He thought for a moment, communing and saying a quick prayer. He realized that this was, perhaps, the best course of action, so he resolved to help to the best of his ability. Striding to the statue, he planted his feet firmly and began to push.

Casts Guidance on himself to help push the statue.
Strength:
[roll0]

[iTookUrNick]

Bus does not strain himself with physical weights. Ever. He's so weak that he can't even pull fingers for laughs. That staue, being about 50 times heavier that the heaviest thing he would consider moving (and no, not even then!), might has well be a house. Or a mountain range...

Having been like this all his life, he can appreciate ways to reduce the effort of moving things, even if it's somebody else doing the moving. He pops out a flask of Alchemical Grease and coats what will become the 'underbelly' of the statue, to reduce friction.

Then, with the others otherwise occupied, he shoots a glance down the pit.
"Geez: you can always count mindless contraptions not to lose heart, but this one takes the cake for sheer determination. He's trying to get back up! Should I try and grease his hands?", asks Bus, half to himself and half to the rest of the group. "Maybe we can decide after the state experiment..."
Would greasing the construct's hands make it harder for him to make handholds? I'm pretty sure it would seriously impair his ability to climb, in any case.

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar slams against another statue with his own magically enhanced strength.
Strength check: [roll0] plus 4 plus whatever bonus I get from the spell.

[DeusMalum]

[A quick reading of the entry for Grease suggests you can't directly grease a creature, or something that's part of the creature (though you can try and grease items they're carrying, prompting a reflex save). However, greasing the surface of the pit would probably still hinder the golem from being able to climb out, as the grease would spread to its hands as it continued to punch and gouge its way up the wall.]

[iTookUrNick]

[A quick reading of the entry for Grease suggests you can't directly grease a creature, or something that's part of the creature (though you can try and grease items they're carrying, prompting a reflex save). However, greasing the surface of the pit would probably still hinder the golem from being able to climb out, as the grease would spread to its hands as it continued to punch and gouge its way up the wall.]
Indeed you are right. In my mind, I applied the "grease weapon" clause to the golem's slam attacks, but I see it is not a contemplated case. No biggie, I'll grease the wall with a wand after you show us the the results of dropping the statue, unless it's making very fast progress and we are not, in which case I'll do it sooner.

@orenar: it's a paltry +2 to strenght, but the size increase doubles your carrying capacity.

[DeusMalum]

[His increased size also doubles his push/drag amount, which is probably a bigger help than the actual strength bonus. They need at least 2-3 rounds to get it to the pit, so if you don't grease it now it'll probably manage to make it about 10 feet up the wall by the time they do so, i.e. not so long that it'll make progress on getting out, but long enough to be out of the acid for a round or two.]

[iTookUrNick]

After considering his options a little more, Bus decides that greasing the wall of the pit the golem is pounding on is also a good idea.
"Let's err on the side of caution" he says. That's one of his favorite quotes, usually followed by "It's actually impossible to err on the side of caution"...
"Do you mind, Freddy?" The familiar switches wand and greases the aforementioned wall.
Are you tracking turns for the pit? This should be the end of the second by my account, considering the damage sustained by the golem as a reference.

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar spits at the statue and moves to help with the one that's already been knocked over.

[DeusMalum]

[Err..sorry, I was waiting for a response and then realized you guys were waiting on me. Also I just realized even if you could grease a creature's hands, the golem would be immune to magic, so greasing the wall is probably your best option, anyway. Also, just reread the entry for grease, and given it's a 10 foot square your spell only covered about a third of the accessible wall. Unless you've got 2 more of those stored, it will continue to take damage for a few turns until it starts to climb out again, or until the statue you're about to drop on it causes it some problems.]

You get the statue close to the edge of the pit, another good push ought to send it over. As the golem starts to dig another handhold to climb up, a slick layer of grease forms on the walls in a 10 foot square centered on the golem, and the slippery material causes the construct to lose its grip, dropping it back into the acid, prone once again.

Bus has one more action before the statue drops.

[iTookUrNick]

The effort required to move the staue is greater than Bus had anticipated: he sees his friends straining under the effort. Hopefully, it will be worth it: his resources are not infinite and his contingency plans limited, especially against a golem.
Bus himself stands on the rim of the pit, looking down at the creature. On his shoulder rests his familiar, a nearly spent wand of grease back in his tiny claws. Its efficacy is unquestionable, and it's surely going purchase a new one at the first opportunity. But right now, he'd rather conserve the charges.
Even if he knows it is barely going to make any difference, he slings a globe of acid down on the golem just before the statue's fall.
Hit: [roll0]+ modifiers (e.g high ground) vs touch AC
Damage: [roll1] everything can help, and my options are kinda limited...

Also:
1. I have the grease wand, so if need I can spend it. But I will see the results of the staute first. Also, he might decide to attack the greased section anyway and fail...
2. Grease, like the acid, is a real thing, even when conjured, just like a wall of stone. Thus, I do not think magic immunity applies. Of course, you have the final word on this.

[DeusMalum]

[You've got a point. The acid itself isn't magical, the spell that evoked it and sent it flying at the stone golem is. So I'll allow it. Also Given there are about 6-7 more rounds of this acid pit by my count.]

The statue finally makes it to the edge of the pit and topples over as the golem stands up again, its exterior even more scored and damaged by the continued exposure to the vat of acid at the bottom of the pit. As you take a moment to catch your breaths (well, all of you except Bus), the statue collides with the golem, sending both crashing down again, as the spell on the statue triggers. Though it's difficult to make out, the golem suddenly looks far weaker than it was before, and the material of its body seemingly more yielding and rubbery than the tough granite it was made of a moment before. The effect is likely temporary, but you feel now is your chance to hit it with your best shots. The statue begins to dissolve.

[For clarity's sake, the statue triggered a Stone to Flesh spell, Bus knows enough about Golems to know that its damage reduction and immunity to magic are removed for a VERY limited time.]

[Yeah, I missed the previous round's acid roll. With the roll for this round, we're at round 4 of acid pittage, which should mean there's 6 more rounds left. Also, anyone know is there's a specific calculation for "falling damage from something heavy landing on you"?]

Acid pit: [roll0]

DM Notes:
33 damage

[Edit: Somewhat quickly written, let me know if I wasn't clear about anything.]

[iTookUrNick]

"Great work people. He's vulnerable now: hit him with all you have!" yells Bus as soon as he realize what happened. "And if it survives somehow, we'll just throw another statue down the pit, so be ready for that too."

I happen to recall that Bigsby's third law of motion applies in this case: When a first body exerts a force F1 on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force F2 = −F1 on the first body. This means that F1 and F2 are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
Just kidding: falling damage from object is listed here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/environment/environmental-rules#TOC-Falling). About 3d6 to 4d6 depending on the size of the statue.

[DeusMalum]

[You'd have to actually translate the kinetic energy of the fall into a damage quantity based on an assumption that it hit terminal velocity during its descent. Bigsby's Third Law of Motion would only get you a value of the mass of the statue times the acceleration due to gravity, not the total kinetic energy from the fall. :-D

That being said, 4d6 sounds about right.]

[roll0]

DM Notes:
49

[Proud Tortoise]

[You could find the final velocity if you know the pit's depth, though.
EDIT: Oh, right, it's 40 feet deep. I guess you'd have to know the statue's surface area.]

Orenar jumps into the pit to attack the golem. He lands lightly due to his Ring of Feather Fall, takes acid damage [I forget how much] and jabs at it with his horn.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Chromascope3D]

Vulnerable. Enfeebled. Weak. No sweeter words had been spoken yet, and no sweeter words were soon to follow. If there was a time to act, it was now. Standing atop the edge of the pit, he raised his staff and cursed to the heavens, cursed his foe in his cursed tongue. Shadow, tangible and formless, crawled from his pitch-dark robes to his staff, arced from his staff to the giant. The shadow coated the behemoth, enshrouding it in the dark and the cold.

It will not burn, so it must freeze.

Oracle Revelation: Interstellar Void
[roll0] cold damage. Fort 20 to halve damage.

[DeusMalum]

Busy weekend and Monday, I'll shoot to have a post up tonight.

[DeusMalum]

As if carried down by a breeze, Orenar lands lightly in the acid, burning slightly in the corrosive liquid as he takes a swing at the weakened golem. He misses, the pain in his legs likely throwing his aim off, and fails to make contact with the construct's body. As the golem regains its footing, Tyemno's Revelation triggers, enveloping it in frigid, icy darkness for a brief instant. While the sudden freeze injures it, having clearly caused portions of its stony exterior to chip and fall away, it shrugs off the brunt of the attack.

No longer prone, the creature will probably start pounding away at Orenar should he remain in range, though for now its preoccupation with becoming upright again has prevented it from attacking.

[Your turns]

[roll0]

DM Notes:
65

Edit: and sorry for the week long lag in getting a post up, I've been sick and a little out of it for the past week or so, and it's made posting feel like a bit of a chore.

[iTookUrNick]

"Quickly, come back up! You need to start working on the next staue. Great hit Mr. Tyemno. Let's see if we can give you another opening."

Bus strikes again with his acid, hoping to divert the creature's attention from their comrade.
vs Touch AC, [roll]1de acid damage << dang, it's 1d3...

Also, it's great that you are back and well. I have no problem with sudden absences, but posting a notice is always appreciated :smallsmile:

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar manifests form [if he hasn't already, I forget] and attacks, stabbing with his horn and flailing with his tentacle.

Attack roll: Horn-[roll0] and [roll1]
Horn damage: [roll2] [roll3]

Attack roll: Tentacle- [roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

[Chromascope3D]

He chuckled to himself. I make my own. It shall stay down, prostrate to its new masters yet. He beckoned to Orenar. Come up now, blessed one.

No action this round. Black Tentacles affects both enemies and allies.

[DeusMalum]

Dengrel continues to wait for an opportunity to strike. The golem, it's hardened stone body back to normal, accepts the hit from Orenar's tentacles without taking a scratch, though his horn strikes fail to find their mark. It attempts to retaliate, but misses.

Both Orenar and the golem suffer burns from the acid, as the corrosive liquid continues to eat away at the construct.

You hear a ringing in the air, an odd sound, scratchy, as if someone were speaking through a gauze. The effect ends abruptly, and none of you can quite place the source or cause.

Grapple roll and acid for Orenar and Golem:
Grapple: [roll0]
Acid Orenar: [roll1]
Acid Golem: [roll2]
Tentacle Damage Orenar: 1d6+4
Tentacle Damge GoleM: 1d6+4

DM Notes:
68+ Roll outcomes

[Next round of actions, then stuff happens. Sorry again for the delays, hopefully I can get back to posting regularly now and we can get things going again. Thanks to everyone who's still around and sticking it out.]

[Proud Tortoise]

"Save your black tentacles for when it becomes stone again. Or when the pit wears off."

[iTookUrNick]

"I have a bad feeling about this"

[Chromascope3D]

The noise drew him away from the commotion in the pit. He gazed off into space for the briefest moment, before he started to laugh and continue, Blessed One, you must return. You must hurry.

[DeusMalum]

You hear a sound like bone snapping inward, though if it truly were bone it would belong to the largest creature you've ever seen. Abruptly the sounds of the forest can be heard, faintly, from down below. Accompanied by the hungry howls of forest predators, and not the sort you were hoping to hear.

At the exact same time, you can hear the ringing sound is again, and this time can be made out as a fairly squeaky voice, the words sounding as if filtered through a pool of water. "Bloody tower's been breached, bloody golem's fighting bloody..." before trailing off. You hear the sound of small feet running rapidly down the stairs from higher in the tower, before a pint-sized gnome in red-black patterned robes appears on the stairs from the floor above you.

The gnome, adorned with gray-black tufts of hair on above his lips on an otherwise bare head, stops and stares at you in shock for a moment, then glances down towards the pit, before muttering, "Oh, wonderful," to himself. He quickly, and loudly, shouts a word in what you can only imagine is Gnomish, and the golem suddenly ceases to move. The glowing runes on its body still glow brightly, but the construct seems suddenly dormant. As this happens, the gnome looks at those of you not currently in the pit, and out of sight.

"Err...sorry about that. I figured the golem had activated on the fritz again, when the alarm went off. But there's no time for further apologies. The tower's been breached."

Before he can continue, you see a trio of the elf-like fey that hunted you earlier leap up the stairs from below, not yet high enough to start leaping into the fray.

[We'll use the same initiative from before, I'll roll inits for the gnome and one for all three fey. Your party gets a round to act before the grimms get their first actions. Then you get another round before the gnome does.]

Gnome init: [roll0]
Grimmstalker init: [roll1]

[iTookUrNick]

Bus happens to have studied the gnomish language, and the incredibly vulgar profanity just uttered by the little man is enough to bring color to the wizard's face. This only last an istant, as the thought of more shrieking life-threatening monsters coming up the stairs drains it all away.

As usual, his first thought is how to keep the battle away from him. He briefly consider walling off half the room, but he finds a better solution instead.

"I encourage the more martially inclined members of this group to prepare a solid defense at the top of the stairs. Thank you in advance for your cooperation". With this words, he seals the opening of the stairs (much easier than half a room!) with an horizontal Wall of Stone (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/w/wall-of-stone), leaving an easily defendable small hole for the creatures to squeeze through if so inclined. Thanks to the smaller space to seal off, Bus is able to reinforce the wall around the hole.

The rules of squeezing through narrow passages (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Terrain-and-Obstacles). I do not know how big the stair "hole" is, but my CL should be enough to take care of it. Hopefully. If it is a 10x10ft hole, it might even make it 2-3 times as strong :smallsmile:

Also, I hope it's ok to have a vulgar gnomish caretaker :smallamused:

[DeusMalum]

[It's fairly small. Were they to have open access to it, prior to your spell, they would be able to just climb up the walls around it and get onto the landing. As it is now, you can easily wall it so they have to squeeze through.

And it's completely ok to have a vulgar gnomish caretaker.]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar, unable to see what is going on, folds himself inside-out and disappears into his stomach. He reappears at the lip of the pit, having used up almost all his Strange Movement for the day, and pulls out an immoveable rod. "Hey, Bus, think we could use this for anything?"

[iTookUrNick]

Mr. Orenar, I don't know if you heard, but we got fresh company coming from the stairs.

Then he ponders the unusual question. He wonders: what would Archmage MacGyver do? The man was known to summon demons using only a dagger and adhesive tape, and to get away with it. Surely there was a creative use for such an item.

Very little comes to mind at the moment. Maybe you can use it to brace yourself against a bullrush attempt against those creature trying to get in? sorry if this does not feel like a stroke of genius

Alas, he was not the Archmage, but he would keep thinking about this.

[Chromascope3D]

The small one annoyed him, but he knew this tower, so Tyemno pronounced him useful for now. Now, their attackers returned, filling the shade with gleeful self-congratulation. This was a tower, as well. Escape was not an option, leaving only one choice. We ran, but did not fight. Now we fight, for we cannot run.

Though it was a wily trick the wizard tried, Tyemno could hear their assailants ascending the pipe. He glanced over at the abomination, holding a rod. The oracle knew what could be done with it. He stretched his palm towards Orenar.

"I can use it. Let me see that, favored son. I know what to do."

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar hands the rod to Tyemno.

[Chromascope3D]

His mind was abuzz with the thought of conflict. Taking the rod, he immediately moved to the opening. He placed the curious thing over hole, and activated it. Testing it, he decided it held firm enough. He sat facing the entrance, waiting for their first adversary to reveal itself.

He moves to the entrance and activates the rod.

[iTookUrNick]

[Gendrel proceed on his lion to the gap in the Wall of Stone. Both prepare an action to hit whatever tries to pass through. Having a lance in hand, Gendrel himself should be able to strike while being safe from harm himself. The lion is directly in front of the gap, so it would have to be bull-rushed away to pass through (at -4 penalty, as per the rules linked below).]

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar dances a jig.

[iTookUrNick]

Lucius claps on time at every step, and uses ghost sound to play a merry tune. :smallsmile:

[Proud Tortoise]

Orenar opens a portal to Sigil and dances through.