Following Archmage Bose's directions, the party traveled deep into the forest west of Caliphas in search of his wayward apprentices.  The path leading to the ancient altar was just where the conjuror said it would be, with clear evidence that the road had been traveled.  Even a novice tracker like Aubrey could pick out the muddy footprints, made by maybe a half-dozen people all wearing soft leather shoes unsuited to a long trek through the woods.

Turning the corner around a ridgeline in the forest, the group found themselves directly in front of the ruined temple.  The walls and column of the building were long gone, but the central altar remained in surprisingly good condition.  A great stone plinth rose out of the forest floor, topped with a smaller central platform with a flat altar of blackened iron.  Raised platforms extended from either side of the structure, presumably meant to provide a clear view of any rituals performed in the center.

Scattered about the area, around and on top of the structures, were eight young men and women, with the robes and staves common to those who take up the profession of a mage.  And with them was a demon: A tall, impossibly handsome fiend in the shape of a man, with broad batlike wings folded over it's shoulders like a grand cloak and short horns extending from it's head.  It lounged insolently on the altar that had summoned it, while one of it's conjurors fanned it with a leaf, and another fed it grapes from her hand.  As the party came around the corner, the demon pointed imperiously in their direction.  "Kill them," it ordered imperiously, and the mages moved to obey with glassy-eyed stares.

OOC: Everyone set the scene for your characters before the combat begins.  You can start the encounter with any effects lasting 1 hour or more.  I'd also like you to give me rolls for initiative and perception, as well as stealth if you're trying to hide on approach.  Since both groups are bad at stealth and good at perception, I'm going to assume everyone becomes aware of each other at the same time.

Anyone who beats 15 initiative may act immediately.

The main structure is 10' high, with the middle platform another 5' up.  The two side platforms are 20' off the ground.   The steep stairs on the structure are difficult terrain.  The cliff beside you is 20 feet high, as are most of the trees and columns.

12:47, Today: Gorum rolled 15 using 1d20+2.  Enemy initiative.


This message was last edited by the GM at 01:27, Tue 05 Sept 2023.

Gripping his rod tightly, Erisen quickly assessed the precarious situation. The ensorcelled apprentices were a concern, but the lounging demon was the crux of the issue. "We must neutralize these mages — alive, if possible — but that demon, it has no place here. It must be banished," he growled softly, his words tinged with a dark pragmatism.

Whispering an incantation while making a swift, intricate gesture, Erisen invoked an incantation that enveloped him in a subtle, protective aura. Assured by this precaution, he moved with intent toward a nearby tree, positioning himself for whatever would come next in this dangerous ballet of wills and arcane might.

OOC:
Buffs: Anticipate Peril (talisman), Mage Armor, Darkvision, Feather Step, Barkskin, Blood-Boiling Pill, Ashen Path (CL6)
Perception: 28, Initiative: 22

Standard: Cast Sanctuary on self.
Move: Move to Y32.

16:10, Today: Delfrydydd rolled 11 using 1d20+8.  perception.
16:10, Today: Delfrydydd rolled 11 using 1d20+3.  initiative .

Guess I wait...

Audrey had been fiddling with a trio of scrolls as they walked, the first flowing smoothly, the second succumbing to an acrid scent and the third? the third she was fighting with for awhile before it finally went off. She sighed in irritation and continued walking forward readjusting her shovel until they found the target ahead and a large swath of charmed mages. Erisen though pled mercy and she let out a further irritated sigh. It was times like this that she felt too old for her enemies bullshit.

"Stupid mages, being charmed by a bastards good looks. Don't you grow out of that by twenty? Tsk."

Audrey wasn't stupid enough to charge forward but she did wish they had emerged closer to the others, as she picked her steps carefully and kept her shovel at the ready. Fully expecting to be the primary target. Of a group of mages. Damn it.




OOC:
Buffs: Longstrider, Delay Poison
Perception: 22, Initiative: 21

Standard: Total Defense (+4 Dodge Bonus to AC; AC 27)
Move: Move to V21

14:04, Today: Audrey rolled 22,21 using 1d20+7,1d20+1.  Perception, Initiative.

Rik yells out in response to Erisen "Do what you can for them, I'll stabilize as many as I can after the danger is passed."

He starts to pray to the spirit and places a blessing on Audrey.

His prayers continue in an unknowable chanting.

17:18, Today: Rik Feyleaf rolled 23 using 1d20+8.  Initiative

17:17, Today: Rik Feyleaf rolled 17 using 1d20+4.  Initiative.

Standard: Fortune on Audrey
Move: Chant

Mort Standard: Defend Rik

Active effects: Contingent Cure Light Wounds (on reaching half health), Barkskin lvl 6, Life Link on all PCs and Patagogi's familiar.

18:48, Fri 01 Sept: Patagogi rolled 11 using 1d20+8.  perception check.

18:47, Fri 01 Sept: Patagogi rolled 11 using 1d20+2.  initiative.

Waiting as well.

OOC: I realized there was one more conjuror then there should have been, so I removed the one in the back.  Also, Audrey can use the fortune hex to reroll one of her saving throws, if she wants.

The party proceeded cautiously, discussing the the best way to disable the ensorcelled mages without killing them.  The mages, on the other hand, showed no such hesistation, immediately calling down the most devastating spells their modest talents could conjure up.

Audrey's shovel was covered in a magical grease, causing the lubricated weapon to fly from her hands.  Another of the wizards hurled a ball of supercooled snow at the fighter, which splattered harmlessly against the nearby boulder.  Patagogi and Rik were struck by a burst of magical confetti, which left the shaman and his familiarstumbling blind for a moment.  The whole party was pummeled not once, but twice by falling stones, which littered the ground in uneven piles all around them.  Two of the other conjurors (one on a distant platform, and the one behind a nearby tree,) began chanting a more involved conjuration, working to summon even more enemies into the battle.

Once his enchanted minions had softened up the party, the Incubus spread his massive, leathery wings and swooped forwards with alarming speed.  It swiped a jagged scimitar at Patagogi, which the sturdy skald was just barely able to deflect.


Conjuror 1
MOVE: move to V16
STANDARD: Cast snowball at Audrey, misses her touch AC with a roll of 11

Conjuror 2
MOVE: Move to U16
STANDARD: Cast grease on Audrey's weapon.  Audrey fails the DC 16 reflex save and drops her anytool (which remains greased for the duration)

Conjuror 3
FULL: Begin casting Summon Monster II

Conjuror 4
STANDARD: Cast glitterdust (DC 16), targeting Rik and Patagogi.  Rik and Morti fail and are blinded, Pata and Diamond save.  Rik can make another will save at the end of his turn to end the blindness

Conjuror 5
STANDARD: Cast stone call (DC 16), hitting the entire party.  Everyone but Diamond fails the reflex save and takes 10 bludgeoning damage.  The brown area becomes difficult terrain.

Conjuror 6
FREE: 5' step to Q32
FULL: Begin casting summon monster II

Conjuror 7
STANDARD: Cast stone call (DC 16), hitting the entire party.  Audrey, Erisen and Delfrydydd save and take 3 bludgeoning damage, while Patagogi, Diamond, Mortimer and Rik fail and take 6.

Incubus
FULL: Charge Patagogi, power attacking with scimitar.  Misses with a 16.

10:36, Today: Gorum rolled 11,14,12 using d20+6,d20+7,d20+7. Mortimer's saves
10:35, Today: Gorum rolled 23,21,14 using d20+3,d20+3,d20+3.  diamond's saves.
18:58, Today: Gorum rolled 16,13 using D20+13,1d6+11.  Incubus charging patagogi.
18:52, Today: Gorum rolled 6,20,20,23,5,3 using 2d6,d20+6,d20+5,d20+4,d20+3,d20+1.  stone call, + saves: Aud, Del, Eri, Pata, Rik.
18:38, Today: Gorum rolled 10,14,13,13,13,12 using 2d6,d20+6,d20+5,d20+4,d20+3,d20+1.  stone call, + saves: Aud, Del, Eri, Pata, Rik.
18:33, Today: Gorum rolled 15,19 using d20+7,d20+7.  rik and patagogi saves vs glitterdust.
17:36, Today: Gorum rolled 11,10 using 1d20+3,3d6.  snowball vs Audrey.
17:30, Today: Gorum, on behalf of Audrey, rolled 12 using 1d20+6.  Reflex save vs grease.


This message was last edited by the GM at 18:47, Tue 05 Sept 2023.

Startled, staggered, and startled again. Del was just comprehending the scene when the sky fell on his head. The half-elf magically imbued his musket to better deal with the challenge.

"Cythraul cwsg!" Acting on reflex, Del bent his will on forcing the demon to sleep even as he took several hampered steps away form the outsider.

---

OOC:
Swift: use Arcane Pool for +1 & Distance
Standard: Slumber on Incubus, DC 17
Move: AA30 to AD30

The incubus' cruel smile faded in an instant, replaced by an expression of drowsy confusion as the demon slumped over onto the ground.

10:39, Today: Gorum rolled 16 using 1d20+8.  Incubus will save.

Witnessing the demon collapse into a mysterious slumber, courtesy of his allies' arcane artistry, Erisen seized the moment for a decisive stroke. The air around him crackled with latent magical energy as he drew upon the arcane geometries of conjuration. "From the depths, I call thee!" he growled, and the words cut through the air like a knife, tearing open a rift between realities.

As the howler materialized, its ear-piercing howl reverberated through the forest, scattering birds and rustling leaves in a wide radius around the ancient ruin. This creature was a monstrosity, larger than its predecessor, devoid of additional claws but equipped with nightmarish fangs that promised only one thing—death. The noise it emitted was a cacophony of agony and malevolence, a sound that epitomized the mercilessness of the Maelstrom it hailed from.

"No quarter for the demon," he murmured, his expression stony but resolute. Locking eyes with the howler, "Finish it," he commanded, sending the creature towards its prone target. The howler lunged with terrifying swiftness, its massive fangs sinking into the demon's exposed and vulnerable flesh.

OOC:
Erisen:
 Standard: Cast summon monster iii (losing fly), summon Augmented Giant Howler with Improved Damage (bite) evolution at WY25-27.
 Move: Move to V30.

Howler:
 Free: Howl attack against all non-outsiders within 120ft, Will 12 saves. Mortimer, Conjurers 1 and 6 are cursed and get 1 wisdom damage.
 Full-Round: Coup de Grace against Incubus. Automatic Critical hits with 38 damage, the Incubus takes 28 due to DR. Incubus then fails the DC 38 Fort save and dies.

Rolls (mistakes this time, incubus is immune to howl and rolled 8 conjurer saves instead of 7:
 Erisen rolled 27 using 1d20+10.  Incubus Fort vs CdG DC 38.
 Erisen rolled 38 using 6d6+16.  Howler CdG damage before DR.
 Erisen rolled 20 using 1d20+8.  Incubus Will vs Howl DC 12.
 Erisen rolled 11,12,17,15,23,7,21,17 using d20+5,d20+5,d20+5,d20+5,d20+5,d20+5,d20+5,d20+5.  Conjurers Will vs Howl DC 12.
 Erisen rolled 12,24,12,23,21,7 using d20+4,d20+6,d20+10,d20+7,d20+7,d20+6.  Aud,Del,Eri,Pat,Rik,Mor Will vs Howl DC 12.

Patagogi was surprised by the stone rocks suddenly falling from the skies.  The stones pelted his skin but didn't kill him.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  He had heard that said before but he never quite understood it.  He didn't feel stronger at the moment.  Then Patagogi began his song.  He immediately felt the surge through his body of strength and health.  Diamond too felt the power rise in him as well.

Standard action: Raging song
Move action: Move to AA 23.

Rik cries out in pain as the spells bombard him and then new wounds begin to open up as he takes the damage from his allies into himself refusing to allow Mortimer to kill himself by taking the damage for him. Fortunately as the new wounds form the magic he had cast upon himself previously activated and restored much of his health.

In a desperate bid to stem the tide of the enemy Rik casts a spell to rain down Sleet in the area of the enemy.

Meanwhile his chanting continues extending his voice booms out across the field to aid his allies.

OOC
Automatic: Rik Heals Aud, Del, Eri, Pata, and Diamond 6 Hp each.
Rik takes 5 instances of 5 Damage then heal 16.

13:23, Today: Rik Feyleaf rolled 16 using 1d8+12.  Contingent Cure Light.

Move: Chant, range is extended so U16 is in range for reference so Audrey can move as needed.
Standard: Cast Sleet Storm on bottom right corner of M15?
Hitting the caster at M25 and the one at U16 Nearly centering it on the guys in the middle. Generally blocking the guy at M9.

New Saves
13:27, Today: Rik Feyleaf rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  Will Save Glitterdust Mortimer.
13:26, Today: Rik Feyleaf rolled 14 using 1d20+7.  Will Save Glitterdust Rik.

Audrey was almost amused at how quickly the big bad incubus got murdered but let out a put upon sigh seeing the mages still lost in charm. With an almost casual stride she gripped her shovel and shifted the grip to hit with the flat rather then the edge. This was going to hurt like hell but Audrey was literally going to knock some sense into these mages.

Move: to U17
Standard: Nonlethal vs U16
19:00, Today: Audrey rolled 22 using 4d6+8.  Nonlethal Shovel Damage.
18:59, Today: Audrey rolled 24 using 1d20+10.  Non-Lethal Shovel (-4 to hit) AC15

Erisen's summoned monstrosity needed no prompting to tear into the helpless demon in front of it with it's oversized set of jaws.  The incubus woke for a brief second, letting out a strangled groan as it's ribcage was torn open.  Then the moment passed, and the fiend fell limp and still.

This gruesome sight provoked a collective scream of shock and horror from the demon's thralls, who clearly had trouble understanding how their "beloved" champion could fall so easily.  The shock they felt quickly turned to rage and recrimination.  "You fools!  You're ruining everything!"  One of them yelled, waving his fist in the party's direction.  "Binding that demon was our ticket to the big leagues!"

"We can summon another one," a nearby compatriot reassured him grimly.  "We just have to deal with these meddlers first."  This boast was somewhat undercut as Rik's sleet storm enveloped the group and Audrey thwacked the nearest mage upside the head with her shovel.

The wizard Audrey had struck stumbled backwards, clutching her head in pain and responding with a magical glitter bomb that left the grizzled fighter stumbling blindly.  After a moment to stumble clear of the swirling snowstorm, her compatriot followed up with another ball of deadly cold.

From behind the sleet storm came the first of the conjuror's summoned minions, a compact mass of animate cloud that shot through the air like a bullet.  The air elemental slammed into Audrey with surprising force, denting her breastplate with the impact.  From where it had come from, she could hear the creature's summoner already getting to work on further reinforcements.

Inside the sleet storm, the trapped conjurors stumbled around in confusion, before one of them called out to the others: "They can't have moved much!  Just keep throwing rocks!"  Following this principle, two more waves of stone dropped from the sky onto the party (except for Audrey).  Mortimer the Rhamphorhynchus took a particularly hard blow to the head and collapsed into his master's arms.

The wizard behind the tree cover finished her spell, sending another air elemental arcing over the trees towards the nearest foe: Erisen.  The summoned creature's fist stopped mere inches from the cleric's face, stymied by Erisen's divine protection at the last moment.  Peering around the tree, it's summoner hurled glitterdust at the monstrous howler, managing to blind both it and Patagogi at the same time.

From within the sleet storm, even more spellcasting could be heard, as one of the mages within began summoning yet another monster into the fray.

OOC: I put the sleet storm so that it hit the people Rik said it hit, rather than following the exact position he listed.

I also changed Audrey's action slightly, so that she didn't walk into the sleet storm or attack an enemy she couldn't see.  Once again, Audrey can reroll one of the saves she made this round.  (presumably the glitterdust, but her decision.)

The inspired rage gives audrey +2 str, con, and will, at the cost of -1 AC.  I assumed the howler is also accepting the rage.

Mortimer is unconscious and dying.  Rik is now holding it in one hand.

---

Conjuror 1
FREE: 5' step to W15
STANDARD: Cast glitterdust on Audrey.  Audrey fails the DC 16 will save and is blinded (can attempt a new save at the end of each turn.)

Conjuror 2
MOVE: Move to V14, succeed on acrobatics check to move.  Doesn't provoke AoO because of total concealment.
STANDARD: Cast snowball at Audrey, hits (if she's blinded) for 7 damage.  Audrey fails the SC 15 fort save and is staggered for one round.

Conjuror 3
FREE: Finish casting summon monster II, summoning air elemental at S9
FULL: Begin casting Summon Monster II (using bonded staff)

Conjuror 4
STANDARD: Cast stone call, targeting same area as before.  Delfrydydd, mortimer and the howler make the DC 16 reflex save and take 2 bludgeoning damage, everyone else fails and takes 4.
MOVE: move to L14, succeed on acrobatics check.

Conjuror 5
MOVE: Fail acrobatics check to move, but do not fall
STANDARD: Cast Stone call (using bonded staff) on same area as before.  Delfrydydd and the howler save again and take 3 damage, everyone else takes 6.

Conjuror 6
FREE: finish casting summon monster II, summoning air elemental at R32, 20' up.
MOVE: Move to Q30
STANDARD: Cast glitterdust on howler, patagogi, and diamond, all three fail and are blinded (they can attempt a new save at the end of each turn.)

Conjuror 7
FULL: Begin casting summon monster II.

Air Elemental 1
MOVE: move to V 16
STANDARD: Attack Audrey (hits with a nat 20 for 8 damage, no crit)

Air elemental 2
MOVE: Move over tree to V30
STANDARD: Attack Erisen.  fails will save vs sanctuary, and cannot attack Erisen.




23:42, Today: Gorum rolled 8 using 1d20.  Air elemental vs sanctuary.
23:37, Today: Gorum rolled 25,9 using d20+6,1d6+3.  air elemental slam Erisen.
3:35, Today: Gorum rolled 10,4 using d20+6,1d6+3.  crit?
23:34, Today: Gorum rolled 26,8 using d20+6,1d6+3.  Air elemental slam audrey.
22:57, Today: Gorum rolled 13,12,11 using d20+5,d20+9,d20+3.  glitterdust saves: howler, patagogi, diamond.
22:49, Today: Gorum rolled 6,12,18,11,4,9,14,8,16 using 2d6,d20+6,d20+5,d20+4,d20+3,d20+1,d20+7,d20+3,d20+5.  stone call, + saves: Aud, Del, Eri, Pata, Rik, morti, diamond, howler.
22:34, Today: Gorum rolled 9 using 1d20+1.  Conj 5 acrobatics.
22:33, Today: Gorum rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  howler vs rocks.
22:28, Today: Gorum rolled 4,13,25,5,6,9,24,9 using 2d6,d20+6,d20+5,d20+4,d20+3,d20+1,d20+7,d20+3.  stone call, + saves: Aud, Del, Eri, Pata, Rik, morti, diamond.
22:25, Today: Gorum rolled 14 using 1d20+1.  Conjuror 4 acrobatics.
21:50, Today: Gorum rolled 11 using 1d20+9.  audrey fort vs snowball.
21:48, Today: Gorum rolled 9,7 using 1d20+3,3d6+1.  point blank snowball vs audrey.
21:44, Today: Gorum rolled 14 using 1d20+1.  Conj 2 acrobatics.
21:40, Today: Gorum, on behalf of Audrey, rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  Will vs glitterdust.




This message was last edited by the GM at 19:46, Thu 07 Sept 2023.

The snowball Audrey didn't care about nor the elemental, but the glitterdust seemed to enrage her. Or perhaps it was the song. The string of curses coming out of her mouth in Dwarven would make a bard flush as she shifted her grip to one hand and plucked a 'nail', more precisely a piton, off her bandoleer and tossed it in her anger at the caster who had covered her with glitter of all things.

"Gods damn it, maybe we should just kill the bastards."

Audrey huffed even as she got some of the glitter out of her eyes, squinting as she fixed her grip on the shovel and looking around through a bleary gaze.

Free: Draw Nail with off-hand, holding Shovel in main hand during throw (Quick Draw)
Standard: Throw; Hits AC 16 for 17 Damage (Forgot +Str from Raging)
Free: Adjusts grip (... also probably Quick Draw)

01:27, Today: Audrey rolled 22 using 1d20+6.  Saving Throw vs Glitterudst (EoT, Will DC 16).
01:27, Today: Audrey rolled 16 using 3d6+5.  Nail Damage; Adamantine, Piercing.
01:26, Today: Audrey rolled 33 using 1d100.  Miss Chance (1-50 Hit, 51-100 Miss).
01:26, Today: Audrey rolled 16 using 1d20+10.  Thrown Stubborn Nail at W15 (50% Miss Chance).
01:21, Today: Audrey rolled 11 using 1d20+6.  Fortune reroll vs Glitterdust (Will DC 16).

Patagogi was suddenly blinded but he knew the path he was on went diagonally up to his left so he made sure to move that way as quickly and confidently as he could.  Patagogi added something about being blind to his raging song lyrics!

Move action: double move to Y18
End of action saved vs glitterdust 16:42, Today: Patagogi rolled 25 using 1d20+9.  save vs DC16.
16:43, Today: Patagogi rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  save vs glitterdust diamond.

Erisen, his cold gaze surveying the scene, replied to Audrey's reaction with practical detachment, "They can bleed, they can suffer... just make sure they still breathe by the end." He directed the blinded howler towards the steps of the structure, positioning it for the next phase of the battle.

Skillfully sidestepping the elemental, Erisen's focus locked onto a conjuror. With a fluid incantation, the forest's ambiance distorted, heralding the arrival of a second howler. This beast, though standard in size, sported vicious claws that gleamed with malevolence. As it lunged at the conjuror, Erisen commanded, "Subdue." The howler's claws struck with brutal precision, and after a brief, violent flurry, the mage was left crumpled on the ground — savagely battered but still alive.

OOC:
Erisen:
 Move: Move to T27. (Exact path: W30-V29-U28-T27)
 Standard: Cast summon monster iii (losing final sacrifice), summon Augmented Howler with Claws evolution at QR28-29.

Giant Howler:
 Free: Accepts Rage
 Full-Round: Double Move to WY19-21. Howler auto succeeds DC10 acrobatics check with a +9 bonus.
 End of Turn: Fail glitterdust save, still blinded.

Regular Howler:
 Free: Accepts Rage
 Full-Round: Full attack against Conjuror 6, Takes 25 damage and is dying. Also fails the reflex save against Pain, getting also sickened.
 (Tried to nonlethal with bite, but apparently spiky murder beast doesn't want to hit with nonlethal. Go figure)

Rolls:
Erisen rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Howler EoT glitterdust save.
Erisen rolled 4 using 1d20+3.  Pain Reflex save.
Erisen rolled 18,5 using d20+6,d4+3.  Howler Quill.
Erisen rolled 28,10 using d20+11,d6+7.  Howler Claw.
Erisen rolled 28,10 using d20+11,d6+7.  Howler Claw.
Erisen rolled 10,13 using d20+7,d8+7.  Howler NL Bite.

Edit: Forgot howlers accepting rage.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:25, Fri 08 Sept 2023.

Del trudged to his left as he returned the wizard's own spell back at them.

---

OOC:
Standard: cast glitter dust, centered at W14 DC 17
Move: AD30 to AD27

Sorry, trying to post on my phone...
_{Edit: corrected DC and typo, and coordinates...}
This message was last edited by the player at 17:25, Fri 08 Sept 2023.

Rik feels the energy of his allies wounds about to overwhelm him and quickly cancels all but one of them.

Panicked, trying to get away from the falling stones he makes a run for it but he trips mid way. Hoping that he is still in range of his allies and not too close to the enemy he reaches out to the spirits and allows the raw power of life to burst out from him.

OOC:

Immediate: Cancel all Life Links except Del
Automatic: Heal Del 6, Take 5 damage.

Move: Head to Z19 but end up at AA23 (So, just me Pata, Diamond, and Morty in channel range)
Standard: Channel Energy

22:49, Today: Rik Feyleaf rolled 13 using 3d6.  Channel.

Rik Heals himself 24 (13+11)
Everyone else within 30ft gets 13