[Day 6 – Raiding the Giants]
[This game uses the Pathfinder 1E role-playing game. Game sessions happen once a week. These sessions happened April 29 and May 6, 2024, respectively.]
[SPOILERS! If you are likely to adventure through the Shattered Star Adventure Path from Paizo, this campaign will be spoilers all the way down.]
Player Characters
Marativy – female ratfolk 10th level Ninja
Zitch Grimreaper – male ratfolk 10th level Witch with a donkey rat (capybara) familiar
Roscuro – male ratfolk 10th level Monk
Swamprover – female grippli 10th level Wizard
Winston – male ratfolk 10th level Gunslinger
Via Roll20
Templeton von Trapp – male ratfolk 10th level Summoner (Synthesist)
NPCs
Gridik Stormstride – male blue kobold 8th level Wizard (Invoker)
Hrefna – female bugbear 8th level Omdura
Ariphi – female tiefling 8th level Rogue
Kaervek – male human Fighter? of unknown level
Day 6, Continued
Late Afternoon
After defeating the redcap scouting party, the Ratpack was ready to ambush another giant/ettin patrol. Unfortunately, there were no giant patrols out, they all seemed to be keeping to the ruins of the abbey’s village.
After some discussion, the Ratpack decided to raid the village ruins directly, specifically targeting the hill giants as their thrown boulders seriously threatened the group’s spellcasters.
Later
As the Ratpack plus Kaervek approached the southern end of the ruined village and prepared to attack, Hrefna [a bugbear] scented something invisible nearby. In response to this she activated her Protection invocation [provides an AC bonus to friendlies]. The invisible attackers attacked, exposing themselves as three more redcaps. The first one attacked and hit Hrefna while the next two both attacked Ariphi but missed. Other enemy combatants includes 4 hill giants and 4 ettins.
Winston added Flaming to his weapon and targeted the first giant, successfully shooting the giant but failing to set it on fire. The third redcap attacked Ariphi but only hit once due to Roscuro and Marativy bodyguarding her [use of Bodyguard feat, providing +2 AC each]. Templeton cast Haste on himself, Roscuro, Marativy, Ariphi, Hrefna, and Kaervek and then advanced. Marativy waited for Roscuro. Hrefna attacked the first redcap, hitting twice, once critically. Roscuro unleashed a flurry of blows, hitting the third redcap 4 times, once critically, triggering an attack from Marativy, and hitting the second redcap once. Marativy hit and killed the third redcap and slashed the second. The second redcap attacked Marativy back, hitting twice despite Roscuro and Templeton bodyguarding her, causing her to bleed. Ariphi acrobatically moved behind the second redcap in order to flank it and then struck it, but not quite killing it. Zitch placed Protective Luck on Roscuro and cackled to maintain it. The first ettin [remember those guys?] moved and threw a javelin at Zitch, hitting the witch. The first hill giant threw a boulder at Winston as counter-fire, hitting Winston solidly. Swamprover cast Volcanic Storm on the second ettin and second hill giant, damaging both and blocking line of sight for the stone throwing giants further north. The second ettin advanced out of the volcanic storm to stop burning. A third ettin advanced, attacking Templeton but missing due to Roscuro and Marativy bodyguarding Templeton. The second hill giant advanced out of the volcanic storm, picking up a boulder to throw later. The fourth ettin advanced for a better line of sight and threw a javelin at Winston, hitting the gunslinger. Gridik moved left, spotted a new redcap, warned Winston, and cast Lightning Bolt, hitting the fourth ettin and the first hill giant. The fourth hill giant threw a boulder, hitting Marativy with it.
Winston shot again at the first hill giant, killing the monster. Templeton pounced on the first ettin and killed it in a fury of claws and bites. [The Pounce feat allows a full attack at the end of a charge.] Hrefna took a five-foot step to the second redcap, hitting it once and killing it. Roscuro advanced on the third ettin and attacked it with a Sickening Fist attack, minorly damaging the giant, which shrugged of the sickened effect [it made its FORT save, easily]. Marativy focused her ki to form shadow clones and moved behind Roscuro. Ariphi moved left and attacked the fourth ettin, hitting it mightily but not killing it. Kaervek also moved to the left to join Ariphi in attacking the fourth ettin, electrifying his sword and striking the ettin down. Zitch placed Protective Luck on Marativy and cackled to maintain the two castings. Swamprover cast Lightning Arc, catching the third ettin and the second and fourth hill giants in it. The second ettin moved to attack Templeton and hit. The third ettin attacked Roscuro and hit despite Marativy bodyguarding the ratfolk monk. The second hill giant threw his boulder at Roscuro and Marativy, missing both due to Zitch’s Protective Luck on them. Gridik yelled out “another redcap here!” and cast Magic Missile at it, highlighting it successfully. The fourth hill giant threw his boulder at Swamprover, hitting the grippli wizard. A fourth redcap attacked Kaervek, hitting and suddenly becoming visible. A fifth redcap attacked Hrefna, hitting and suddenly becoming visible.
End of Session 10
Day 6, Continued
[Resumes with the next round of the attack on the village ruins by the Ratpack.]
Winston shot the fifth redcap, hitting but not killing it. Templeton took a five-foot step to the second ettin and attacked it with all his claws and teeth, hitting four times plus getting in a rend. Hrefna full attacked the fifth redcap, hitting twice but doing minimal damage [Redcaps have DR10/cold iron. Roscuro’s fists count as cold iron due to his ki but everyone else has to do large amounts of damage to hurt them.] Roscuro unleashed a flurry of blows on the third ettin, hitting only twice but setting it up for Marativy, who attacked it three times [with Sneak Attack due to Ratfolk Swarming trait], killing it. Ariphi moved to flank the fourth redcap with Kaervek and struck it. Kaervek struck the fourth redcap as well. Zitch cast Phantasmal Killer on the second giant, which cowered from the horrible vision but did not die [failed the WILL save but made the FORT save], and then climbed into the lucky barrel on Templeton’s back. Swamprover cast Fireball, hitting the second and fourth hill giants. The second hill giant ripped a stoney chunk off an adjacent ruined building and threw it at Swamprover, heavily wounding her. Gridik cast Magic Missile at the fifth recap, killing it. The fourth hill giant threw a boulder at Templeton, missing Templeton but clipping Zitch in the lucky barrel. The fourth redcap moved to avoid being flanked and attacked Ariphi while a sixth redcap moved in to flank and attack Ariphi – between the two Ariphi was hit three times. [My noted don’t indicate who hit her how many times, so I was probably away from the table for a moment.] Four more ettins approached from the northern end of the ruined village. Three boulders, thrown by distant giants, came crashing in, one hitting Marativy and Roscuro, one missing Templeton and Zitch, and one hitting Hrefna squarely.
Winston used a Named Bullet on the eighth ettin, killing it. Templeton moved west to get cover behind a mostly intact building and cast Minor Evolution to increase his Fly speed. Hrefna moved west and cast Barbed Chains on the fourth and sixth redcaps, hitting both and making the fourth redcap Shaken. Roscuro focused his ki on defense, moved to the fourth hill giant, and struck it for little damage [low damage roll]. Marativy used her ki to turn [greater] invisible, moved to the fourth hill giant, and sneak attacked it. The seventh ettin advanced to the fight. Ariphi, no longer threatened by the fourth and sixth redcaps, retreated south. Kaervek attacked and killed the fourth redcap. Swamprover cast Fireball, hitting the seventh ettin and the second and fourth hill giants, killing the fourth hill giant. Zitch spit Adhesive Spittal at the sixth redcap and cackled. Three more boulders came crashing into the fight, missing Roscuro, hitting Kaervek, and hitting Gridik. The sixth ettin advanced on the fight. The fifth ettin advanced on the fight. The second hill giant threw a boulder at Swamprover and hit her. Gridik cast Lightning Bolt on the sixth and seventh ettins and then fled towards Swamprover. The sixth redcap kipped up and attacked Roscuro, missing with all three attacks.
Winston double-fired on the second hill giant, killing it. Templeton cast Greater Invisibility on himself. Hrefna switched to her Healing invocation, moved to Swamprover, and cast Cure Moderate Wounds on the very injured [and much complaining] grippli. Roscuro launched a flurry of blows on the sixth redcap, hitting five times but failing to kill it. Marativy stepped to the seventh ettin and struck it with two sneak attacks, killing it. Ariphi continued to retreat, leaving the battle. Kaervek moved to Roscuro. Swamprover waited for Gridik. Zitch put the Evil Eye on the fifth ettin, cackled, and sat back within the lucky barrel, making him invisible as well. Three more giant-thrown boulders crashed into the fight, one missing Roscuro, one hitting Kaervek, and one missing Swamprover and Hrefna. The fifth ettin advanced, unknowingly walking past the building Templeton was hiding behind, allowing Templeton to make multiple attacks of opportunity [four exactly] that heavily damaged it but didn’t kill it. It staggered forward and swung at Roscuro, missing completely. The sixth ettin, mistakenly believing Roscuro hurt the other ettin, advanced on the monk and attacked, also missing Roscuro completely. Gridik cast Spontaneous Immolation on the fifth ettin, killing it. Swamprover cast Dimension Door, moving herself, Gridik, and Hrefna away from the battle field and towards a previously agreed upon rally point. The sixth [and last standing] redcap attacked Roscuro, hitting once.
Winston rapid fired at the last redcap, hitting with the first two shots but the third shot misfired and went at Roscuro, who deflected it, giving Winston "a look" across the battlefield. Templeton stepped over to the sixth ettin and attacked it, killing the monster. Roscuro attacked the fifth ettin with a Sickening Fist attack, killing it instead. Marativy moved to Kaervek and announced her presence [being invisible and all]. Kaervek cast Dimension Door, moving himself, Marativy, and Roscuro away from the battle field. Zitch cast his Healing Hex upon himself. Three more giant-thrown boulders blindly crashed into the battlefield.
Winston retreated south on foot. Templeton, still invisible, flew up and away from the fight, ending the combat [although I imagine the hill giants kept throwing boulders “just to be sure” until told to stop].
The various groupings of adventurers made their way to the previously set rally point. Once there Zitch and Hrefna healed everyone back to full health. With everyone healed, the Ratpack plus Kaervek returned to their regular camping spot. Zitch cast Secure Shelter and then Mirror Hideaway. He then carried the mirror with the hideaway into the secure shelter. Gridik cast Alarm around the shelter and went inside to rest, followed by the rest of the Ratpack plus Kaervek. [The Mirror Hideaway was due to Secure shelter having a limit of 8 occupants and there being 10 adventurers. Two or three entered the hideaway inside the shelter but my notes don’t indicate who – probably Gridik, Hrefna, and Ariphi.]
Once secure, Kaervek said he needed to come clean to the Ratpack. He dropped an illusion that was on himself, revealing him to actually be Gnaeus, the dhampir the Ratpack had rescued from under the Lady’s Light! [See Shattered Star Book 2 for details.]
End of Session 11
Rat Whispers
[Sorry for the walls of text but that’s what a round of combat looks like with 23 individual combatants doing their things.]
[Timing of posts will continue to vary due to things happening at the Day Job. A coworker was let go and I'm covering until they have a replacement, so I'm extra busy for a couple or three weeks. My plan is to aim for Wednesdays at the latest, as time permits.]
Ratpack
Book 1: Shards of Sin Landing Page – Links to all Book 1 sessions
Book 2: Curse of the Lady’s Light Landing Page – Links to all Book 2 sessions
Book 3: The Asylum Stone Landing Page – Links to all Book 3 sessions
Book 4: Beyond the Doomsday Door – Links to all Book 4 sessions
Last Sessions: Book 4, Sessions 8-9
Next Sessions: [Sessions 12 and 13 – to be typed]
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