[sblock=Anaerion]The wizard feels a mental nudging as the ghoul keeps mentioning the book. Malkovian is becoming increasingly hungry to get his metaphysical hands on this tome of ancient secrets, and Anaerion realizes it's been nearly a week since he's upgraded his amulet's library.[/sblock]
[sblock=Aid Another]As is sometimes the case (I'm looking at you, "trait"), Aid Another is two separate things in Pathfinder. There's the Aid Another combat action, which is a Standard action to give a bonus to attack or AC. Then there's Aid Another under skills, which doesn't list a specific action that I can find. My assumption, then, is that aiding an action takes the same action as a normal application of the skill. It makes the most sense to me, anyway.
Folks with better SRD search-fu, I'll be happy to be pointed to text I'm missing, but barring that, that's my reading: You're helping up until the point at which success or failure is determined (the primary checker rolls), and that effectively happens at the end of the action.[/sblock]
The ghoul becomes increasingly agitated as Kalgor produces the object but refuses to hand it over.
"I have the book. I have the power, it's mine now, and you will give it me!" the ghoul screeches, charging forward.
Anaerion acts even as the rush begins, flinging a pat of butter into the air as he calls out a command in words that refuse to stay in the memories of those who hear them. The butter arcs further than it has any right to, then spreads into a thin, greasy coating on the floor in front of Kalgor. The ghoul hisses as he sees it, but though his pace is slowed, the undead's unnatural balance keeps him on his feet.
Tyrien also has the steadiness to act, stepping quickly from behind her pillar to fire two arrows, one of which finds its mark in the ghoul's shoulder, though the other whizzes by to land in the rubble beyond.
The ghoul seems undeterred by either effort, however. His jaw seems to almost unhinge, revealing razor sharp teeth which he proceeds to sink into Kalgor's shoulder. While pain screams through his body, the ranger finds he's still able to move after the venomous bite, much to the clear annoyance of the ghoul.
[sblock=ooc]Apologies on the delay. With all the readied actions, things got a bit complicated for me. I tried to resolve elements fairly, but took a few liberties to do so. Let me know if anyone objects:
The ghoul believed Kalgor's bluff, and that the key was something belonging to the creature, but he also believed their continued assertions that they'd only return it to the original owner. That ultimately ensured Kalgor was the ghoul's primary target.
Anaerion and Tyrien had matching initiatives, so I resolved in first-post order from the time they set their readied actions.
jackslate45 never specified a location, but since Grease only has a range of 35' at 5th level, that basically decided where the patch was going to go. Ghoul made both reflex and acrobatics checks.
I couldn't find a square along the ghoul's path that wasn't intersecting a column from where Tyrien originally was, so I gave her a 5' step to be able to fire on him. Rolled recovery chance, and the miss arrow can be recovered.
Actions: Ghoul
Move: to F9
Standard: Bite Attack vs. Kalgor. Hits. Kalgor takes 12 damage; no paralysis.
Status:
Ghoul (AC 18): 11 damage, wounded
Anaerion: 37/37
Ausk: 67/67
Gragnor: 26/26
Kalgor: 33/45
Kanli: 31/31
Tyrien: 40/40[/sblock]
Party is up.
