DM B's PFS PbP The Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts High (Inactive)

Game Master Beckett

@Benny: no, but you can drop longspear as free action, draw crossbow as move action, load crossbow as second move action

Ellismus takes a 30-foot move down the path and fires a sticky bomb at the red half-orc again.

Standard: Explosive Bomb* Explosive Missile arrow; Dex Mutagen ON; PBS ON; Reduce Person ON: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24 for dmg: 1d8 + 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + (1, 3) + 6 = 15 on red half-orc. 50% miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 59

(if it hits, red half-orc also catches fire for 1d6 additional damage on each of her turns until extinguished)

Is there anything that states a crossbow cannot be carried loaded? For a bow, this is true, but I was not sure about crossbows, but always assumed that was valid to carry it pre-loaded.

GM decision. In real-life, it would be extremely stupid to carry a loaded crossbow or loaded gun dangling on a strap off your shoulder!

Fire 2 more daggers. At 30 foot range she is still within the second range increment, the penalty of which is negated by Hunter's sight. Miss chance 1 low is good1d100 ⇒ 69
Miss chance 2 1d100 ⇒ 2

Attack 1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 Damage 1d4 + 1 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 5 + 4 = 12
Attack 2: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 Damage 1d4 + 1 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 5 + 4 = 12

Sven hurls two more daggers. While his first shot gets lost in the mists his second attack seems to be on target!

I wouldn't carry a loaded crossbow around though. Wouldn't the points get dull?

The Halfling will move up to within 1-' and hope to poke her is she runs away.

Well as our GM is an Army medic I'm sure he has something to say about carrying loaded arms :)

"Not so fast!"

Bernard fires a bolt towards the half-orc.

+1 light crossbow: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 171d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

In the game, I'm okay with crossbows being preloaded for combat, my assumption being that the string is already drawn, and simply putting in a bolt is a free action, (as opposed to actually drawing back the string and loading it).

Your final attacks are finally enough to are enough to put that Half-Orc down with a loud thud, followed by a short moment of silence. Oddly, you realize that there does not seem to be the sounds of nature, crickets, birds, or other common animals around. Deep within the mists, you also notice something moving. Always out of the corner of your eye.

At one time it seems to be vaguely humanoid, while someone else swears it seems to walk on four legs. Regardless, nothing jumps out to attack you. Yet. . .

You have a few minutes to heal up if needed. While you take a fem minutes, suddenly the bound and gagged man seems to struggle, as if "waking up", but you are pretty certain he had been awake the entire time and was just playing dead.

He tries to speak, but his gag prevents him from getting things out in any manner you can actually understand.

You have as much time, reasonably, as you need. So, in this case, if you want to take average rolls for wands of CLW, (or ignore the UMD rolls if needed), I'm fine with that.

Assuming you at least ungag him. . .

The man replies "Σας ευχαριστώ, γενναίος και δυνατός πολεμιστές. Νόμιζα ότι έγινε για. Το όνομά μου είναι, Ilzinian."

He speaks greek?

As he is at -14 Sven will ask Omar if he can help him with his pesky wand. CLW 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 6) + 3 = 15

Omar, I do not have the power to se this magic defice I was granted by the society. But you as a skald likely now how to speak with gods and command magic?

Bernard spends a charge of his wand of CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4. Or two: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4.

"What's happening here?", Bernard asks when see Ellismus speaking with the humanoid creature in a strange language.

Ellismus translates everything the man says.

Listening to the man speak in a weird language the halfling will inqire, " Has this island been too much for him? Is he daft?

"This man's name is Jaohd Ilzinian. He says the island has put some kind of curse on him and now he can only speak Celestial. He is not daft, Mr. Wabbittracks, and I know you're too clever to know the difference. I believe we should get as much information from this unfortunate victim lest we all fall prey to the same curse. So gentlemen, ask me your questions, and I will pass them on to this man." Once again, Ellismus begs the man to tell us his story, and tells the man that his friends will ask him questions afterwards, and that he will translate the best he can. Ellismus inquires about the man's health, and if he needs food and water.

After a pause, Ellismus jumps, "By the gods, you're Jaohd! you're the paladin of Shelyn Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry sent to the tomb! Oh my! do you still have the Orb of Stars? do you still have her boat? do you still understand Taldane or is the curse also preventing you to understand this?" Ellismus repeats this in Celestial.

@Omar: please confirm you have the wand of ghostbane dirge... I think you and the paladin we just found are the only ones who can use it.

Continuing to speak in Celestil, the man tells you that he is indeed the Paladin, and that he and his team hired the sailor's you just encountered to transport them here, but whilst the Pathfinders where inside investigating the Labyrinth, there must have been some sort of attack. He in unsure, but it seems to have led to their ship being destroyed or taken, and the Half-Orc woman assuming command.

He is not certain as to the full story as he was not there. While inside, he is also not entirely sure what happened. He does not know the whereabouts or fate of the rest of his team, or remember who had been carrying the Folding Boat that the sailors had been trying to find, or even what truly happened to him. He does not recall at all the Orb of Stars, or what might have happened to it.

It's all a very strange blur, he claims, but would like to join you to go track down his team and the truth. Throughout the conversation, he only speaks in Celestial, though he clearly understands your questions and needs no translator, but has absolutely no idea just what did this to him.

Ellismus translates for the others, and tells everyone he suspects magical manipulation of the paladin's mind... "Can someone check him out?"

[Ellismus takes 10 on Sense Motive to assist whoever inspects the paladin's mind = Result 11]

Omar will take the discovered wand.

Ellismus, I am not much of a healer. Are any of you skilled in the healing arts? If not I will try my best.

healing: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Or if sensing his motives is all, Omar will perform a bit to gauge his reaction.

bardic perform: SM: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Omar will agree to help others with healing wands. He will also tap himself twice with his own happy stick.

clw: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 = 8

Better at least

Ellismus checks out the paladin health-wise.

Heal: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

(Omar received a +2 assist from Ellismus on SM..)

"By the gods, you're Jaohd! you're the paladin of Shelyn Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry sent to the tomb! Oh my!...

"Oh, really?", the sarcasm was noticeable in Bernard's words.

The halfling will check if any pirate survived. "Maybe if at least one of them is still alive, we can got some answers."

Take '10 on heal checks to a total of 12, to identify if one of the pirates is still alive.

Sense motive on the "paladin" 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Assist Omar with SM: Sense Motive, Aid Another: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

(with Benny and Ellismus we're now at Sense Motive 29... PRD: "Sense Enchantment: You can tell that someone's behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect even if that person isn't aware of it. The usual DC is 25, but if the target is dominated (see dominate person), the DC is only 15 because of the limited range of the target's activities.")

You do not get the feeling he is lying or being deceptive, but at the same time you have never heard of any sort of curse that would only allow someone to speak in Celestial.

If there are no further questions:

Whatever it is in the mist, it, or perhaps they, seem to avoid direct contact, robbing you of the ability to see just what it or they are. Every time you think you get close, or move towards a peculiar noise, you simply find nothing, only to see out of the corner of your eye movement elsewhere.

As Ilzinian and the Ellismus continue to converse in Celestial, you all begin to realize that he can clearly understand the common Taldan tongue, but for whatever reason can not speak or respond in any other language. He doesn't understand the curse, and you believe him, or even how or why it happened.

With no other choice, you agree to journey into the Labyrinth to find the other missing Pathfinders, and a means of getting off of the island. For those of you who had been here before, you know the way, though it has been some months.

Months ago, a group of marooned kuru cannibals erected a gruesome skull-headed effigy from tree branches, jungle vines, and the bloodstained bones of their cannibalized companions in the middle of this clearing.

In the center of this clearing stands a large monolith, about five feet in diameter and twelve feet tall. Carved into the dark stone are the faces of dozens of one-eyed humanoid creatures, their mouths agape as if preparing to appease an unspeakable hunger. Visitors from ancient Ghol-Gan erected this standing stone. It once siphoned energy from Sevenfingers’s tomb to generate powerful necromantic effects. Since the passing of Ghol-Gan, the magic has diminished, though the stone still radiates a faint aura of necromancy and evil.

Finally making your way back to the Halls of the Flesh Eaters, you find a crack in the earth splits the ground here, most of it covered by thick weeds and the roots of a huge strangler fig tree. Below the tangled roots is a deep shaft that descends into the gloom.

Home, sweet home. Since the events of Hall of the Flesh Eaters, no creatures have moved to occupy the uppermost level, and it takes the Pathfinders only a short time to reach the second level. The heavy door to the second level <where you are heading into the Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts>, has been chopped to pieces, though you can tell it once depicted an immense scowling face.

Essentially the scenario skips the entire 1st level of the tower, which was explored in detail in part 1, Hall of the Flesh Eaters and goes directly to the mysterious door that had been discovered, but had not been able to open in that scenario. I'm going to assume it's been roughly 10 minutes since the end of the combat to talk to the NPC, explore the area above, and then travel through the first floor to get to the entrance to the second floor, where our real adventure begins.
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So, with all that in mind, this is another good opportunity to consider buffs or the like. Additionally, what sorts of Light Sources does the party have?

His spear should be glowy.

Ellismus wrote:

"By the gods, you're Jaohd! you're the paladin of Shelyn Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry sent to the tomb! Oh my!...

"Oh, really?", the sarcasm was noticeable in Bernard's words.

The halfling will check if any pirate survived. "Maybe if at least one of them is still alive, we can got some answers."

Take '10 on heal checks to a total of 12, to identify if one of the pirates is still alive.

@DM Beckett none of the pirates were still alive?

Ellismus has ioun torch (20-foot bright light template); his mutagen will still be active for another 30min. (Everyone that's not full HP, use heal stick now). Ellismus ask the dungeon's veterans if they know how big the second level is (i.e. should I be using my min/level spells at this point? i.e. invis, reduce?)

the halfling could use some healing
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Omar will help Benny with his curing if needed, and any others.

I remember this place. Be ready. There could be more undead for us to defeat.

Omar will prepare to enter.

@DM Beckett none of the pirates were still alive?

Sorry, I was posting from my phone on a break and couldn't get everything in. None of the pirates are alive. A bit sad, as there was a good bit of lore if the sailors had survived without their boss.

Ellismus ask the dungeon's veterans if they know how big the second level is (i.e. should I be using my min/level spells at this point? i.e. invis, reduce?)

Just a head's up. In part one, folks may (or may not have) found this door, but could not get it to open. (If an adamantine weapon was all it took, well, the description was "this is outside of the scope of this scenario". So, no one else knows what lies beyond the first level.

Omar will cast heroism upon himself as they prepare to enter.

Everyone ready to find fame and glory? he says with a grin.

THE LABYRINTH OF HUNGRY GHOSTS

The second level of Sevenfingers’s tomb is known as the Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts, for it has long been infested with malevolent ghosts, haunts, and corporeal undead that hunger for the flesh and souls of the living. The spiral stairs descend 80 feet from the Hall of the Flesh Eaters to a large mist-filled chamber.

Sevenfingers designed this mist-shrouded chamber. He removed a large section of the north wall, creating a 12-foot long, 10-foot high breach. Beyond the breach is a sheer 420-foot drop to the frothing sea. A great deal of mist has seeped into chamber from this opening, though it isn’t as thick as the mists outside of the tomb.

The floor is spattered with dried bloodstains, the Pathfinder agent Zumek met his end in this room, and his body has been tossed in the northwest corner. <Top left corner on the map>

The mist in this room is much thinner than elsewhere. It does offer everyone a +5 on Stealth Checks, and does grant 25% Concealment to all targets 20ft or further, (but none to targets between 5ft and 15ft away).

Can I also get a Sense Motive Check from everyone please.

Ilzinian notices the corpse immediately, and makes his way over to it, kneeling in some sort of personal prayer for the recently deceased.

New Map is up.

Heal: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Ellismus inspects the late agent Zumek. "Hmm.. yes... this corpse has negative energy written all over it...

kn. engineering DC 15: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 +5 if weapon blanch (adamantine) counts, total of 18. Can I read the spoiler? :)

Before cross the first door, Bernard spends a charge of his wand of gravity bow (duration 1 min.). Please allow me to know when the effect is getting close to end.

Heal DC 15: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Sense motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Bernard takes advantage of the cover offered by the mist, and stays stealthy in a corner with his crossbow in hands, keeping his eyes wide open.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 5 = 27

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Sense Motive 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Benny inquires if the group wants him to scout ahead. This fog can make me extra sneaky, I think.

"Bad idea. We stick together methinks. We're deep down in a very dangerous hole."

Omar will have his polearm out at the moment.

bardic sense motive,hero: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22

If you sneak off, which as Ellismus states is dangerous, we could wind up losing you, so do not go too far.
One for all and all for one and all that.
I've seen some of the creatures down here from before.
They will do nasty things to you if nobody is there to help.

Omar wonders why his stomach is growling all of the sudden.

Does anyone see a way out of here? What is that blue fog or mist to the southwest?

perception, hero: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 = 9

Sense Motive 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Moving ahead with such poor visibility just might get you killed quicker than you can shout help and we can catch up...

Suddenly there are sounds from somewhere within the mist of something moving. At the same time, as odd to imagine as it might be, but you can think of no other way to describe it, a patch, a rather large patch of the mists seems to be moving, almost at you, while there is clearly something humanoid coming right at you. It too seems well aware that the mists seems to aid in hiding, making it extremely difficult to locate it, or get any details about either, if in fact, two, or even only two hostiles.

ROUND 1

Bernard ()
Imrijka ()
Omar ()
Sven ()
Bennybeck ()
????? W ()
????? M ()
Ellismus ()

Map updated. Know checks to ID will come when you can actually see what it is you are encountering.

Delay

Sven stands back studying his surroundings carefully but unable to identify any threat.

Omar does not like the looks of the mist nor the feeling of approach by foes. He grips his bec de corbin tightly and starts a battle chant while looking at Ilzinian for a reaction.

"No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes ♪♫♪♫ ♪♫
No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies ♪♫♪♫ ♪♫
♪♫♪♫ ♪♫

He rages, as his hands grow to claws and he sniffs (scent) for intruders

The halfling will let the group know what he sees and moving into the clouds will attempt to hide.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Not Ellismus' turn yet but he looks in the direction of Omar when he starts singing.

Hey, I know that one, thinks Ellismus...

Free Action: Ellismus joins in the song as he prepares a bomb... loving the song and resisting the urge to grow claws.

"When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool ♪♫♪♫ ♪♫
If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat ♪♫♪♫ ♪♫
♪♫♪♫ ♪♫ "

Do I add a +5 to my hidey check?

In the interest of keeping things moving, I'm gonna roll up my turn and retcon a few things if the monsters do something game changing

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

1. Standard, drinks extract of reduce person.

2. Move, "Now, what fresh hell is this..." Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), or Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Bernard remains hidden in the middle of the mist, waiting for the enemies appear.

Delay to act after the enemies.

Bernard and Sven, knowing there is something there, but not what, decide to hold back, waiting until they know more before acting. Omar begins chanting a sad battle hymn that seems to strike home where it hurts, but by helping you all to remember an old feeling, to grow stronger from it.

Benny tries to blend in with the mist, dropping a bit lower to the ground, ready to spring, when suddenly a humanoid figure begins to rush at the group. The flesh of this walking corpse is rotting and putrid, its body skeletal in places and its eye sockets glowing with red light. It is clearly undead, and appears very zombie-like, although it's clear that this undead is smart, if savage.

Perception DC 22: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Not seeming to see Bennybeck, the undead rushes straight at Omar but seems to stumble at the last moment and misses.

Slam vs Omar (AC 18): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 <miss>

ROUND 1

Imrijka ()
Omar ()
Bennybeck (Sneaky DC 22 )
Undead RED (charge)
Sven ()
????? M ()
Bernard ()
Ellismus ()