Nevis Lodge: First Steps, Part 2 - To Delve the Dungeon Deep (Inactive)

Game Master Paizo Fan

"Lets not loose sight of why we came, instead of playing the statues, we're here to take back Amara Li's katana that we found on that other creature. By the way who picked it up?" continues a weary Kernsten to Lillia and the rest of the party. "What else was it, some papers as well. Well we've got them as well, is there anything else? If not perhaps we can just go on and find our way out of this place?

If no-one picked up the katana Kernsten goes back to retrieve it.

Nothing immediately happens to you when you step into the chamber with the howling well.

Technically, in terms of your mission, Kernsten is correct you have found the items you were asked to find. If you wish to leave, you can backtrack along the route you've explored already (and Lillia can experiment with the other statues) or you may wish to continue exploring to see if you can reach the entrance by another route. You have nearly explored the entire area, though you still need to report back to your patrons.

"Are you a Pathfinder, or an errand-boy?" Lillia asks Kernsten jokingly as he grumbled, "even though we have recovered the things that were specifically asked for, I'm sure there is still plenty left to uncover about this place... where's your curiosity?"

Walking further into the room, Lillia speaks a few arcane words, and once more a green light washes over the scene.
detect magic

"Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm not enjoying a little exploration, but just going around playing words just isn't my thing." Kernsten replies to Lillia, then with a touch of exasperation he follows Lillia into the room. He continues, "Ok, we can find another way back, but please no more word games? The words seem quite deadly if we get it wrong, that fire could have killed someone." Kernsten looks round the room, searching for evil lurking in the dark, whilst holding his weapon and shield ready.

Perception 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 0 = 7
Use Detect Evil ability

"There's something evil in that well, or the well is cursed in some way?" Kernsten knows he must try to rid this place of any evil. With his flail and shield at the ready he edges carefully towards he well.

"Possibly," Lillia comments, circling around the well to look for any signs of writing that might shed light on the situation, "there is a trace of necromantic energy to it, but I couldn't tell you whether it's from an ongoing effect, or just the remnants of some spell."

Latharel stands a few feets back - ready but cautious.

With Targ on vacation, ready for whatever is next ...

Is there another door in this room?

------
Yes, there is another door, on the far wall. I just realized I never uploaded the updated map - here it is.

You edge carefully into the room. Latharel, Crar, and Targ keep near the doorway, Crar and Targ covering their ears to block out the interminable howling sound coming from the well. Lillian and Kernsten edge a bit closer to investigate. You don't see any writing on the well or any other discerning marks. It appears that it was used for drawing water for the keep. The atmosphere in the room feels dark and filled with dread.

As Kernsten and Lillian move closer to the well, you all begin to notice that amongst the howling is the sound of a person screaming in terror and agony. Lillian and Kernsten, in particular, feel overcome by feelings of hopelessness, of being trapped forever in these underground passages with no hope of ever seeing the light of day. Better to end things now than to starve in darkness. The well starts to look inviting... Kernsten is able to shake of the feelings of woe, but Lillian starts to move towards the well!

A suggestion effect has attempted to affect both Lillian and Kernsten. Kernsten was able to overcome it with a successful Will save, but Lillian now feels an urge to jump down the well. I've rolled initiative for the group and for Lillian, Latharel and Kernsten can both take an action before Lillian.

Initiative
8 - Group (sans Lillian)
5 - Lillian

Latharel drops his curved blade and rushes towards Lillian - trying to grapple her.

Grapple attempt: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

But his attempt seems woefully inadequate - as if Latharel fears the well and the sounds.

What a time to roll a 1 ...

Kernsten uses his flail to trip Lillian to stop her moving towards the well, but in his dark despair he waves it ineffectually around his person.

Trip attempt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 a great time to roll a 3...NOT!

Lillia gives the two men stumbling around her an odd look, before turning her gaze out towards the cold stone walls enclosing them, blocking out the sights and sounds of freedom, of life, even. Looking to the two doors leading out of the room for signs of escape, she finds only cloying darkness blocking her retreat from this nightmarish prison, clearly there is but one way out, just as the skulk knew; the wells hold the key to release.

Walking with a subdued calm, she makes her way towards the orifice...

As Targ is away and wants to be NPC'd ... I guess Crazy can do the honors for him and hopefully stop Lillia having a bath.

Seeing that Kernsten and Latharel are unable to catch hold of Lillian, Targ and Crar drop their weapons and leap forward. Targ is unable to get a firm grip on her, but Crar somehow manages to grab her, trying to move her away from the well and towards the next door. "Help me! Help me drag her away! Let's get out of here!"

Crar manages to grapple Lillian (just), and pushes her 10ft away from the well towards the far side of the room. I was thinking, if no one had been able to grapple her, the threat to life was enough that Lillian should be allowed another DC 14 Will save to shake the suggestion to jump in the well.

Seeing Crar struggle with Lillia, Kernsten joins in taking a firm hold of one of Lillia's arms and readies to push her towards the exit. "There you go Crar, I've got her too. Someone one the door for the way out when we get over there,"

Grapple Lillia: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 don't know if 2 people can grapple the same person, but I will assume so.

Kernsten: yes, I believe you can have several people helping to grapple the same person.

I think you've managed to save Lillian, so to help round this off I'll move things ahead to the next chamber. Unless, of course, Lillian wants to jump into the well? :)

Kernsten lends his muscle to help birdman Crar rush Lillian to the far door. Targ manages to wrench the door open and you push through to the doorway. The terrible howling and moaning follows you as you exit, but as soon as your are through the doorway you can feel your spirits lift a little from the weight of despair. Lillian seems a bit recovered now as well, helped by the fact that Targ, Crar, and Latharel are behind, preventing any return to the well.

Indeed, as you enter the next chamber, you discover another interesting dilemma. A short passage leads to a long, narrow room choked with webbing. Within the webs are what appear to be small, dead humanoids with dark, scaled skin, each wrapped in a cocoon of sticky webbing.

Leading the way, Kernsten has trouble at first pushing through the webs into the chamber. However, once he does so you are all able to follow. What's more alarming, is the large mottled spider that looms out of the shadows in the north-east corner, hoping to make you its next meal! Kernsten is surprised as it strikes out from within its web, trying to pierce the paladin's armor, but it is unsuccessful.

Updated map

Ok, over to you guys for Round 1, you guys have first initiative. On the map, the shaded white parts indicate webbing, which requires a DC12 Strength check to push through.

-------

Kernsten quickly takes up his flail and swings powerfully at the spider, before moving to the side to let other hit at the black vermin.

Move: pick flail, Std: Attack + 5ft step to left
Flail power attack 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 4 - 1 = 19
Flail power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

Latharel steps up - swinging his Curved Blade at the Spider

Attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

His swing is powerful but badly aimed.

Round 1
Kernsten dives into the attack, landing a telling blow with his flail on the spider's mottled body. It rears back trying to protect itself. Latharel rushes up and attacks with his elven curved blade, although he only manages to anger the spider further, as it lunges and sinks its fangs into Kernsten's shoulder.

The others draw their weapons, but seem to have difficulty getting within attacking range of the spider, with the webs grasping at their limbs.

The dice seem to favor the spider. Six points of damage to Kernsten, plus a DC 14 Fortitude save required to avoid taking 2 points of Strength damage, ouch.

-------

Kernsten barely on his last legs, blood gushing from the wound inflicted by the spider, staggers as the poison courses through his veins weakening him with every minute that passes. He gasps, "Help me, before I fall." as he attempts one last time to strike the spider and save his friends. As his flail ends its swing, Kernsten steps aaway from the deadly fangs.

Fort Save 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Round 2:

Status:
HP: 1/12 AC: 18/11/17 Conditions: Poisoned (-2 strength: now 14)
Attack Flail 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Damage Flail 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
5ft step away to the west.

Latharel steps forward - trying to help Kernsten

Attack Curved Blade 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

"Kernsten - hold out for a moment longer'"

The curved blade slashed through the webbing and this time it finds the target.

Giving up on advancing towards the spider, caught as she was in the sticky webs, Lillia waves her head dramatically, and her silvery hair stretches out to wrap itself around the arachnid.

Grapple 10' reach 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Round 2
Staggering away from the spider, Kernsten attacks but finds his flail feels heavier than before and his swing misses. Fortunately though, Latharel along with Lillian providing a distraction with her hair manages to stab his curved blade into the belly of the spider, killing it. You look around the chamber, tensely, for any more spiders, but it looks like the only menace in this room.

A quick check of the room reveals a pouch caught in the webbing near one of the web-wrapped bodies, you think it may have been a kobold. The pouch contains 30 gold pieces and a beautiful, perfectly formed pearl. You also find that the door on the far side of the chamber opens out into the passageway where you entered the ruins of the keep. You have cleared this part of the keep!

Having cleared as much of Asad's doomed keep that you were able to access, you are able to take a moment to catch your breath and examine your findings. You are keen to determine if you have found the items you have been sent to seek. Most especially, you admire the beautifully crafted ceremonial jade katana that Kernsten holds. It seems a most singular and curious item.

Congratulations, you have cleared the dungeon! We can move on to the epilogue if you like, unless anyone would prefer to check whether the kobolds found anything interesting or to investigate the statues more closely. Heading back to town?

------

Kernsten pants and falls to the ground exhausted after the encounter with the spider, "Lets get back as quick as we can, I'm no good for fighting any longer, my strength has gone." The man is battered and bruised, in need of healing, bandages and a good long rest. He takes a long drink of water, pouring some excess over his head to try and refresh his senses, letting out a long sigh. "We'v done well. Time to go home I think."

"But the last of the statues!" Lillia objects, almost childishly, as her hair falls neatly back into place, "It'll only take me a few minutes to get an idea of their function, and I'm sure that they couldn't be as dangerous as the fire statue... I'll be careful."

Regardless of whether she was granted permission to examine the statues more closely, Lillia soon brings up another topic, opening her satchel to point out the documents within. "These look to be the trade agreements that the Trade Prince... hmm, Trade Prince Al'Hakam, was it? Anyway, I think these are the documents he was asking for." Pausing to pull out a folded letter, she continues, "This note here, though, I suspect might be of a more personal interest to Venture Captain Li; if her family is as embarrassed by all this katana business as it seems, then she might not want any record of it falling into the public eye, and there seems to be little of interest to the note from a mercantile point of view."

Further to what Lillian was saying, here is a summary of what you found during your expedition:

Summary

- Potion of protection from evil, 2 potions of cure lt. wounds (1 potion left), m/w thieves tools, shortbow with 20 arrows, dagger, opal taken from the ghoul at the entrance.

- A letter written in Tian found in the cell area.

- 100gp, a golden crown, masterwork short sword and a wax sealed tube containing a scroll of comprehend languages in the passage with the skeleton.

- You found a sack containing 200gp and a set of bronze arm bracers. You also found 4 trade agreements written in Kelish. One of the agreements is between one Taliq Asad, the self-styled Satrap of Kortos, and a band of pirates that roamed the Inner Sea centuries ago. The other three are between Asad and a trio of Katapeshi merchants, surely all long dead.

- A trade agreement, 3 flasks of holy water, and an unknown potion in the room where you fought the blindheim.

- A number of trade agreements written in Kelish detailing pacts Satrap Taliz Asad made with pirates, mercenary groups (for the protection of caravans), petty lords, and even a few nations scattered about the Inner Sea region. One agreement contains a personal note addressed to the Satrap, congratulating him on gaining the Li family's jade katana and the promise it contains.

- You found the jade katana amongst the skulk's possessions, along with 2 unknown potions, a dagger, a spell component pouch and spellbook.

Reading about the promise concerning the jade katana, Targ will study it carefully.

Kernsten encourages the group to return forthwith and complete the promises to their senior Pathfinders, his injuries make him sluggish and with any sudden movement he groans in pain.

Kernsten, included amongst your finds is a potion of cure light wounds, if you wish to use it now.

Targ, by "studying it carefully" I'm assuming you take 20 on a Perception check]:

On the way back to Absalom, Targ passes the time by closely examining the jade katana. In addition to the fine workmanship, you find a hidden compartment within the hilt. Inside the compartment is a tightly-rolled document, which both serves as a letter of credit and details a trade agreement between any holder of that agreement and a group called the Way of the Kirin. Lillian is able to translate the document as the terms are written in both Tien and Kelish, and promise the holder the full support of the Way of the Kirin, along with naval and war materiel worth 50,000 gp.

I'll try to post the follow-up to this tonight.

On the return journey, Lillia makes use of the scroll of comprehend languages to decipher the Tien letter.

Targ raises an eyebrow reading this - Something to keep....

Knowledge(history) 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 - anything about the Way of the Kirin?

"That is an awfully valuable promissory note. Though whether the group which issued it is likely to be in a position to honour the terms after so long is another question."

No clue, but neither of the captains asked for this. Yes, might be worth a lot...." Targ adds, hoping they can make money with it.

Before returning, I just need to know if you are visiting Amara Li, Major Colson, or Trade Prince al'Hakam, and if so, in what order? Also, what items will you be giving to whom?

Kernsten uses the Cure Light Potion. 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6HPs back.

The katana to Amara Li, the trade agreements to Trade Prince al'Hakam, without the one from the katana, and the items from the ghoul to Major Colson

Latharel will also be looking for some healing - he is still infected (well - might not know it yet - but suspects) by Ghoul Disease and doesn't want to become a ghoul himself.

Start with Amara Li

"Maybe Amara knows of the trade agreement and this is the true reason she wants the katana back? In this case it wouldn't do us any good not to hand it back.
The Szarni sometimes let you do a job and observe - to test if they can trust you or not. As much as I would like to keep that one - I'm not sure it is a wise move."

You are relieved to reach the gates of Absalom. After a brief stop to arrange further healing for Kernsten and Latharel, you call in to see Venture-Captain Amara Li at the Lantern Lodge in the Petal District.

Amara Li is pleased to hear of your adventures exploring the keep, and when you hand over the katana she is ecstatic. "Well done! I can see from the success of your mission that you have a bright future ahead of you as members of the Pathfinder Society. I may even be looking at future Venture-Captains! Thank you for finding my family's ceremonial katana; I and my family shall always be in your debt. You shall always be able to find a home amongst the Lantern Lodge."

At mention of the trade agreement with the Way of the Kirin hidden in the blade's hilt, Amara sobers. "Yes, thank you for returning this as well. I admit that I did not tell you of its existence earlier."

"I think this is ours, or? You only mentioned the katana..."

Targ will not hand the agreement to Amara....

"Targ, it belongs to Amara, it was part of the katana, even if hidden inside it." Kernsten offer to the half-orc. Then quietly whispers in his ear, "Besides which, she will provide you with many profitable missions, if you let her have it back, I'm sure. More profit than can be made with that alone."

He turns back to Amara, "My friend pays special heed to the terms of your original request, I'm sure he can be persuaded to return it if he knows you shall treat him well in the future?"

"Then she should have mentioned it beforehand," Targ replies.

Hand outstretched ready to take the agreement, Amara Li is at first taken aback by Targ's insistence to hold on to the agreement. Then she sighs, and withdraws her hand. "You are correct; I neglected to mention the trade agreement to you when I gave you the mission. I will be honest, the trade agreement would be of great use to me and of course you would have the gratitude of myself and the Lantern Lodge, but I will honour the terms of our agreement. If you wish to retain the document, I will not stop you." Amara's face looks grave.

Targ smiles and nods, "I think this is too good to be handed over." With this he is ready to go to the prince.

Kernsten shrugs at Targ a look of disappointment on his fcae, but an agreement is an agreement after all. "I am sorry I could not convince my friend, but it would seem all is as was contracted." he says softly to Amara Li, before following Targg out of the room.

"Seems this one is a lost cause for you - he would fit in to Cheliax the way he interprets contracts. I'm sorry - not that I think the contract is of any use to him.
But it wasn't me who detected it."

And he follows the others.

"I'm sorry for this... misunderstanding," Lillia says with an apologetic smile, lingering for a moment while the others leave.

"As Latharel mentioned, I'm not sure if the paper has the worth which the words on it suggest; I certainly have never heard of this 'Way of the Kirin'. It's some now defunct order from Tian Xia, no doubt?"

Amara Li seems about to say something, then stops herself. Instead, she says, "The Way of the Kirin are a part of my people's past, an organisation of warriors and scholars. Again, thank you for your assistance in this matter, and I wish you luck in your future adventures."

Where next?

Trade prince - the Qadiran

On your way to the Merchant's District to report to Trade Prince Aaqir al'Hakam, you turn a corner and nearly bump into Major Colson Maldris. He seems surprised to see you, but keenly asks about your adventures exploring the keep of Asad. At mention of the ghoul that you encountered, he commiserates on the loss of a fellow Pathfinder, but congratulates you on your good deed in destroying the undead. "I know it was difficult," he says. "The undead sometimes cling to life, but they always turn to evil. This was a hard lesson that I felt you had to learn, to better serve the common good. As Pathfinders, we should always serve the common good and always fight for freedom." He offers to make mention of your names for future missions, and carries on his way.

Arriving at the mansion where the Qadiran Trade Prince makes his residence, you turn over the trade agreements. Trade Prince al'Hakam is obviously pleased, looking eager to peruse the documents. "By chance," he says, "did you happen to uncover a jade katana? There is a trade agreement that was hidden inside; I would be very interested to claim it ahead of certain other parties. It is quite outdated now, but I value it for historical reasons."