GM Harker's PFS Season 4 Campaign

Game Master Justin L. Warren

I don't have knowledge local. Does anyone else have it?

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I keep forgetting that I do.

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

I have Diplomacy

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As the group is supposed to take the items immediately to the cultists, there probably isn't time for 1d4 hours necessary to gather information.

Ophelia recalls that the Gas Forges are operated by Dwaves and built upon some pocket of rare gas that allows for the smelting of adamantine metal.

Assuming the party has no other business:

Tenements sprawl across the portion of the Wharf District between Zincher’s Arena and the solid-looking Gas Forges. A shop with a sign reading “Seven Needles” stands at the end of a dim, trash-strewn alley. The tattoo parlor is abandoned, its windows cracked and portions of its wooden trim looking like they were removed long ago.

K local: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Valik remembers much of the same information as Ophelia, but he also recalls that the gas is called carbauxine and is usually only found in the Darklands which makes this pocket near the surface so valuable. The money coming in from the Gas Forges is a major support of Riddleport's economy.

If I remember the assignment correctly, this is the part where we smash up the Lissallans without remorse, right?

When we get there, Mel has the party wait while he checks for traps, "the note said they were paranoid"

check for traps: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

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Although he finds no traps, Melufiuos does discover footprints in the dust that coats the shop, as well as a concealed trap door in the floor.

Whispering loudly, "hey, c'mon guys. I think I found the way in."

Hey then knocks on the trap door..."Aspis calling!"

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There's no answer to Melufiuos' greeting, even after waiting a minute or so.

Pop it open, look around, then drop in. If it is dark, pop a sun stick and drop it in first.

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Melufiuos looks inside the door to see some well maintained tunnels, but no immediate dangers. The ceiling is lit up in what he guesses is a continual flame spell.

Assuming the whole group is going into the tunnels, I'll need a marching order.

Moadis follows the elf inside.

I can guard the rear so as to provide some level of defense, plus I can shoot over people.

Quiella follows Moadis' lead.

Before going into the tunnels, Valik will quaff his potion of mage armor, draw his weapon and take point in the investigation of the dank mines.

We need to be on our guard. There is no way to know who it what is here.

Just to clarify, this is near the Gas Forges, not the Forges themselves.

Would it be unreasonable to say that Mel was checking for traps as we walk along the tunnel? I assume it is a slow process that cannot be done while strolling down a tunnel, but I figured I'd ask anyway.

I'm okay with that Mel, you can even take 20 if you wish, assuming you and the group are fine with the amount of time that takes (2 minutes vs. 6 seconds).

oh... Actually, can I just take ten? Since I have a +9, that should find most stuff at this level.

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Nodding at Valik's words, Ophelia stays close to the front. She was the contact, after all. "Be careful," she whispers to Mel as he searches for traps and other unsavory nonsense.

The first section of the stone tunnels appear safe, as Melufiuos discovers no traps.

The tunnel continues to the north.

@Mel, are you moving ahead of everyone or is the group following closely behind you when you check for traps?

There's a new map that can be found here. If that marching order is unsuitable, please let me know.

I hope to not do this very often, but yes. Unless anyone has a better idea, Mel will be about ten feet ahead of the party. Can I have my wand of shield out/ready while checking for traps, in case we get ambushed?

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Quiella equips her blade and shield when she sees Valik draw his weapon.

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That's fine, Mel.

With the rest of party following from 10 feet away, Melufiuos carefully makes his way along the north tunnel, moving slowly as he remains watchful for traps. Reaching the mid-point of the passage, the west wall suddenly disappears and the elf finds himself facing a small squat, reptilian monster with eight legs, bony spurs jutting from its back, and eyes that glow with pale green fire. Luckily, he discovers it is standing 10 feet behind floor-to-ceiling bars like a jail cell.

Unluckily, the creature's baleful gaze makes Melufiuos begin to feel strangely rigid.

Mel, please make a Fortitude Save. Trust me, you really want to make this one.

Knowledge (Arcana) to identify the monster. Right now, only Mel can see it.

fort save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
know arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

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Melufiuos successfully fights off the effects of the creature's gaze for the moment, but he doesn't know what the monster is.

I'm going to give Mel a chance to react here before probably moving to initiative.

He is going to leap back toward the party and tell them what he saw.

Although he will probably act like Costello when he is frightened by something.

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If Valik is allowed a knowledge check based on Mel's description, but he has now clue what the creature is.

K arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

If the creature is behind a "jail" area, can we simply bypass the whole trap/encounter by closing our eyes and walking by out of gaze attack area?

Valik figures the creature is probably a Basilisk. It can turn people to stone with its gaze, although coating someone quickly with the creature's blood can reverse the effects.

Feel free to try whatever tactics you wish.

Melufiuos quickly makes his way back, alerting the party of danger in a Costello-esque manner.

Player Initiative Rolls
Halkale's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Melufiuos' Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Moadis' Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Ophelia's Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Quiella's Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Valik's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Initiative
Melufiuos <= Up
Ophelia <= Up
Basilisk
Valik
Halkale
Quiella
Moadis

Melufiuos and Ophelia are up!

What follows is information on gaze attacks. To avoid cluttering up the combat thread, I put it in a spoiler.

do mirrors reflect the gaze back at the creature?.... Assuming e even have any.

So that active gaze thing means it will even work on a truly blind person, right? Just as long as the basilisk can see you.

for now, Mel is going to delay. He does not even think we are in combat if no one moves from where we are.

I'd like to take twenty and look for a switch our something that would shut off the vision, but I clearly cannot do that if we are in combat.

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Creatures are immune to their own gaze attacks unless their description states otherwise.

It's clear to Melufiuos that if the creature moves 10 feet to the west, it would have a good view of most of the party and vice versa.

So... What do we do? My first impulse was everybody just runs to the other side together with eyes closed. But that is too risky, if there is another trap there we would be in trouble and if one of us gets petrified...

oh shoot, I wasn't looking at the map. I was thinking w were further down the hall.

do we know what they eat? Maybe we can just toss in some food and room by while it is distracted

in the meantime I say we retreat back to the entrance to plan.

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I think they really love magus and rogue..if we only had...waiiiitttt

I think they really love magus and rogue..if we only had...waiiiitttt

???

I think he's suggesting we feed Mel to the creature to save ourselves.
Also, jeez, I just don't know what to do here. Retreating to plan sounds good.

Quiella is okay with retreating as long as we are only going to make a plan to return very soon and vanquish the creature before it can harm anyone else.

yeah, that probably counts toward sabotaging their safe house

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Ok, should I take it that Melufiuos and Ophelia are both going to delay? I'll assume such if I don't hear anything within a day, although I'd prefer confirmation.

delay

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Melufiuos and Ophelia delay action.

The basilisk moves to the front of the cage, catching the entire group in it's petrifying gaze. Licking it's lips hungrily, it tries to burst through the bars. The jail door groans loudly, but continues to hold the creature.

Everyone within 30' of the creature's line of sight needs to make a Fort save on their turn, although the tricks listed under my Gaze Attack spoiler might be a good idea to utilize.

Initiative
Basilisk
Melufiuos <= Up on Delay
Ophelia <= Up on Delay
Valik <= Up
Halkale <= Up
Quiella <= Up
Moadis <= Up

Everyone up!

Since it is my turn, do I have to save "before" I go or could I close my eyes to negate it this round?

Since Melufiuos warned everyone in advance, and assuming Valik told the group about the creature's gaze attack, you can prepare yourselves in advance by averting your eyes or closing them.

Halkale closes his eyes but still fires an arrow where he believes the basilisk to move to.

Attack, PBS: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 = 12
Damage, if hits, PBS: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 11

Quiella closes her eyes and feels her way around the corner, walking to safety from the sight of the Basilisk.

free action: close eyes and draw shuriken; standard throw shuriken; move to get out of line of sight moving back near Quiella

shuriken, damage, miss low good: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 211d2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 31d100 ⇒ 62

Valik tosses a shuriken hoping to hit the scaly creature and "convince" it to leave them alone.

We gotta figure out a way passed this damned thing

Closing his eyes Moadis withdraws back to the way they came out of sight of the creature. Once around the corner he puts away his sword and shield and draws his trusted polearm.

Quiella and Moadis blindly move back around the corner, while Halkale's arrow rattles the bars it ends up hitting instead of his target. Valik also retreats by the paladins, his throwing star striking the floor outside the cell rather than the creature.

FYI, the jail bars act as cover for the creature.

Even though they delayed, I still need to know how Mel and Ophelia are handling the gaze attack and/or a Fort save.