GM Harker's PFS Season 4 Campaign

Game Master Justin L. Warren

Moadis moves besides Melufious and nods to the magus.

At the paladin's prompting, after waiting a few moments for the rest of the group to catch up, the pseudo-rogue creeps in to have a look around.

stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
find traps: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

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As Mel creeps past the curtain, the fletching on one of his arrows catches it. Moments before it and several of its brothers slip from the quiver a hiss from the paladin warns him off his mistake. What results is a flurry of motion as the elf performs a motion that can only be described as the perverse union of a back flip and a periotte. Alas, he is too slow and a single arrow clatters to the floor.

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Despite the arrow clattering to the floor, nothing reacts to the sudden sound.

Although Melufiuos does not discover any traps, he does get a better view of area. Beyond the iron barred door are three sets of curtains, one to the west, and two more in the north and south respectively. Coming from behind said curtains he can hear chanting and the steady beat of a drum.

The statue standing in the back is especially well-made, but perhaps even creepier close up.

The jail-like door will probably have to be busted open to proceed, just like the previous doors.

Does Mel remember seeing any obvious way to open the secret door from the inside?

Mel focuses on the statue from up close, first using detect magic, and then pulling out his hand axe and wacking off a small part.

The secret door in the previous room did not have an obvious switch to open it from the inside, although it probably could be just pushed open from the side with the stairs.

Detect Magic reveals a small magical aura on the statue. When Melufiuos tries to chip a part of it off, the statue comes alive to jerk out the way of his hand ax and assumes an aggressive posture, appearing ready to slam the elf.

Knowledge (arcana) to identify the creature

Mel's hand axe: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Player Initiative
Halkale's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Melufiuos' Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Moadis' Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Ophelia's Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Quiella's Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 18
Valik's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Initiative (Round 1)
Moadis <= Up
Ophelia (4 dmg)<= Up
Quiella <= Up
Melufiuos (2 dmg) <= Up
Statue
Valik (3 dmg)
Halkale

I believe those are the correct amounts of damage on each of you, if not, please let me know. I failed to keep a good record this time so I had to go back through the thread.

Moadis, Ophelia, Quiella, and Melufiuos are up. Since we're down to a time crunch, I'm going to bot after 24 hours, even though it's the weekend.

Quiella will delay until after Moadis and Valik decide if they want to charge or not--don't want to get in their way.

Moadis charges into the room and slams his hammer at the thing.

Attk: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 2 = 17
Dmg: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Dang it, now why did that stupid elf do that! 'especially well made' almost always means 'alive'

"holy mother of stone!" cries the magus as he hops to the side to make room for his allies one square NE.

He tries to maintain his calm and swings his hand Axe again.

to hit: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

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Ophelia will delay this round.

Quiella and Ophelia standby for a moment to allow others to pick prime combat positions, while Melufiuos attempts to strike the statue again with his axe. Unfortunately, the statue dodges the attack.

Moadis has more success with his charge, taking a hunk off the statue with his hammer.

Turning it's attention to the source of its damage, the statue moves ahead 5 feet and attempts to slam Moadis twice. Although the paladin's armor absorbs the first blow, the second slam is better placed and does some significant damage to Moadis. 11 bludgeoning damage to Moadis

Initiative (Round 1-2)
Valik (3 dmg) <= Up
Halkale <= Up
Moadis (11 dmg) <= Up
Ophelia (4 dmg) <= Up
Quiella <= Up
Melufiuos (2 dmg) <= Up
Statue

Everyone up!

Halkale moves into the room and fires a cold iron arrow. Unless specified, cold iron is my normal arrow

Attack, PBS: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 = 27
Damage, if hits, PBS: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

Attack, PBS, confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 1 = 25
Damage, if hits, PBS: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 = 11
Damage, if hits, PBS: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4

Seeing that the creature has put itself into a flanked position, the magus will delay until after Modias strikes. Afterwards, he hums slightly to himself, lashes out with his Axe again, takes a five foot step east, and casts acid splash.

to hit axe: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
DMG axe: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
acid: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
acid dmg: 1d3 ⇒ 3

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Valik, before stepping up, after the beautiful arced shot of Hal, I just hope I can equal your aim young one

AC 23: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 221d10 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 181d10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Not sure if I'm allowed to charge to the place I charged to or not. If I can't charge, just consider it a Double Move.

Whoa! Quiella runs to stand beside Valik and attack the statue.

The statue has the light fortification ability, which gives it a 25% chance to ignore precision damage or critical hits. In this case, 1d100 ⇒ 99, Halkale's critical hit still confirms despite the cover.

Melufiuos, since you were in a flank, you could have rolled sneak attack damage, although that attack unfortunately missed this round.

Quiella, the PRD does not say you have to charge in a straight line, so that charge action is fine with me.

Halkale lets loose a perfectly aimed arrow that flies through the hole Moadis just made, crunching through the statue's interior and forcing many small pieces of stone to rain out from it's torso.

The creature is still too quick to be hit by Melufiuos' hand axe, but his magical acid does strike it, leaving pock marks in the stone.

Valik's sansetsukon lashes out with a flurry of movement against the construct, further breaking off more pieces.

Quiella charges the statue, but it unable to land her blow this round.

After suffering a series of strong attacks, the statue appears to be on the verge of falling apart, but still remains a threat.

Ophelia and Moadis

Stepping back 5ft Moadis attacks it again and heals himself.
LoH on self.
LoH: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Attk: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22
Dmg: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Assuming the combat is over..

"Awesome work guys and gals! Please remind me to leave statues alone from now on... I have no idea what came over me."

So did we do enough damage? Break the pipes now and get out? Or go into that really big room and fight a gazillion badies? I'm game either way.

Moadis finishes the construct off with a mighty blow from his hammer, with the remaining chunks of statue thudding in a pile on the floor.

Combat Over.

It's up to you all what you want to do next, although I would like to remind you that Heidmarch asked that you didn't kill any cultists.

How should we sabotage this place?

"Personally, I say we break a hole in the pipe. That way they cannot easily fix it."

Well too late, we've killed some. Pipe break is fine.

Breaking a hole in the pipe, swapping the wand labels, and destroying all their chests seems like a good idea to me. Is there anything else for us to explore?

Been a hectic and miserable few days, but - did we still have to deliver the relics? And whatever we decide on, we should leave our badges. Or write "ASPIS WOZ HERE" on a wall or something.

Actually, you haven't killed any cultists in the temple, Moadis stabilized the tieflings from the earlier combat.

The wands don't have labels per se, but are different enough that anyone who has been using them on a regular basis would know the difference if you switched them.

The only unexplored areas are a large room from which a loud chorus of chanting is originating from, and a stairway leading up, probably to the surface.

The Aspis Consortium wanted the group to drop off the relics, you are really under no compulsion to do so at this point.

Please decide on something within 36 hours, I'd like to draw the game to a close by then.

FYI, to break the pipe sufficiently requires either a Disable Device check, Knowledge (engineering), or Strength check. I'll also accept a particularly clever idea that doesn't fit into those skill categories.

disable device: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

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Returning to the barracks area, Melufiuos finds the pipe tightly sealed, but with his knowledge of simple mechanics, he manages to completely open the pipe. A torrent of harbor water begins to pour out into the room, quickly befouling everything it touches.

That's one act of sabotage, anything else? I believe Ophelia wanted to leave some Apsis badges behind, while Quiella mentioned destroying the chests. From what Melufiuos knows of the Fire Trap spell, smashing a chest enchanted with it may set off that spell.

Sure, smash chests, burn beds, switch wands, and leave badges. :)

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Ok, who's doing what?

So basically we need to smash the chests from a distance.

I smelt gas, should we alter the flow of it?

"say what?"

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"We are near the forge, gas smell has been constant." Halkale drops his badge in the pipe room.

Honestly I think we have done enough. Lets leave a couple of badges behind and get going. We can use the stairs to exit quickly.

Quiella sighs and tilts her head while looking at all the chests in the bunk room. But... okay. You're probably right.

The only room that contained the strong stench of carbauxine gas was the room in far east on the map.

Moving up the stairway from the not-so-secret door, the group quickly discovers the way to the surface has been paved over by cobblestones. The former entrance will have to be forced open by brute strength if you want to continue this way.

Quiella grips her buckler in both hands and tries to ram the cobblestones with it.

Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Quiella launches herself against the cobblestones with her shield, but, alas, the stonework holds firm.

DC 22 Strength check

Also, are you switching the wands or taking them with you?

It makes more sense to me as a player for us to take them.

Yea, we take them nad leave a couple of badges "lost" behind. Can we aid another on the STR check?

Str: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Yes, you can aid another. If two characters aid that roll, you'll have it open.

Quiella pitches in as Moadis tries to burst through the cobblestones.

Strength, aid another: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Even if you cannot get another viable assist on the exit this round, you'll be able to get it open eventually, so we'll just assume you do.

With the Lissalan temple becoming flooded with disgusting harbor water, and evidence left behind implicating the Apsis Consortium with the crime, the group finally exits the temple by breaking through a wall of cobblestones to find themselves on a nearby street.

Boarding the next ship to Magnimar, in a few days you arrive back at Shelia Heidmarch's manor and debrief her on your success. She is pleased that you sabotaged the temple and planted evidence that the Apsis were involved, but expresses minor disappointment that the damage to the temple was not more thorough.

End of Chapter 5

LOL. What was she hoping for? a gas explosion?

Dotted for 1-45

Chapter 6: The Night March of Kalkamedes

Chapter 7: Delirium's Tangle

The descent down through the forgotten maintenance tunnels and natural caverns below Absalom has been mercifully uneventful, and offers plenty of time to think back on the events of the day.

Messengers found you across Absalom before sunrise and summoned you to the Grand Lodge on orders from Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng. His milky, half-closed eyes, normally offering a bearing of regal decrepitude, instead looked sour as he apologized for the early hours and introduced a thick man bearing the scars of many horrific burns seated in a chair in Dreng’s office, his feat soaking in a small metal bucket of steaming water. Behind him stand two enormous, heavily armored half-orcs, their arms crossed over their massive chests and all four of their eyes constantly scanning the room for danger. “Pathfinders, this is Grandmaster Torch,” Dreng muttered sleepily. “He’s an… associate of the Society. We owe him a favor after some business in Sedeq, and it seems he’s looking to collect.”

“You wound me, my lord,” said Grandmaster Torch, leaving Dreng chuckling softly to himself in the background. “I come in the interest of the common good. You see, my good friend and occasional business associate, Nuar Spiritskin, is missing. You may know him better as the Minotaur Prince of Absalom, the head of the Taurean Embassy and something of a famous foreign dignitary, what with his assertions that he speaks for all Minotaurs everywhere. A collection of papers recently entered my possession that spoke of a grand maze beneath the city; naturally, my first instinct was to discuss the matter with Nuar. He seemed as intrigued as I and after I elicited his help, he set out at once for the maze. It has been several days, more than enough time for a minotaur to solve a maze, and I grow worried for my bovine chum."

“Clearly, I cannot take this matter to the guard. Poor Nuar would be scandalized if word got around that he couldn’t solve a simple maze. I can provide you with directions to this maze, called Delirium’s Tangle, if you promise to return Nuar quietly to his home. I’m even willing to let the organization keep the artifact I believe lies in the maze’s center. Some ancient, elven hourglass—my notes aren’t specific as to what it does. Just ensure the Prince’s safety.”

Dreng looks incredulous, but solemnly nods. “Nuar is a useful ally to the Society and a lost labyrinth below Absalom herself is too convenient to pass up. Take an hour to prepare and then head out. And be thorough; no telling what you’ll find down there.”

If you have an retroactive questions, feel free to ask. Please keep in mind, at this point in the PFS meta-plot Torch is still a valuable asset to the organization.

It's dark down in those maintenance tunnels, please let me know your light sources and marching order.

Good to see you all again. It seems we have a new face, my name is Valik and I have trained and meditated many hours to focus my body and mind. I would be happy to be near the front lines, I am able to anticipate some attacks to better defend myself.

Is it possible to have "continual light" cast upon a brooch with a closable clasp so I can determine when it is open/close? If so, will it carry over from game to game? Is it the basic cost for an everburning torch?