[PFS] 5-23 Cairn of Shadows by GM Upaynao (Inactive)

Game Master Upaynao

Beware the chains! They look...hungry?

As Xichi moves in, he uses Mage Hand to keep the nearest chain as far away as possible.

Takahiro pushes forward to join them.

Oleander, bow in hand, stays as hidden as she can. She had one hand on Wolfie, whether to reassure the wolf, or more to assure herself is uncertain.

Takes ten on stealth for 24

Eadie suspects she has fought this kind of creature before.

“Has anyone got a group protection from evil spell? Can you spare a haste please, Insidion?”

She then advances through the chain forest, hacking at the chains with her good-aligned adamantine falchion trying to clear a path for the others, like a jungle explorer cutting through vines with a machete.

falchion + PA + FF on chains: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32
good adamantine magical slashing damage: 2d4 + 22 ⇒ (2, 3) + 22 = 27

That's my best shot at roll-playing Eadie's intentions in terms of game mechanics, GM Upaynao.

Having stepped five feet further, Eadie is able to see that the is some sort of bridge going over the current of liquid flowing across. The chains are easily cut down. At least for now.
Oleander seems to be fairly well hidden by the remaining chains.

Because of the dungeon crawl nature of this part I refuse to move people up or manipulate anything beyond reacting to what you are doing, much as I would like to. This is definitely one of the weaknesses of PbP.

Xichi will, in general, hang near the back of the group.

Did I detect anything with Detect Magic?

Not within the range of the spell no.

Oleander slinks slowly behind Takahiro, keeping a quiet hand on Wolfie's chain collar.

heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

"Those people...are dead." she whispers quietly to those nearby.

Heal vs DC 15: 1d20 ⇒ 2 (fail)

Unaware of anything of the nature of the injuries of the fetchling women, Eglantine whispers to the others, "I've no prayers for these poor creatures, but can anybody else at least ease their pain? Damned torture cults..."

The lack of response from the voice ahead, despite Eadie's very audible challenge, makes EG blink slightly.

"...either they really can't hear you up there, or someone's so nuts they don't care," she mutters. "I'm moving to that corridor over there to look down it."

(Moving along the path of the black line I've drawn on the map, so hugging the wall, trying to stealth if possible-- drawn the path just in case she triggers anything as she's moving)

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Skug follows 20 ft. behind E.G., flail in hand.

Unwilling to split the party, Eadie backs off the bridge and slashes down chains as she moves up to overtake Skug.

Hmm ... maybe I can give EG some noise cover …

Eadie calls, “Wait up Skug! I want to be the one going first!”

Aid EG’s stealth (kinda funky I know): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16

Perception for traps and threats: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26

Insidion circles around the edge of the room with his companions, unsure if he should cast any more spells or save them for later.

"Twisted minds," the dragon disciple says.

Skug turns and looks at Eadie, head cocked to the side a little, "Skug wait?" After a moment, he stands up straight and smiles, "Skug race knight! Skug kill first. Knight buy ale!"

"You're on!"

Eadie hesitates for a moment, before enquiring "E.D. also help Skug win?"

Bravely moving on ahead, Eglantine skirts the walls, every now and then coming across what might charitably be called a corpse. She pauses as she nears an opening leading into what might be a hallway, peaking nervously around the corner while trying not to think too much of the skeleton pinned to the wall above her, a multitude of nails keeping the leathery remains of the person's skin unfurled.

As the rest of the Pathfinders walk in, those chains that remain from Eadie's impromptu spring cleaning languidly caress the Pathfinders as they move about.

At the tail end of the procession of Pathfinders, Takahiro and Oleander are left to witness the cleft chains slowly drop down from the ceiling, "growing" back so to speak. Looking upward, the chains seem to extend up to the limit of their vision, to an unseen ceiling.

I've pulled the map back to accommodate what Eglantine sees.

"Don't some demons have a think about chains?" whispers Oleander to Takahiro...

"This place is deeply creepy," Eglantine says with a scowl and a side-eying of the many chains that try and caress her, and the nightmarish remains of poor souls pinned to walls.

She peeks around the corner. "Goes back ten feet, curves around into a... wall? A door, I think. Shut. Well.... do we investigate that, or... try and cross that bridge? Nobody can do anything for these poor fetchlings...?"

"Don't some demons have a think about chains?" whispers Oleander to Takahiro...

Know (Planes) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

"I'm so sorry, I am unsure about their love lives" Takahiro replies, slightly embarrassed at his lack of understanding.

“Maybe it’s a staircase, EG?”

The headstrong warrior decides to take some of VC Farabellus’ advice.

“We’ve tried maneuvers, I vote to go straight at ‘em! What say you, Skug?”

Eadie checks for traps and threats and rounds the corner to see what she can see.

Perception roll from before was: 11 + 15 = 26

If it is a door, she will check it for traps and try breaking it down with her adamantine blade.

"Even I am unsettled by this place," Insidion murmurs as they move to investigate the northern passage.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Skug pats Eadie on the back, hard, then rushes ahead. "Skug charge!"

Oleander shakes her head at the Aasimar. Keeping one hand on wolfie she sticks close behind the angle blooded, hoping that any demon that jumps out will go for him first.

Skug rushes forwards, down what turns out to be a flight of stairs going up. In front of him is another, shorter flight leading to another landing. And perhaps even more stairs after that.

Meanwhile Eadie's keen eyes do not spot any traps that Skug might have triggered.

Takahiro has no interest in showing regard for any of these tricks and hellish images, and strides forward "Shizuru protects me"

Route is the yellow line

Eadie charges back to support Takahiro, slashing down chains that don't get out of her way quickly enough.

"Skug! Race you to guard man with tea!"

Perception for traps & threats: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

I have a bad feeling about this, intones Xichi as he moves up behind Skug.

But at least I'm behind a big target.

As Eadie moves back towards the entrance, she notices a change in the chain's behavior. While they seem content to let people venture further in, they impede the fighter's movement back to the entrance. All chains seem to participate in hampering the Pathfinder from going back, rendering her wanton destruction of chains somewhat futile, albeit a fulfilling way to channel her frustration.

Consider any movement back towards the exit to be made as if you were moving through difficult terrain.

As Takahiro moves upward ahead of the rest, the voice beseeches: "Prince of Darkness, Pilgrim from the Beyond! I writhe in your divine Pain! I drink deep of your unholy glee! Telendrak awaits your forgiveness and your spark! You who have taken horse from him! You who have ripped kin asunder! You who have vanquished the Gods of Old! Allow me to embrace nothingness in your name!"

It seems that behind the forest of chains lies some sort of dark throne. A figure appears to be sitting upon it. Or standing before it. It is hard to tell.

Insidion growls deep in his throat.

"I had expected...A VICIOUS ONSLAUGHT when we arrived here," he says as he follows after Eadie.

Ninja'd by the DM...editing post.

Then the voice calls out and Insidion casts mirror image.

"Looks like we are about to find it!"

mirror image: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"Skug bring Brax. Brax bring Pain!" The half-orc shouts as he rushes ahead looking for someone to fight.

"Wolfie, Guard!" says the concealed ranger before taking out two arrows and readying them to fire at the figure on the throne."

readied action, fire at figure if it enters combat with a pathfinder: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28 < -extra +4 if human or +2 if evil outsider
readied damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 <-extra +4 if human or +2 if evil outsider

Has improved precise shot

Keen to face whatever it is before the magic if his Blessing runs out, Takahiro strides forward to face whoever, or whatever sits on the throne.

Takahiro offers no threats or bold words, there should always be time for silence and contemplation.

Pushes up

What will go horribly wrong now?:p

This is too easy ...

Eadie pushes forward but keeps a little bit of separation between herself and Skug.

“You’re a horselord aren’t you, Telendrak Khan? Are you a victim here or the torturer?”

Eadie keeps a sharp eye out for trouble. “FYI – I like ponies too.”

Perception roll from before was: 16 + 15 = 31

Approaching the throne, Eadie, Skug, Takahiro and Xichikitte are quick to observe that the person sitting on the throne is a haggard looking man. And that "sitting" might be too generous a word to really describe the position this man is in.

Wicked hooks piercing through this man flesh keep this man slightly suspended in a position that suggest he is seated. Haggard, looking at you difficultly through flesh pulled taut by infection and the tension on the hooks, he groans silently. "Yes. I am Telendrak. Last of the Horselords. I AM TELENDRAK" he adds with a shout, looking fearfully upwards before returning his gaze upon you. "It does not need to come. No. No. It doesn't need to come. Nonononono I have obeyed do not come I have obeyed you please Gods no..."

Eadie doesn't spot a trap but notices that the ceiling in parts of the "Throne Room" is perhaps even higher up than the rest. Looking it over, She estimates that the ceiling in most of the chamber the Pathfinders find themselves in is perhaps 50 feet up, but suddenly becomes 200 feet in the portions she has noted.

The man's body shows signs that it has been savaged, something even the untrained eye can pick up on. Tendons have been severed, muscle has been excised, limbs has been exposed to all manner of elements. The lower portion of the man's face has been doused in acid in a psychotic attempt to keep him clean shaven, leaving the skin there bleached, and the lips cracked.

"I have obeyed, it doesn't need to come oh no oh no oh no, it doesn't need to come no no oh no..."

"What doesn't need to come?" Takahiro asks with calm neutrality.

The man slowly looks to the darkness above, before answering haltingly: "The Master of Chains. The Lord Above. Giver of the Gift of Anguish. Our only god, now. He made me Telendrak, when the last Telendrak was so foolish as to die."

"ALL HAIL THE MIDNIGHT LORD! HE WHO REACHED BEYOND THE DARKNESS TO SHELTER THOSE WHO WERE WEAK WITHOUT. WE WORSHIP THEE, ZON-KUTHON, WE ACCLAIM THEE, ZON-KUTHON. LET US REJOICE IN YOUR BLESSINGS" he adds for good measure, his face somewhere between abject fear and brainwashed fanaticism.

Let us put this wretched thing out of its misery, Xichi says glumly as he prepares a spell.

Eglantine sees little point in stealth at this point in affairs, and trots after the others at knee-height, give or take. She stares in a sort of queasy 'ew' at the tortured.... creature.

"Eerrmm. If, uh, ... hold a moment, please, Xich-- if you... Telendrak... if you were to die... would your Lord... pick someone else here to be the next... Teledrak?"

Telendrak nods slowly, the chains clinking as he does so. "There would be another Telendrak."

Insidion looks at the scene darkly and casts fly as he sees the tall ceiling.

"A miserable creature...we should put him out of his misery."

Xichi halts his spell, the color draining from his face as he ponders how close he came to taking the poor man's place.

After a moment of concentration, he straightens up and says grimly,

Where is your lord, wretched one? We will relieve you of this burden, one way or another.

Without a word, the man looks upward apprehensively.

Xichi follows the man's gaze, also apprehensively.

I wonder what would happen if I cast Shocking Grasp and touched one of these chains. Would you feel my sting, lord of pain? Would you like it?

Heal 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Takahiro stops talking to the man and simply moves to examining him more carefully, trying to determine whether this fellow is only alive through necromancy or other magic, or whether his injuries are 'survivable'; in his mind, he is remembering a ghoul he once met who had a perfectly good conversation and had hidden its true nature, until it revealed its true self at a bad moment.

Also, detect Evil

Oleander just keeps quiet, her bow ready for action and her eyes wide open.

Wolfie pads close by, rubbing against her legs. He too was unsettled by this place.

“I’ve gotta crazy idea.” Eadie says – probably to nobody’s surprise.

“I think poor Telendrak Khan is a trap. A sick trick the Power that runs this place is playing on HIM and US.”

She points up. “We ‘do the right thing’ by putting him out of his misery and something BIG and chainy (yes that’s a word in Chelish, EG) drops down and smashes us.”

“Well sod them and their twisted games! Telendrak is no danger to us – he’s likely lost all his nerve endings anyways. Let’s just leave him here or CLW wand him if you like and move on.”

“Who knows? The thing VC Heidmarch wants might restore him and he can tell us all about Horselord culture after we've freed him on our way outta here.”

“Thoughts?”

Takahiro raises an eyebrow as though similar thoughts are in his mind too.

Oleander just remains silent, not wanting to give away her position. Not that the chains reaching down the caress her seem to care.

A trap, yes.

Xichi looks upward grimly.

Let us move on, then.

Despite expectations, Telendrak is very much alive. The man's wounds are treatable, and it is possible to remove him from his "perch" with proper care. He doesn't radiate any evil.

Where to Pathfinders?

Oleander, gripping the hackles on Wolfie slowly advances up to the throne.

"I can heal you, at least a little." she says.

Slowly the elf reaches out a gentle hand to heal the man.

CLW: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9