[PFS] GM kuey's The Wounded Wisp (#6-10) (CORE) - PbP Gameday 5 (Inactive)

Game Master kuey

Once the pathfinders are in the alley Adinomo reaches into his clothing and shows the coin that was in the skulls mouth.

"Thought we might want to have a better look at this"

He patiently waits for Shelly to identify the thing "No, I don't have a wayfinder. Why do you need one?"

"Janira said I am entitled to get a wayfinder at the Grand Lodge now that I am a confirmed field agent. My name should be in some kind of register that they hold there. I did not get around to picking it up yet. Might as well do so now if it can help us."

So I'm taking it that you're spending 1 pp to acquire the wayfinder.

The party makes their to the Grand Lodge, specifically heading to the general administrative office. The building is largely deserted except for a bored looking clerk. He gives a start when you enter, not expecting anyone. After Adinomo gives his name, the clerk flips through a well-worn book at the back of the office to verify, before heading into a backroom. He comes out after a few minutes, and hands to Adinomo a brand new gleaming wayfinder, still in a paper wrapper.

"Here you go. And congratulations on your confirmation! Say, aren't you guys going to watch Sir Reinhart's attempt at the Test of the Starstone? Everyone else seems to be."

When you eventually leave the office, Shelby places the pathfinder coin on the wayfinder. Almost immediately, the voice of an elderly man emanates clearly from the coin.

The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more.

The party makes their to the Grand Lodge, specifically heading to the general administrative office. The building is largely deserted except for a bored looking clerk. He gives a start when you enter, not expecting anyone. After Adinomo gives his name, the clerk flips through a well-worn book at the back of the office to verify, before heading into a backroom. He comes out after a few minutes, and hands to Adinomo a brand new gleaming wayfinder, still in a paper wrapper.

"Here you go. And congratulations on your confirmation! Say, aren't you guys going to watch Sir Reinhart's attempt at the Test of the Starstone? Everyone else seems to be."

"OH! Can we?"

When you eventually leave the office, Shelby places the pathfinder coin on the wayfinder. Almost immediately, the voice of an elderly man emanates clearly from the coin.

The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more.

knowledge (local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"Fimbrik. Sounds like a spaniel. Mostly they don't add much to public monuments to those failing the Test of the Starstone--except pee. I've stayed at the Shrine of the Failed. Better rooms than Eastgate. Very posh. The doormen have nice uniforms. They don't look like something Pharasma slept on...." Faeria considers. "Must be a secret party. The password.... Well, I'm sure you can come." She says to empty space next to Greenwillow.

"Heee.-Oh! Hello...." She says, startled, as if noticing the druid for the first time. "Did you want to come as well? It's a sort of tavern, and inn crawl. I have to say that this one wasn't very good." Faeria says looking around the general administration office disappointed. "Usually the places I go people are always upset and trying to kill me. Heee."

"People call me Faeria, though I'm exactly sure that's right.... Who are you?" She extends a hand from her voluminous sleeve. Her inner wrist is scarred with a strange pattern glossy pink former cut marks.

Actually it seems that the wayfinder is free (this is my only core character) as this is my first core character to receive the boon

"Thank you! Look, it can make light!" Adinomo is very pleased with his new wayfinder.

"When will this Sir Reinhart make his attempt to get to the starstone? I want to watch that, but don't want to wait for days while he is building up his courage."

To Faeria "Do you know this spaniel?"

"Huh? Oh." She turns and looks at something above Adinomo. "No, but he may have piddled on something in Shrine of the Failed here in Absalom if he wasn't properly trained."

"When will this Sir Reinhart make his attempt to get to the starstone? I want to watch that, but don't want to wait for days while he is building up his courage."

"Well, he has announced that he is doing it today, but exactly when is anyone's guess. People are gathering there nonetheless. Might be a long wait, but certainly sure beats sitting here in this musty office. Sigh," complains the clerk.

Let me know when you want to move on and to where. Still two more leads.

To the clerk at the office
"I hope I will be able to check out Sir Reinhart's attempt. Right now we have to do something for Venture Captain Dreng. Good luck with your shift."

To the rest of the team
"While we are here we might as well check the wall of names to see what we can learn there"

To the wall!

"Need to do it all right? I don't see reason to go with one over another, and the Wall of Names is close." Agreeing.

"I would too like to see the wall of names. It will be the first time for me."

Going back to the coin, we have it, but haven't examined it yet?

It held a secret message. "The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more." and realizing no one got that knowledge check yet...

kn Religion: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Going back to the coin, we have it, but haven't examined it yet?

As Shelby says, it happened here.

Faeria's comments might be oblique in the next post, but they indicate info in the spoiler.

Adinomo pickpocketed the coin and he was so stealthy you did not notice it ;-)

And yes, Faeria did make the check but you probably need another check to decipher her. :) I'll assume you manage to worm it out of her eventually, so go ahead and look at that spoiler. On to the Wall of Names it is.

The clerk stares at your back as you take your leave, in envy that you have actual things to do. Despite the sprawling grounds of the Grand Lodge, you easily find the Wall of Names from the clerk's directions. Created in 4330 AR, the monument is a curving wall of black glass that stands atop a small hill at the western edge of the lodge’s grounds. Trees surround the hill, providing ample shade and privacy for those visiting the wall to remember fallen comrades. Carved into the wall are the name and date of death of every Pathfinder killed in the course of duty since the Society’s formation, and most entries also include a sentence or two summarizing either the agent’s greatest accomplishments or how she died.

Baron Rysalius Starnon, Deceased 4715 AR. Died heroically to protect his fellow Pathfinder from a tentacled horror.

Admiral "Dent" Zhebugbug. Deceased 4712 AR. Lost with his companions Ksenia and BaddaDing in the bowels of the Blakros Museum.

By the way, I'm sure most of you know this, but there’s an actual Wall of Names Facebook page, where you can leave an eulogy for any of your characters that fall along the way. :)

The group of you take some time to scour through the names, and eventually you find the three names mentioned in Adolphus’ note scattered about the wall, supposedly of bogus Pathfinders. (see maps and handouts for their names and eulogies) Strangely, certain phrases were underlined.

kn Local: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
"These phrases refer to people who failed the Starstone test."

knowledge (local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Is this their mom's home? I've never had one, but I've heard they hang things up you make even if it isn't very good."

*sniff* *sniff* "Well, I can't smell spaniel for all the tiger pee. Why do people think that tigers make such good companions? ...Jabberwockies! That's where the fun is! I love it when my little Pernacoutler comes whiffling up onto me, and I wrestle and tickle it to burbling glee. Hah! That rhymes!" She pulls out a wax crayon, and notes the rhyme in her spell book. The book is a loose folio filled with multi-color child's scrawl, and wrapped in a storybook cover that looks like it may have been left out in the woods for a month. "But spaniels live for a long time, maybe we should see it knows anything?"

"Hrm. Not sure how that information helps us."

"Remember the message of the coin: 'The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more.' We now have something to identify three failed aspirants with, instead of having to try them all.

Adinomo approaches a groundskeeper who is working on the lanes of the grand lodge

"Excuse me sir, have you ever heard of someone called Fimbrik?"

Diplomacy, gather info: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

No one on the grounds of the Grand Lodge have heard of Fimbrik. However, after some questioning, you are able to get directions to the Arcanamirium, the wizard's guild where Fimbrik is supposedly a member of (or at least according to Selmius' notes).

The party heads to the Wise Quarter, where the Arcanamirium is located. It is not only the largest and oldest school in Absalom, but it is quite possibly the most prestigious arcane academy in the entire Inner Sea region of Golarion. Within the sprawling grounds are also the dwellings of a number of wizards, mages and sorcerers of respectable standing within the academy. In Foster's notes is recorded the address of Fimbrik the Wizard, and although that would have been almost four hundred years ago, speaking with representatives of the Arcanamirium confirms Fimbrik’s address. However, everyone indicates having not heard from the gnome in several years.

You arrive at the stated address - an impressive stone dwelling reminiscent of what one might expect from an eccentric wizard’s home. A brick step leads to Fimbrik’s front entrance. Numerous stacks of newspapers are piled around the door and crammed into a thin slot at its base. Each rounded corner of the building has a large glass window (the blue curved lines) of which, as you approach, appears to be unshuttered and the curtains drawn open. (see maps and handouts)

"Newspapers? Either someone's a hermit or they haven't lived here for a long while."

Capone casts Detect Magic, thinking it appropriate for a gnome like himself.

Capone does not detect any magical aura on the door or the immediate area outside the house.

Faeria doing the same notes the spell in use

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

"Good boy. I didn't think you could train them to use divination! I only thought they could learn tricks like: come, heel, stay, illusion and complex magical engineering...."

She looks over the house, dazedly. "What a big house! Fimbrik must have a fine pedigree. I doubt he likes the rolled up newspapers...." She picks one up and unfurls it. "Wow... These are pretty old...."

"Should we knock or barge in"

Darven will also perceive the door for traps and locks.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

There's a simple rusty lock on the door, but no discernible traps.

There's a loud crash probably as Faeria picks up a loose brick and inexpertly tosses it through a nearby window.

"So much for the element of surprise."

When Faeria gets to that window, she can clearly see an elderly gnome garbed in noble attire with a dapper rounded hat on his head. Beside him resting against a shelf is a cane tipped with a brilliant glowing gem. He appears to be perusing his book collection, with his back facing the window, and does not appear to have noticed Faeria. Even when she sends the brick flying through the window with a loud crash, the gnome does not react.

Capone casts Detect Magic, thinking it appropriate for a gnome like himself.

I've just been reminded in another game I'm DMing that detect magic can penetrate barriers. So retcon my earlier post.

When you cast detect magic at the door, you can detect faint magic from the other side and, strangely, an occasional moderate magical aura as well. However, as you have no line of sight, you can't identify the aura.

"There's magic inside. Wouldn't expect any less from a gnome."

After Faeria throws a brick through the window, Capone facepalms. "Please, don't do that again. That is vandalism."

Capone then realizes that they are probably trespassing now and might even be breaking and entering, but dismisses it as necessities of being a Pathfinder.

Seeing that a window was already broken, Darven tries the front door and heads on in.

Darven calls out as he enters, "Hello. Fimbrik? We have a few questions for you."

Darven, the door is locked! Disable device or just bash it down?

As Darven tries the door, Capone shoots a look towards Faeria and then back at the party. "I would strongly prefer we unlock the door instead of bash it in if we have a choice. I can offer my magical assistance if someone is skilled at this task."

"I suppose with the loud crash of the window we are far beyond the point of knocking."

Capone casts Guidance on anyone trying Disable Device.

"So much for the element of surprise."

Faeria jumps in surprise at the presence of Shelby as if she is only just now seeing him. "Oh!? Hello." She tosses an exaggerated wink in his general direction, puts a finger to her lips and says: "Shhh."

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Faeria too has detect magic up. She takes a moment to regard the spaniel--err, 'gnome'.

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

On her turn.

"Oh? Hello...." Faeria kicks out the rest of the glass and climbs through the window like she did in her old squatting day--last Toilsday. She rummages through her robes for some food to feed the nice gnome. "Are you squatting here too?"

"Sure thing Capone, let me get my tools. Can you keep Faeria busy while I am working on this?"

Adinomo makes sure there is no trap on the door before he attempts to unlock the lock.
take 20 perception for 28
Disable Device, guidance: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 14 + 1 = 27

Adinomo notices no trap on the door, and he easily unlocks it.

You wonder what's the point though as Faeria continues her blatant vandalism, smashing through the window and climbing in from there, making a pretty loud commotion in the process. Thankfully, the house is quite set in from the main thoroughfare and in addition the area is largely deserted. (Off to admire the gallant Sir Reinhart, perhaps?) Thus far, you have not attracted any unwanted attention.

Despite all these, however, the gnome continues perusing the books on his shelf. When Faeria enters, she can clearly see a moderate magical aura radiating from the gnome. Much as she is captivated by the scintillating colours, she is unable to determine what school of magic it is from.

She walks up to the gnome and when she attempts to feed him, her hand passes right through!

So you have two ways in now, the front door or through the window.

Darven will just continue through the door. At any sense of foul play, Darven will strap his shield on and draw is sword.

Just as Darven steps into the room, what had initially appeared to be a circular design on the floor below the coffee table suddenly starts to glow ominously and in a flash of green light, 3 beetle-like creatures appear and attack the party!

You may occupy squares with objects in them but they are difficult terrain, e.g. climbing over sofa, squeezing past statue, etc.

Round 1
Knowledge(nature or planes) to identify
Status:
Bold may act
Greenwillow
Shelby
Adinomo
blue critter
green critter
red critter
Capone
Darven
Faeria

kn Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

"Ah an excellent time to continue my story about the bugs."

Begin Inspire Courage. +1 to hit and damage.

Also pull my bow.

"Ah fiendish fire beetles. Don't bother using fire or cold on them."

Adinomo steps into the room while he draws his rapier. He positions himself in front of the door to the other room and waves his weapon at the leftmost bug

Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 = 10
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Edited to account for inspire courage. Hoping flatfooted AC is 10...

Not that it mattered but don't forget the +1 to hit and dmg from Inspire Courage.

Greenwillow, I'll move on first to not hold back the others. You may post twice when you are ready.

Adinomo attempts to skewer the critter but his rapier scraps harmlessly across its carapace. The beetle in return attempts to bite him, but Adinomo dodges out of the way.

green bite, smite Adinomo: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

The other two beetle opens their carapace, unfurling their wings and takes flight, landing on either side of Darven. Flanking him, they attack, one managing to strike Darven before he manages to get his footing.

blue bite, flank, smite Darven: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 2 = 13
red bite, flank, smite Darven: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 1 + 2 = 21 dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Round 1/2
Knowledge(nature or planes) to identify
Status: inspire courage +1 to hit and damage
Bold may act
Greenwillow
Shelby
Adinomo
blue critter
green critter
red critter
Capone
Darven (-5)
Faeria

Continue to inspire. "That night hag had a particular affinity for maggots."

Take a ft step back. Then take a shot at the blue beetle.

Including inspire and -4 for firing into melee.

shortbow: 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 1 - 4 = 12
for damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Hearing the sounds of battle just beyond outside Faeria excuses herself from the gnome, moves to, and opens the door.

She turns to the gnome. "Do you see what's going on in here?"

Knowing that her friends and at least one disembodied voice are outside, she attempts to disbelieve.

will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Faeria, when you tried to feed the gnome previously, your hand went right through. I'll take it as satisfying the condition of "a character faced with proof that an illusion isn't real needs no saving throw," especially when the illusion did not react to you in anyway, so you have already disbelieved. You can amend your action.

I think it is still a double move (move to door, and then open it).

knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

"Darven, step to me!"

Adinomo takes a step to the side, hoping that Darven will flank with him. He readies his rapier to skewer the beetle as soon as it is distracted by Darven.

Readied action: attack after Darven takes a step
Attack, inspired, flank: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 14
Piercing damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Standard Action
Capone casts Guidance.

Non Action
He steps over and touches Darven with it. +1 to a d20 roll (I suggest using it on an attack)

(Using Cast-Move-Touch)

Move Action
Capone then takes out his cold iron light mace.