[PFS] GM Skipper's Echoes of the Everwar series (Inactive)

Game Master SkipperD

The ghostly concubines drone on.

"The dragon is not a suitable vessel, but the elf and... Goblin will suffice, but we need one more."

Sekmanhu eyes the proceedings with distrust and voices her opinion.

"This is highly unusual, but not entirely unheard of. I suggest you help them, as to shepherd them to the afterlife as is proper."

Shel looks around at the others. "If it will help us succeed at stopping him, I'll volunteer as your third."

If anyone has doubts this would be a good time to use that boon that allows you to ask the GM if a course of action would be wise from The Confirmation chronicle.

Doesn't seem like anyone has an issue with being possessed.

With your willing cooperation, the three spirits posses you; Kamilah posessing Bauble, Akila posessing Shel and Meskhenet posessing Vladek. After a short moment of vertigo, you feel like yourselves again, albeit with a subtle presence in the back of your mind and a desire to carry the spirit's associated item. (Akila's non-magical wand, Kamilah's +1 flaming burst keen falchion and Meskhenet’s staff of swarming insects)

Torvald suddenly knows precisely where in the Necropolis of the Faithful Zuberi's tomb is.

Still looking dubious Torvald scans the Necropoils, We need to head over there he says, pointing to where they need to go. He leaps into thee saddle and takes off towards the tomb.

"Well, this feels a bit strange, but I'm no worse for wear. Let's get on with it then," Shel says as they head to find their specific tomb.

Bauble starts talking to his possessing spirit, murmuring under his breath. Asking her is she is a princess and going on about the dime store romance novels he has read. He offers to read to her. How very intimate!

"How do you do?" Says Qadathra telepathically as he senses the spirit enter his master's mind. "I'll just put on some etheric tea for the three of us, shall I?"

"What's that? You want me to bear your extraordinary magic staff? Well, don't mind if I do."

Shel keeps the spirit's particular kukri, along with her guost touch one at the ready. She stowed her human bane blade away, only expecting to find undead as they progressed.

Eolowyn shrugs better them than me

Nuar contemplates what measures may need to be taken should the spirits decide to stick around in their hosts after the mission.

Whoops! It's Vladek who revived the flash of insight, not Torvald, but whatever.

Making you way through and over the necropolis, you find the tomb you seek.

Alabaster steps ascend an elevated platform under the shade of a solid stone roof supported by eight thick columns, each one carved in the likeness of a bearded Osirian councilor. Along the far wall, three sets of golden double-doors await, each inscribed with intricate hieroglyphs.

The doors are open, revealing sloped passageways descending into the tomb.

Map updated.

linguistics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32

"The tomb of Sahib ul-Makam al-Rafi Khalfani Zuberi. Sahib ul-Makam al-Rafi means “Holder of the Eminent Position”. Looks like the right place. Any of you spirituous ladies have a clue what is inside?"

Torvald glances at the columns, mentally translating the iconography. Hmm, a tomb, we should probably prepare for danger he mutters before casting a few spells.

He then directs Ka down the central passage assuming there is space for him to squeeze inside. Torvald will lead him down (it doesn't look like there is space to ride there), checking for traps as he goes.

Torvald takes 10 on perception for 41

Torvald casts extended shield of faith shared with Ka, he recovers it with a pearl, and freedom of movement shared with ka. The buff list is updated.

Nuar will Mage armor himself and anyone else who wants one and activate his wand of Heightened Awareness which he will discharge if combat occurs.

Bauble joins the fun and casts an extended keen edge and extended shield on himself and a heightened awareness from his wand. He also decorates the princesses wand with bone fragments if he can find them

Shel didn't feel like her spirit had anything to add to the discussion. As such, she led the others into the tomb, looking for traps.

Perception 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (15) + 21 = 36

Eolowyn casts barkskin on herself "And another dungeon, oh joy!"

I assume this counts as favored terrain underground?

The sloped, un-trapped passageways descend ten feet before opening into a large 35-foot-square chamber. Four decorative clay urns stand beside each entrance along the north wall. To the west, an alabaster throne inlaid with gold, lapis lazuli, and carnelian stones sits upon a raised dais flanked by two bronze braziers. The throne overlooks a miniature model of buildings and structures in the center of the room, portraying the city of Sothis. To the south, two statues with the heads of jackals stand with stone glaives in their hands by a huge stone door engraved with the symbol of an all-seeing eye. Hieroglyphs also cover the entire eastern wall, reaching all the way to the chamber’s 20-foot ceiling. The images depict scenes of everyday life in ancient Osirion.

@Eolowyn: You assume correctly.

Bauble is immediately drawn to the miniature city and can't resist

Wow! I wish I had some minis. This would be so much fun."

He just can't stop himself and he touches it, if it matters. He does not rush forward to do this so give the other players a chance to react and position themselves. I'd really rather not have Bauble in the room alone if things go sideways on him because of his playfulness.

Vladek and Qadathra (and by necessary extension, Meskhenet) join Bauble in marveling at the diorama.

"Funny, I can't see my house from here...!"

Or can I, DM???

Also, is it the same day as before, or would we have rested, and everything that goes with that, in the interim?

I don't think we rested, the necropolis wasn't very far away and we need to stop Zuberi doing whatever he is doing.

Leaving Ka near the entrance Torvald does a quick circuit of the room, checking each of the exits for dangers and the walls and statues for hidden compartments and the like. Does anyone know what these statues represent?

Take 10 for perception for 41

Nuar will move in and cast Detect Magic.

Torvald finds three secret doors in the wall opposite the throne, and Naur can deduce that each is secured with an Arcane Lock spell. The hieroglyphs on the eastern wall actually mark the three secret doors. Each set of hieroglyphs corresponds to a different age in Zuberi’s life. The northernmost door has glyphs depicting his childhood. The middle (and most prominent of the scenes) shows Zuberi as a middle-aged man. And the southernmost door displays glyphs of an elderly man.

@Vladek: Yes it's the same day. When was your Sothis town house built?

@Vladek: Yes it's the same day. When was your Sothis town house built?

Good question; let's say sometime during my lifetime (134 years).

Does anyone know what these statues represent?

Can I make a Knowledge check to know - or perhaps Craft (Sculptor)?

Seems like the best plan would be to take the secret doors in chronological order, from earliest to later in his life."

"On the other hand he seems to favor his middle-aged period.... But I guess that with three concubines we need to go through all three doors eventually"

Torvald examines the mural with the three hidden doors. I agree, I think we need to check each of them, and one doesn't seem more likely than any others.

With that he checks the first door for traps and magic and, assuming all is clear, opens it.

Just assume he will be taking 10 on Perception wherever he can with these doos for 41

Sounds good to me.

Vladek looks over the diorama with disappointment; it seems to out-date his house by a few centuries.

Torvald finds no traps on any of the secret doors and opens the one emblazoned with images of youth. Beyond, a 20-foot-long hallway extends down a narrow passage, ending at a stone door. The door’s surface bears a bas-relief of an Osirian nobleman holding a scepter of authority.

@Vladek: The craftsmanship of the statues is good but unremarkable for a tomb from this period.

"Bauble open door?"

Regardless, bauble will cast one of his mirror images on himself before the door is opened.

Images: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"Maybe you want to check for traps first?"

Perception take 20 for 38

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Bauble pauses and gives the door a good looking over.

We probably need to move our icons.

Shel moves forward and scans for traps.

Perception vs traps 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27

Your caution is well-founded, as the narrow hallway contains not one, but two traps; a gas dispenser of sorts and a concealed pit trap.

Shel waves everyone back and takes on the traps one at a time.

Disable Device 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (11) + 24 = 35

Disable Device 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 44

Shel disables both traps with trained ease.

Bauble fidgets as Shel disables the traps. With her final exhale/sigh Bauble asks, "Bauble open now?"

I moved all the icons except the mounts. I put the witch and wizard outside the corridor, looking around the corners. I have the rogue/magus/ranger/cleric in the corridor in that order. Please adjust if you feel like it before the door is opened.

Shel exhaled deeply as she waved eveeeyone forward. "I think I got both of them. And I'll bet there's more traps in every room and hallway, so be sure to let me do my thing. Torvald, any help you give with noticing those things would be appreciated."

Once the group was ready, she led the way into the room.

Happy to help wherever I can Shel...

Torvald will take up a position just behind Shel, checking as we go, given this is a spooky old tomb.

Taking 10 for 41

I have been sitting out a bit as I have run this a couple of times as it remains fairly familiar to me.

Traversing the now un-trapped hallway, you realize that the door at the end is a false one and can't even be opened.

"How very Osirian," Says Vladek dryly.

Shel nods at Vladek's truth telling. She moves onto the next door/hallway. She again looks for traps.

Perception 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (15) + 21 = 36

Opening the door engraved with images of adulthood reveals another hallway trapped in a similar manner as the first.

This is beginning to get tedious. Shel, let me give you a little help with this one.

Torvald places one hand on Shel's should and invokes a brief blessing on her.

Torvald casts Guidance for a +1 competence bonus, assuming you don't have one already.

Shel again waves everyone back and takes on the traps one at a time.

Disable Device with Guidance 1d20 + 24 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 24 + 1 = 42

Disable Device 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (12) + 24 = 36

Eolowyn waits silently while Shel and Torvald deal with the traps

These two traps pose no challenge to Shel either, but to rain on her parade, this hallway's door is also fake.