PFS Gameday IV Traitor's Lodge (Inactive)

Game Master Curaigh

"I dunno Liana. My eyes are watering too much from the smell to see much of anything in there."

Sorry internet was down today... I am not sure which way the party is going, but I think it is to leave the room with the water. Just in case, I'll post both.

Room with the water:

Stairs descending west:
The walls of this room are lined with steel bookshelves bolted into the polished stone. Books rest comfortably against each other, each given ample room to be removed without risk of damaging the contents within. Two black leather chairs next to the western wall are positioned around an ostentatious wooden table supporting a single glass tumbler. There are two identical, reinforced wooden doors along the western wall.

Wembly sees nothing out of the ordinary.

Studying the contents of the Library will take roughly 10 minutes, if anyone wants to.

"Do we have time study these tomes? It might prove useful."

"Not study them! Bit your tongue." Liana exclaims as she delves into the library.

Vermin chatter as they descend the steps and one can almost hear the squeal as they scatter to avoid anyone getting too close.

"This place is creepy, hardly the place I want to curl up with a good book...or dozen. But that's just me."

Wembly and Whiskers will check around for other exits while others read.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 (+2 for Stonecunning)

"I dun't see nuthin'. Looks like the rats got to everything."

Galandaro also goes in and starts inspecting the tomes...
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Valor notices wet footprints leading into this room and directly under his feet. Wembly discovers a cache of bottles in a desk drawer, while Galandro goes through the books. These are largely notes & research about Thurl's experiments with demons.

Neither door seems trapped or gives any indication to any difference from the other.

sorry all, I thought I posted Saturday. I will add some detail to the research & search checks as well as the next room (which door?) When I get back to a computer tonight. We need one more (successful)perception check in this room.

No real knowledge, but lets see about perceptions

Perceptiong: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 (+1 more for traps)

Can I get another d20 from everyone for research in this room please?

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Galandaro puts down a book and helps search the rest of the room.

Room Party: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Party Foul

Research : 1d20 ⇒ 13

research: 1d20 ⇒ 11
+10 for planes nature or arcana

This library contains the darkest and most depraved material of Thurl’s collection, the contents of which go beyond amateur curiosity or even detached academic study. Each book details obscene Abyssal rituals, diagrams illustrating with a torturer’s morbid precision the anatomy of scores of creatures, untold annotations, and even decades of tables that closely resemble a shopkeeper’s ledgers. Making sense of this collection
requires at least half an hour of reading.

Thurl has experimented for years in the creation of Abyssal hybrids—dissecting demon corpses, sewing pieces back together, soldering and animating them with essence derived from Abyssal larvae, and often discarding imperfect creations. Annotations and notes scattered across a dozen volumes reference how he has “devised a technique to rival the creative power of Lamashtu’s womb,” “gone beyond the limited theories he purchased from Aslynn,” and even “discovered how to harness the power of the marilith.”

Valais becomes increasingly unsettled by any discoveries the PCs make regarding Thurl’s experiments, and any revelation about the larvae’s use in animating a construct cause her to withdraw emotionally in quiet introspection. "How much..." she begins in a whisper. "How much of me...?"

In addition, the ledgers seem to track fluctuations in the price of larvae, the souls of those condemned to the Abyss which the pathfinders recognize as valuable planar trade goods. In fact, the texts indicate that Thurl actively participated in the larvae trade.

Several drawers in the bottom of the southern bookshelf contain 20 bottles of fine liquor as well as several potions for emergency use. Each bottle of alcohol represents a fine vintage from somewhere in Absalom.

True to his upbringing Val is drawn to an axe hanging in brackets by the stairs (masterwork)

Sorry about that, this room required making two of the following, not just one. Appraise, Heal, Knowledge (arcana, planes, or religion), Linguistics, or Profession (merchant) Please note buffs spells with duration less than a 10/minutes per level will have expired.

*bing* *bing* the party has gained two (2) evidence points.

North door or south (or some backtracking)?

Oh! I missed the Profession (merchant) bit.

Profession (merchant): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Wembly will check the north door since he is already there.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 if it does not look like it will explode, he will open it.

"What do you think is in here? More books?"

Nice Valor :)

Wembly opens the north door. The walls here are polished and smooth, unlike the stone block construction elsewhere. The floor bears a strange symbol of concentric circles and compasslike stars, and the entire carving glows with a steady, red light. Writing covers much of the walls, some of it in dark blue charcoal and the rest in deep red paint. A shallow tray along the north wall holds several sticks of steel-gray chalk.

As the party continues to press forward Galandaro inspects the smooth stone construction out of curiosity. He sees the writing and recognizes some of the lettering. With time he determines it is Abyssal and tells his companions "This might be important. It is Abyssal. Provide me a few moments to read, translate and interpret it."

linguistics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 close...

Wembly studies but cannot quite figure out the writings.

My head hurts now...

Gm, Galandaro knows Abyssal

"Umm... excuse me Master Gnome, but you are standing in my light and obstructing my view of the lower letters. Kindly move aside so I may finish."

edited

Right. :} Wembly just likes puzzles so he would try anyway

edited:

Oops - right-o Galandaro. Sorry. I just thought it was all cool and swirly writing and maybe planar stuff...
and I just think that kind of stuff is really interesting you know.
I mean...um...sorry, yes, moving out of the way now.

Wembly will step aside, somewhat embarrassed for rattling on.

Dorobo watches and listens, but unable to make anything out.

After 10 minutes of translating you have a rough idea that this is correspondence between two people. Most of the correspondence involves the two haggling over prices and the exchange of goods, in particular the price of larvae (previously mentioned in the library). One particular passage in the southeastern corner stands out as different from the others.
EDIT: see handout on maps :)

Wembly comments on the writings.

Sounds like that Thurl is having an argument with somebody. What's in that other door, Valor?

Liana cast detect magic.
"I wounder if anything unseen is going on in this room?"

Liana gets of sense of some strong conjuration magic and the circle is capable of trapping an outsider into it. However it is empty at the moment. The runes match some of those from the flooded room.

"I commend you on your assessment Master Gnome. Indeed the larvae is of some importance to these men. Liana did you detect anything?" Galandaro asks the human.

it appear that the cicle could hold an outsider and I detect a conjuration spell. Interesting.

Wembly has said he wants to move to next area. Who wants to do anything more in this conjuration room with scrawled conversations? Who wants to proceed?

Galandaro will proceed to the next room with the gnome.

Liana quckly follow Wembly egar to see what new wonders lie ahead

Chittering vermin skitter ahead as the door is opened. Glass cases, each a three-foot cube, line the walls of this L-shaped five-foot-wide stone hallway. Each sealed alcove contains the slowly wriggling form of what appears to be an oversized insect larva that has a vaguely humanoid head wrinkled in pain.

Valais stares with sad fascination at the larvae.

That is enough for consensus, if anyone wants to do anything more in the previous room feel free to retcon. :)

Dorobo will proceed.

"Am I? Valais starts. "Am I still? Am I a Pathfinder? Am I still even...?" She looks to the pathfinders questioningly.

"Of course you are. Don't ever think differently." Galandaro tells her.

"Yes, we are here to help. Is there anyone else down here?

Valais takes sollace in your answers. She reaches toward the glass and the larvae inside moves toward her, it's face scrunched in some combination of pain and madness. The venture captain pulls her hand away if not her eyes, then answers Wembly's question. "No, not that I know of. I left here weeks ago."

Kn (planes) for information on the larvae.

Galandaro also inspects what Valais is looking at..
K Planes: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Galandro recognizes them as larvae CR 1/2 creatures that you already knew about. (sorry I couldnae remember the DC when I posted this morning.

What's next?

"Is that a door here?" Galandaro points to the south of the south end of the corridor. "Where does it lead?"

k planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
"Did you know that a slain petitioner such as this larva is gone forever. Wow its like distroying a soul. I thing we should leave these creatures alive if not freed. Hay can we free them? Maybe help them?"

"Can we take them back with us? What of the room with the weird writing? Would you think that would help or make it worse? ."

The larva's cases can probably be opened. (no check needed).

What about what about the room with writing? I am not sure of the question, but will retcon if the answer requires it :)

Galandaro opens the door to the south. The popping and fizzing of bubbling liquid echoes throughout this rectangular chamber. To the west, a platform towers fifteen feet over the rest of the room. A steel grate extends from this platform like a bridge to a large metal cauldron suspended by rusty chains above the floor. Steep steps descend around support pillars to the level below and a pair of iron doors to the east.

Wembly peers into the room looking for movement of any occupants.

Galandaro, I do not know about you, but I bet that bubbling brew is not good.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"Hmm i do not like the looks of this." Galandaro says as he takes a few minutes to focus his magical senses to detect anything radiating magic in the area.detect magic going from him out to the bubbling cauldron.

Valor stows his shield and grips his Waraxe with both hands. (AC now 24)

"I dinnae like the smell o' this..."

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Almost too quiet, Valor...well except for the bubbling that is. Somebody has to be making this soup.