PFS PbP Game Day IV: DM Carbide's Thornkeep Level 1 (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

Aeilín’s lips part in a feral growl. Rushing forward, she slams into the remaining goblin with all her fury.

MW Silver Morningstar, Bull Rush: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 = 11
Damage, 1H: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

-2 AC for round

That one is actually up about ten feet, on the balcony around the room.

ETA: It looks like you could climb up in one round via one of the demon statues.

Oops. In that case...

Aeilín crouches behind her shield and moves forward, to draw the creature’s attention and give her allies room to maneuver.

Total Defense: +4 AC = 24

Round 7:

Initiative order
Goblin-acted
Party

Screaming incoherently, the last goblin pops up and shoots at Aelin. By sheerest luck, its arrow passes through the narrowest of gaps in the canny bloodrager's defenses and inflicts 1 HP. Now, however, it is no longer in cover....

The skeleton clambers single-mindedly toward the final foe while Nectanebo takes an Elven shortcut somehow manages to fire his arrow backward.

shortbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
high says I can retrieve my arrow: 1d100 ⇒ 82

Kerastes drops his morningstar and draws his bow while walking forward. He reaches for an arrow, takes aim and let's go...

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

only to find that he should have taken more time to aim the arrow.

”Not that I’m complaining,” Simon mutters as he pops off another volley from his wand, which spirals through the air, snakes between pillars, and slams into the remaining goblin, ”but this guy needs to learn when to cut and run.”

Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Kerastes and Nectanebo both miss, while Simon's missile wounds but does not drop the goblin.

Give me a climb check for the skeleton, Nectanebo.

Climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

The skeleton gives a fine display of how bones move when climbing. Medical students could take notes.

Muusa moves up to Aelin and focuses her healing powers, as she has no ranged weapon and can't get to the goblin easily.

Healing Hex: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"That skeleton is amazing," she says guilelessly. "It reminds me of the wrathful thangkas we sometimes put up during special sky burials. We should always have a skeleton around!"

Aelin is up!

This seems to be working, more or less...

Aeilín remains fixed behind her shield, taunting their opponent further.

“Bad shot! Are goblins blind, as well as stupid?”

Total Defense: +4 AC = 24

With the skeleton having successfully climbed to the balcony, the last goblin runs for it. It disappears from sight, apparently heading for the southwest wall. Its movement on a withdraw will take it out of Simon's line of sight by the time he acts.

So should we worry about remaining in combat rounds?

Only if Nectanebo is going to send his skeleton after the goblin.

ETA: Or if one of you thinks of something else you'd like to try.

Simon idly spins wands, "See there? It does have a brain." He frowns, "Though now I suppose they know we're coming." He grins over at his armor-clad teammates, "There went the stealthy approach."

If in combat, call it a Delay.

"Should we keep going, then?"

The room, as noted before, is decorated with huge statues of multiarmed serpentine demons. To the southeast is an open archway through which can be seen stairs leading up. To the south, across from the way you entered the room, is a large stone door.

(The link to the door pic may be borked; let me know if you can't see it.)

There is enough rubble and scaffolding in the room, in addition to the statues themselves, to make climbing up to the balcony a straightforward proposition.

"The door of seven stars!" says Muusa excitedly. "And the wizard thought that the top star was the red star..."

She looks at the door from a careful distance, then pauses. "Um, is anybody good with traps?"

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

“Traps? We could throw one of the goblin corpses at it... See if that works?” Aeilín muses.

"The skeleton...can it open doors? Or press stars in this case?" Muusa turns her wide grin and jaunty eyebrows towards Nectanebo.

Throwing a corpse at the door has no apparent effect, short of leaving a smear of blood down the face of it.

Simon slides his two wands back into his pack as he considers the door. As he thinks, he mutters a few strange words ... words of power, as he looks for any arcane auras in the room or around the door.

Would any of Simon's Knowledges give him any insights into the nature or history of the door itself?
Knowledge (Arcana, History, Planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15; +1 if Arcana

Casting Detect Magic
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

As he works and considers, he gives the goblin bodies (especially the one sliding down the door's face) a nod, "Someone should check those for anything useful. Keys or potions or whatever."

The stars are indentations in the door's surface.

Simon, you've never run across this before in your studies. There is a magical aura on the door, but you are unable to characterize it.

ETA: The goblins on this level have Small shortswords, shortbows, and leather armor.

Nectanebo pulls his giant pearl out again and looks at the door through it.

detect magic and Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Knowledge (Engineering): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Jesus Christ on a bicycle, that sucked.

Nectanebo, you're able to tell that there's a powerful abjuration effect in and on the door, but that's all.

When no one seems to want to approach the door, Simon steps up. He frowns at the door’s style and motif, obviously not understanding what any of it might mean. As he gets closer, he focuses on the top one … the Red Star.

I think I’ve made some rolls that were blanket knowledge rolls, but would a specific roll about the Red Star give us any insights as to what we’re looking at here?
Knowledge (Arcana or Planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22; +1 if Arcana.

He seems about to touch it, but hesitates. ”Since we really don’t know what this does. I’d suggest we go looking for more clues. Who knows what insights we might find what a bit of snooping about.” He steps back and looks at the room itself, then at the balcony and the stairs though the open archway.

Finally, he points to the stairs, ”I say we go that way.”

Does Simon have any insights into the statues or style of this room itself that might be helpful to us?
Knowledge (Arcana, history, Planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29; +1 if Arcana

The top star is not red. Actually, the picture is more accurate than my original statement: there is a single star pattern, surrounded by a circle of seven thumb-sized sockets. All of the sockets are empty. Simon's recollection of his studies provides no clues; there are many things it could be.

With a bit of thought, Simon recognizes that the statues depict marilith demons.

Everyone good with going up the stairs?

Yup

Stowing her mace and shield, Aeilín retrieves her massive blade, heading up the stairs warily.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Stealth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4           Klunk, klunk, klunk...

Are we all healed up? If not, can we get that way? Especially Kerastes. If he doesn't have a wand of healing of his own, Simon would gladly hit him with his Wand of Infernal Healing (if Kerastes is okay with that)

Kerastes retrieves his weapons and puts his bow away. He then flicks his wrist to get a wand in his hand which he uses on himself

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

He offers the wand to Muunokhoi "Here, it might be better if you hold onto this. Feel free to use it on our fellow Pathfinders."

And let me know how many charges you use

He then follows the others to the door and casts two minor spells detect magic and guidance

Knowledge Arcana, guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 1 = 23

"Hmm, as long as this door is closed we are probably better of exploring the rest of the corridors. Let's follow that goblin and see if we can find any clue as to what this door leads to."

"It is an honor to do so," says Muunokhoi with a bow and a wink. "I am not very good at combat yet."

Will do.

"Simon, who worships marilith demons?" Muusa stares up at the statues. "They don't look very friendly."

Simon shrugs, "Not a clue. I have a hard time getting through religious books." Not trained in Religion or Local.

Kerastes, you can also tell there's a strong abjuration aura present on the door, but nothing beyond that.

ETA: Just to clarify, the goblin fled from the balcony, and you're on the main floor. If you want to follow the goblin you'll have to climb up there.

"So, what shall we do? My vote is on climbing up that balcony and follow that goblin. Carefully that is, it would not surprise me if it has activated all traps that it can activate."

“It seems advisable to track him down, anyway...”

Pulling off her heavy armor and strapping it to her pack, Aeilín sets to climbing up clad in her chain shirt.

Climb/take 10: 10 + 5 = 15

Sure you want to bother to do that, Aeilín? Doffing armor, let alone changing into another suit takes a significant amount of time.

Not really, but short of you guys hauling me up on a rope, I don’t think I’d make it. I don’t think we’re in a terrible hurry, but we can try that, if you guys want to go first.

I'm guessing if it's going for reinforcements, it's already there. You removing your armor to try to chase it seems unlikely to be useful. I'd rather just go up the stairs and see what we find that way. If we really need to go after it ... I say just make the attempts in your armor. We can heal you up if you fall in the attempt, but at last you'll be ready to rumble once you get up there.

"I disagree," Simon says to the warrior woman, "but if you're set on trying to follow the murderous little archer, keep your armor on to do it."

I understood that there are no stairs for us to climb

Kerastes starts climbing up the balcony, casting guidance before every attempt.

Climb, Guidance: 1d20 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 2 - 4 + 1 = 8
Climb, Guidance: 1d20 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 - 4 + 1 = 4

but his first two attempts fail, the Oread is glad that he was attempting to climb up and tries again.

Climb, Guidance: 1d20 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 4 + 1 = 17

"I would rather go up the stairs," says Muusa, watching Kerastes' attempts.

Sorry for the confusion, Kerastes. There is an exit from the ground level, an opening in the SE wall, with stairs beyond it going up. And if Aelin wants to doff her armor for the climb, I'm OK with that. How long does that skeleton stick around again, Nectanebo?

Up to 10 minutes.

"Oh" Kerastes says rather sheepishly "I did not see those. Yes let's take the stairs then." and he walks towards the stairs, glaive in hand. Kerastes waits at the first landing for the others.

no problem GM

Ah, I’d forgotten about old ‘Bonesy McSkeletor’. To the STAIRS!

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

The stairs go up one more flight past the landing before ending in a hallway going southeast. After forty or fifty feet, the hall turns due east, and you can see that it widens about thirty feet ahead.

Kerastes slowly moves forward while checking for traps
Perception take 10 for 18

The room ahead is empty of apparent enemies, a simple widening of the hallway, which continues from the other side and seems to turn north at the edge of your vision. Sand and rubble fill the corners of the room, and a sound of splashing water can be heard from down the hall.