PbP GameDay IV: PFS #6-10: Wounded Wisp (1-2) - (Sept. 21 start) (Inactive)

Game Master PatheticWretch

"Very good Crowe! Yes, we knock at the door"

Yarricki answers, while stepping to the door. She then knocks on it, three times.

Yarricki knows confidently on the front door while Crowe checks out a window.

No one answers the door, even after several attempts.

Crowe relays that he sees a study, containing a round table surrounded by chairs, and the walls are replete with tome-laden bookshelves.

An elderly gnome garbed in noble attire with a dapper rounded hat on his head and a can tipped with a brilliant glowing gem in his hand is perusing a book collection inside.

Wazziri examines the mail slot with the paper shoved in it, and attempts to pull it out.

"A gnome, that I believe is Fimbrik, is inside the house reading a book. It seems to be a very exciting book, he doesn't show any will to get up and open the door for anyone".

Crowe scratches his no-haired head...

"Should we push the door down now?", he says with a smile on his face.

"Let me try to unlock it first." Disable Device: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Wazziri pulls out one of the papers stuffed in the mail slot, which proves to be an old weekly newspaper.

Boram removes some lock picks from his belt pouch and quickly sticks two of them in the lock, and with a flick of the wrist the door opens.

A large sofa sits awkwardly near the entrance, facing toward the center of the room. Sets of chairs and tables are arranged throughout, and statues of grandiose gnomes occupy the corners of the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

"You should all note that there is very little wear on the carpet and furniture, it doesn't look like anyone has been here for many years despite the lack of dust." Miranda helpfully points out to the others, "I would still be wary of magical traps, you may want to keep an eye out for them."

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Crowe notices the same as Miranda, and enters there with his weapon in hands.

"Follow me.", he whispers.

He starts to walk in the direction that he saw the gnome through the window.

Miranda sweeps her arm into the door as if to say to Crowe, 'Be my guest.'

Crowe shakes his head, in a sign of agreement to Miranda.

"Do the honors. He is in this way", the bloodrager points his forefinger in the direction that he saw the gnome a few minutes ago.

"No, I insist you go first, Crowe. If there is some sort of aggressive creature somewhere in there you are in more of a position to deal with it."

"Ok,,,"

Crowe goes first.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Wazziri will follow after the party, warily.

"Stay!" Yarricki orders Buzz outside, not wanting the wasp inside.

She then follows the others in and shouts out in gnomish "Hello! We knocked but you did not answer the door. We really need your assistance and are not here to cause you harm!"

She waits just inside the doorstep for any reaction.

Yarricki yells out again, this time in common "Hello?"

As the group enters the room, Wizziri notices what appears to be a magical trap. He points it out to the others and they are able to avoid it.

Crowe leads the way to the room he had seen the gnome in. This study contains a round table surrounded by chairs, and the walls are replete with tome-laden bookshelves. A gnome peruses a book collection, but does not respond to Yarricki. He simply looks up, smiles, and quickly goes back to his book.

Wazziri gets a momentarily brief fleeting thought, wondering if her cousin got here before her before frantically gesturing at the dangerous spot and giving the signals for UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES STEP OR TOUCH ANYWHERE NEAR HERE!

And then she makes her way into the study and attempts to give the gnome a polite tap on the shoulders. Maybe he's deaf? Socially inept?

Wazziri taps the gnome on the shoulder. The nicely-dressed gnome turns his head, nods, and then goes back to reading the book.

Dumbfounded Yarricki attempts to determine what ails the gnome, without touching him.

Heal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

if she does not find anything amiss she casts detect magic.

Yarricki gets close enough to the gnome to examine him closely as he looks at his book. She doesn't see anything amiss in the gnome's health.

She casts detect magic, and does detect magic in the area of the gnome.

concentrating, it's illusion magic, one moderate aura

Crowe gives a strong slap on the table, "hey you, can you hear me?", the bloodrager tries to grab the gnome's arm, "hey, answer me!"

Will DC 20: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Contemplating an attempt to force the gnome's compliance, Miranda begins to concentrate on him, lowering his mental defenses with her stare.

Using Hypnotic Stare to lower the gnome's Will save.

Crowe, that's either meta-gaming or looking behind my DM Screen! I didn't say to roll a Will save...

As the confused Pathfinders try to get the gnome's attention, they try casting spells, tapping his shoulder, and other tactics. After a minute or more, the gnome stops perusing his book and simply disappears completely. The magical aura Yarricki detected also disappears.

Yarricki determines that the gnome either cast a spell to disappear, or there must have been a powerful illusion, though none of them could see anything that would betray it.

Perception(+1 for traps): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Wazziri takes a long look around, hoping she's not setting herself up for a shank in the back, then looking about the house (avoiding the trapped area she already pointed out)

Crowe, that's either meta-gaming or looking behind my DM Screen! I didn't say to roll a Will save...

As the confused Pathfinders try to get the gnome's attention, they try casting spells, tapping his shoulder, and other tactics. After a minute or more, the gnome stops perusing his book and simply disappears completely. The magical aura Yarricki detected also disappears.

Yarricki determines that the gnome either cast a spell to disappear, or there must have been a powerful illusion, though none of them could see anything that would betray it.

** spoiler omitted **

Sorry for this. I won't repeat.

EDIT: I just wanted to play fast, nothing more.

Wazziri looks around and determines they can either go through double doors to the west, or a single door to the northeast.

Map is up if you want to see.

Crowe goes to the northwest door. "Here, let's check here", he says while checks the door, before open it.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

EDIT: northeast.

Sorry, door to the west and northeast (you said northwest).

Boram sticks behind Crowe as he checks the door.

which door? West or northeast? Look at the map, but the only vote so far was northwest, which is not an option.

which door? West or northeast? Look at the map, but the only vote so far was northwest, which is not an option.

I edited my post to northeast.

The tengu quietly points to the northeast, then points to her eyes with two fingers and at the double door to the west, watching that door while waiting for the party to enter the room that Crowe has selected.

Miranda silently examines her nails as she waits to see what's behind the northeast door.

Going to hand wave a little bit here...

The Pathfinders enter both of the other rooms they had not yet explored. To the west, they find a bedroom. A bed and desk occupy this room.

The same gnome they had seen before is peacefully sleeping in his bed with two muscle-bound men standing watch. Despite their efforts to get the attention of either the gnome or the bodyguards, neither react. Eventually, they all disappear, as well. Some of the party members guess this might have been a powerful illusion, though none of them could recognize any flaws with it.

The other chamber, to the east contains enough chairs, pillows, and desks to accommodate at least six visitors. Here, the gnome again appears to be sitting in a chair and reading a newspaper. Finally, Yarricki thinks she can see a flicker of magic, and decides it is definitely an illusion. Once the illusion disappears, the group searches the room thoroughly.

An examination of the table in the southwest corner reveals a neatly penned letter. Underneath the letter is a hastily scrawled note in similar handwriting. The name "Hollis “Evil Grin” Thorne" is scribbled on the second paper.

The group also finds a pair of potions in the window sill.

With a few minutes, the potions prove to be cure moderate
wounds and potion of lesser restoration

Wasn't quite sure how to adjudicate these illusions. They were all illusions, but were a Programmed Image spell, which is a 6th level illusion with a DC 20 Will save to disbelieve when interacted with. No one reached that DC until the very end, so no one recognized it as an illusion until Yarricki, but the spell also has a duration in rounds, so they eventually disappear. Basically, I played it as not seeing any problem with them (until Yarricki saw through it at the end). Am I missing anything here?

"Hollis “Evil Grin” Thorne... Survived the horrors of Nemret Noktoria, in the Darklands... Returned to "rot" from the inside... Password "Wiffle"... Does anybody understood something?", Crowe really doesn't understand nothing from those messages, but he hopes that someone does.

I think you were reasonable in the way you ran it, GM.

"I'm not entirely sure of what it means, other than that we should return to the Wall of Names to this Hollis Thorne's resting place and say the word 'Wiffle'. I hope that all shall be revealed then."

I think you were reasonable in the way you ran it, GM.

"I'm not entirely sure of what it means, other than that we should return to the Wall of Names to this Hollis Thorne's resting place and say the word 'Wiffle'. I hope that all shall be revealed then."

"So, let's try it!"

Crowe leads the party back to the wall to do Miranda's plan, if nobody oppose him.

"Now, who will say the word?"

"It sounds like it would be at a different place than the Wall, given that last line of the letter? But aspirants...? Heck if I know."

Wazziri will go along with the party...

GM: fine with the way you ran it, it was unfortunately that I could not follow up on it, but that is PbP sometimes."

Yarricki thinks out loud
"Maybe we should ask Janira at the Wounded Wisp what these aspirants are, she seems to know a lot"

"Yes, that seems like our only option right now since we are lacking in that specific knowledge."

Okay, I have two votes for going back to the wall and two votes for going back to Janira to ask about the aspirants. Anyone want to change their vote or provide a tie-breaker?

Wazziri considers the options, as she'd been keeping quiet this whole time.

"It'd be smart to check in with Janira, that way we can learn any more history about the Aspirants and any called out in the info we've gotten? Let's do that?"

Wazziri considers the options, as she'd been keeping quiet this whole time.

"It'd be smart to check in with Janira, that way we can learn any more history about the Aspirants and any called out in the info we've gotten? Let's do that?"

"Ok, let do this way."

The Pathfinders make their way back in the rain to the Wounded Wisp, where they find Janira just packing up her things.

"Hey, back so soon?" she asks, though it is clear she is happy to see the group, and particularly Yarricki.

"Yarrick? Miranda? You will talk to her, or I'll have to do this?", says Crowe, impatient.

Miranda explains the whole story of what the group has found out thus far and politely asks for Janira's advice.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Janira listens with great excitement as Miranda explains what they have found. However, she doesn't seem to know what the group should do.

"Failed aspirants...that's on my mind today, because there is one Sir Reinhart, a Mendevian crusader intent on becoming a god, who will attempt the Test of the Starstone today. If he can cross the chasm outside Starstone Cathedral, he will succeed and become a god. If not, he will enter the Shrine of the Failed...the place that remembers those that did not succeed. That is all happening today!"

"So....back to the Wall of Names to find this Thorne fellow and say 'wiffle'?" Miranda suggests again to the others with a polite smile.

"So....back to the Wall of Names to find this Thorne fellow and say 'wiffle'?" Miranda suggests again to the others with a polite smile.

"Yes, let's check it again."

Once there, Crowe will look for any hidden device around the Hollis “Evil Grin” Thorne's name.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 Nice.

The Pathfinders return to the Wall of Names. No one else is there, and the rain continues to come down.

They find the inscription again for Hollis "Evil Grin" Thorne.

They do not see any hidden device, and pronounce "Wiffle" in multiple variations and languages, all to no effect.