And Then a Skeleton Popped Out: subSPUF Carrion Crown

Game Master Rynjin

"Don't worry, we'll get you outta here alive."

Bulldozer turns to the Gustav. "So, do we have anythin' to work with right now? Any clues or theories?"

"None. As you can imagine, the guards weren't too concern with little things like 'evidence' or 'due process'. This Trial is a farce, everyone's already made up their minds. The Beast is guilty because he's the Beast. However, the only people we need to sway are the JUDGES, however difficult that may be."

"You should start your investigation in Morast. He's accused of killing a number of people there."

"Very well."

Any final input before we go to the swamp?

You head to Morast, a small village in the middle of the Dippelmere Swamp. After following a small, but well worn trail about 8 miles east from Lepidstadt, you arrive.

Morast is a ramshackle collection of about 20 hovels built on stilts above the swamp. The villagers make a living catching blood caiman (a vareity of crocodiles with red scaled heads native to the swamp).

The inhabitants of Morast have a strange reputation in the area around Lepidstadt. They are rumored to have, somewher ein their somewhat inbred ancestry, mingled their lines with that if supernatural swamp creatures. The validity of these claims has never been confirmed, but the fact remains that the swampers possess both extremely hardy constitutions (sickness is all but unknown among them, a miraculous feat given the squalid conditions in which they live, and they have longer than average lifespans) and a strange appearance.

The Beast is accused of killing 10 villagers...which is a significant portion of the population here.

On the next episode of Swamp People: Golarion Edition...

You're met by an old man.

"'Ey! Whatta you doin' in mah swamp?"

"Ah didn't see no sign sayin' this was yer swamp, ol' timer. Besides, what're ye doin' in MAH swamp?!"

"Oy, I 'specially don't remember givin' you permission, dwarf. We don't much take kindly to your race 'round these parts."

No, of course you don't.

*ahem* "What he meant to say is that we're here to investigate the recent murders that took place here. If you're willing to cooperate, we'll be out of your hair that much faster."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

He turns his head to the side and spits brown liquid out of his mouth before turning back to Azrin.

Edit: You know, I ad-libbed that bit, and then realized it's actually in the book. This man is perhaps the most stereotypical character in all of Pathfinder.

"Well why didn' you say so directly, sonny?"

"I'll tell you what I told the guards hereabouts 3 days or so ago."

"That Beast there started of taking people what done gone off alone without tellin' anybody. At first, we figgered they'd got et by the caiman or somethin', as is not partic'ly unusual r'round these parts, but after the third or fourth one went missin' we knew somethin' was up."

"He finally grew a pair and came after our houses a few times, so we set up a trap fer 'im. We laid up waitin' for 'im one day, and come nightfall he showed up. We set on 'im with torches, and lit his ass up but GOOD." he pauses to guffaw loudly for several seconds.

"Shoulda seen this big seven foot plus creature hootin' and hollerin' with his tushy a burnin'. He fled into the swamp to put the fire out, and we hopped in our boats and chased after 'im. Chased 'im all the way to the Boneyard afore a blood caiman popped outta teh water right on top of 'im. Took a big ole bite outta his shoulder. Thing started hollerin' even louder then, screamin' curses what would make the cheapest whore in Lepidstadt-or even that dwarf there's mother- blush. Didn't do 'im no good though, 'cuz thr caiman dragged 'im right under not long after."

"Figgered 'e was dead since them caiman are nasty sumb##@!es, but when I heard the guards 'ad captured 'im I wanted to give my story. Figger if I testify, the guards'll finish off the job we started with the Punishin' Man!" he guffaws some more.

"'E deserves it too. Not only did he murder a buncha villagers, he got his damn blood all over the Boneyard. Place is contaminated now, we had to build a new 'un."

"That's about the gist of it anyhow. If'n y'all wanna go check out the Boneyard fer yerselfs, we can rent y'all a boat."

"The boat doesn't happen to fit just 2 people at a time does it?"

"Two an' a driver, yep. Why'd ya ask?

Steef eyes Bulldozer suspiciously. "Come on, Azrin. Zeke'll go with the caveman."

"That'll be 5 silver a boat."

"Sounds perfectly reasonable."

Azrin pays for his and Steef's boat.

You hop in the boats and head off, serenaded by sweet banjo music periodically coming in from the shore.

After about a mile of boating through the swamp, you arrive.

A tiny, miserable island rises from the swamp, a tangle of trees covering its dour, reed-choked surface. Hundreds of fetishes hang from the trees—simple, roughly humanoid figures made of sticks and bound with twine. Larger fetishes are planted in the ground on various parts of the island, leaning drunkenly in the soft mud. A large nest built of sodden swamp wood sits high in the boughs of a trio of tangled trees on the northwest side of the isle.

There are about 12 unmarked graves in the area.

1d100 ⇒ 26

But of particular interest is the BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTER STARING YOU RIGHT IN THE FACE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It has a humanoid head, the body of a lion, dragon wings, and a spiky scorpion-esque tail. It is also trying to kill you.

Kn. Arcana to identify, and roll Initiative.

"Well Steef, it's time to demonstrate what happens to creatures that trespass on YOUR swamp."

Kn. Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

"Damn right, Padre. Anything you wanna mention about where I should be shooting? Or what it is?"

Azrin recognizes it as a Manticore, a powerful magical beast that loves the taste of human flesh. They can launch spikes from their tail at range.

This one Azrin can tell is pregnant, which probably accounts for its larger than average territorialism (Manticores are intelligent, and while territorial would probably not immediately attack intruders it wasn't sure it could easily kill).

"Hmm...ok, ma'am, I realize you've got some little ones, and I'd just like to say...I'm a dwarf, not a human. I'm waaaaaay stringier and honestly, probably taste more like alcohol than anything even resembling meat at this point in my life."

"Leave. NOW." she roars.

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"Ok."

Ezekiel leaves.

Wimp. =p

"Well, see here's the thing. We're kind of being detectives and stuff and we're trying to find evidence that this guy didn't actually murder a bunch of people. Think you could just let us poke around for a while? I really don' want to have to hurt you."

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (20) - 3 = 17

Hrm. I hate to waste a 20, and that's REALLY close to the DC you need to influence a hostile creature...hm.

Actually, I think a +2 bonus is reasonable since the Manticore doesn't really want a fight, given that could harm her child.

"As if you could hurt me." she says, but backs down, reluctantly.

"I just want to birth my child in peace. Killing you would be a hassle. Look, quickly. I will be back in an hour. Disturb my nest and I will kill you."

She flies off without a further word.

So, everything's fair game except the nest. Anybody wanna make Perception checks to search the area?

Guys why the hell is the 5 CHA dwarf being the party face step your game up

Steef looks around, making sure to stay far, FAR away from the nest.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Steef finds the corpse of an unfortunate dwarf. He seems to have been slaughtered after attempting to investigate the Manticore's nest.

The funniest part is, I didn't have to make this part up to scare Steef.

He wears a colorful patchwork coat, with many pockets, and has a few minor treasures to aid you in your quest for justice. Graverobbing isn't a crime, after all. I think.

His pockets contain:

-An oil of Keen Edge
-A package of Bodybalm
-A silver hip flask (worth 30 gp) containing a decent brandy.
-A red pouch containing 31 pp and 22 gp (332 gp total, that's 66 gp apiece, so add it to your sheet)
-A masterwork Shortsword
-A wand of Ghost Sound (with 22 charges).

Oh that reminds me, while you guys were in town, you never sold all that stuff in the sell pile. I'll total up everyone's share from that in a minute.

Steef also finds a firepit in the southern portion of the Boneyard. It seems to have been there a while.

Around it are a wineskin (still half full of wine. The other half is full of bog water.), a handful of trail rations, and a glass vial.

The vial contains a sticky green substance that smells faintly of carrots.

Azrin can make a Kn. Arcana check to identify it. Others may assist if they wish.

Oh, and making more Perception checks would be a good idea.

Sold Gear (notify me if you actually wanted anything here):

WEAPONS:

- A masterwork Punching Dagger (151 gp)
- A pouch, containing a dozen masterwork Shuriken (36 gp)
- A masterwork SILVER War Razor (154 gp)
- 6 suits of Masterwork Chainmail (900 gp)
- 4 suits of Masterwork Studded Leather (350 gp)
- 5 Masterwork Longswords (787 gp)
- 3 Masterwork Heavy Crossbows (one broken, 481 gp)
- 4 Masterwork Heavy Maces (624 gp)
- +1 Heavy Mace (1006 gp)
- A +1 Keen Longsword (4007 gp)
- A +1 MITHRAL Dagger (1251 gp)
- Masterwork Shortsword (155 gp)

MAGIC STUFF:

Flesh Golem Manual (2000 gp, is only useful to people who use Spellbooks)

MISCELLANEOUS JUNK:

- A bronze War Medallion from the Shining Crusade (worth 40 gp)
- An unframed (rolled up in a tube) painting of Stavian the First (worth 100 gp)
- A set of silver hair clips (worth 35 gp)
- Darkwood Palatine Eye case (worth 50 gp)

-A magnifying glass with a gold handle, worth 100 gp
-A small wooden box containing a set of brass weights. Has a false bottom, which contains 3 silver ingots worth 100 sp (10 gp) apiece.
-A walnut traveling case, containing 3 Superior locks and their keys. (worth 228 gp total)
-A jar of pickled garlic cloves (worth 1 sp)
-Silver Hip Flask (30 gp)

Also, there's a few unclaimed or unidentified items I'll assume you attempted to identify on the road, and given a few weeks you will have eventually made the check:

The Warden's Badge is a Rod of Ectoplasmic Spell Metamagic (worth 1500 gp if you sell it).

The rock is a Stone of Alarm (worth 1350 gp if you sell it).

There's also a Ring of Protection in there (worth 1000 gp if you sell it, but most people end up buying one of these eventually anyway, so consider just keeping it).

I wanted to keep the +1 Heavy Mace and +1 Mithral Dagger. Probably should've said so when we found them.

Definitely keeping the warden's badge too. And the silver war razor might be useful.

Aight. Add those to your char sheet then, unless you meant they might come in handy since both are silver, essentially. In which case I'll leave them in the party fund. You already have a +1 Shapechanger Bane dagger though, so the Mithral one won't do much for you but eat into your WBL if you keep it to yourself.

Steef has the Bane dagger, though. I wanted to have SOME dagger that's better than the one I started the game with.

Which one do you want? Take your pick, I'll take the other one. And if nobody else objects, I'll take the ring of protection.

Steef sighs and closes the dwarf's eyes. "You know the rules, brother...you die, the next guy to find you gets the booze."

He takes the flask and pours out a little bit of it for his fellow fallen dwarf.

Ah, I see. Thought you'd taken it, Azrin. Anywho...more Perception checks? From everybody.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Could you roll one better please

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

howzat

Decent.

Ezekiel notices six of the graves have been tampered with, sagging into the ground. They are obviously (to his eyes) empty. The other 6 graves are undisturbed.

He also catches a glimpse of a boat floating in the water on the southwest shore, hidden in the brush.

Eh, I'll keep the mithral one.

Arcana to identify vial: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

"Steef...thank you for convincing the manticore. I'm sorry I froze up then, I was just...so horrified at the idea of killing a pregnant mother - even a monster like that."

The vial, despite its appearance, is not a potion, it's an Alchemist's extract. One for Darkvision.

Steef looks up at Azrin. "Yeah...dunno if I could've taken the shot either. Would've hit a little too close to home..." Steef's eyes momentarily glaze over, then he shakes himself out of it and stands up, pocketing the flask as he does so. "Zeke, you see anything else?" He looks back down at the dwarf for a moment. "I wonder if that jacket would fit...seems mighty nice."

Waiting for Bulldozer. Zeke needs another Assist.

Retroactive Guidance? :p

That'll work.

Ezekiel, with Azrin's help tracks down a briefcase tossed into the brush and covered with leaves and mud.

Inside are a set of fine tools, made of silver with amber inset in the handle (they're worth 300 gp collectively).

Heal: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Azrin recognizes them as surgical tools used by chirurgeons and physicians. Ezekiel notes a stylized raven is carved into the handle.

These are obviously custom made and very valuable tools. It may be possible to figure out where they come from, and figure out who was here at the Boneyard.

Steef, meanwhile, notices a rope hanging from the boat. Pulling it up, it's attached to a sack. The sack is very large (large enough to shove a Medium sized person inside), and crusted with blood.

Inside is some rope, a gag, three heavy knives, a lantern, and a rusty shovel.

Oh, by the by, does anyone have Kn. Nature?

[spoiler=Azrin Only]You never made the check, but you have enough ranks to identify him, and it's relevant now.

The Beast is a Flesh Golem...who naturally has Darkvision. He would have no need of the Extract you found, which clues you in that it may not have been the Beast here.[/ooc]

[ooc]Between math team, debate, and other clubs, my life this week died. 2-5 hours of sleep per day master race.

Guess I'll take the jar of pickled garlic cloves because why not. I've also managed to forget to give Azrin the Wand of Cure Light Wounds before.[ooc]

Bulldozer gives Azrin the wand. "Didn't have these back in the arena. You know how to use these right?"

"I think I can figure it out, yeah."

Yeah but that's a side thing. Any deductions to make about what you've found? Leads you want to follow up on?

Bueller. Bueller.

There's nothing I need from there and nothing I have to say.

Since it may have escaped some people's attention, unless you do a little thinking here, all the investigation will be pointless. Do you want to roll some Knowledge checks? Figure out some evidence from what you've found? Or go to court tomorrow empty-handed and be the laughing stock of the town?

Well, I probably won't get any info because all my Knowledge is untrained, so I'll go Take 20 and look for tracks.