BPChocobo's PbP Gamethread for Cool and Attractive PCs

Game Master Black Powder Chocobo

Owai pulls up the hood of his cloak as the Pathfinders walk down into the city from the manor. He listens to the two guards talk, then asks them, "You know your town. What have you heard about what is happening here?"

Diplomacy 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

At the tent. "Sub-Commandant." Owai says with a grave nod to the man. "We'll get right down to business. What do you know about what happened here and the victims?"

@Mahasi: From where you are, the only magical auras are from the Crows. Concentrating further, it seems to be potion vials that each one carries. You do not see anything of note where you are.

@Owai: "To be honest, I have no bloody idea. That's the truly feckin' scary thing. So far, it's just destruction to three houses and nearly a dozen dead including the Commandant. Can't seem to find a pattern to the attacks, either." The other one solemnly nods in agreement.

When you get to the Sub-Commandant, he concisely answers your questions. "Those two.", pointing to the disheveled, unarmored bodies, "are a couple of homeless folk that happened to pick a bad spot to rest. That's the only Crow body we've been able to retrieve from the ruins. After seeing seven men going in and only their cries of terror and pain coming out. No one wants to go in there. It's presumably safe now, but this thing is obviously beyond our experience or imagination."

"As far as what happened, the attack occurred in the early morning hours at Old Man Marshan's place. The cobbler Tarrig, who lives in the apartment above his shop across the street, ran to get the guards and when Commandant Garus and the Crows went in, they were all slain", thumbing to the right. "The best eye witness is Tarrig, but he's holed himself up since the attack. I sorta don't blame him, but if he has information, it could prove vital to your search."

On our way to the Slipper Market
Deaglan asks one of the crows "Where can I find the local temple? And do you know if the Dwarven deities are worshiped there?"

- - -
At the Slipper Market
"Thank you sub-commandant, we will go to this Tarrig first."

Deaglan moves to the door that the sub-commandant pointed to and asks Owai "You are better at talking than I am, can you make him come out?".

@Deaglan: "There's a temple of Desna near the southern entrance, and the west side of town has church of Pharasma that also doubles as the hospital here. Haven't heard much of Dwarf god worship, here."

Owai nods and walks up to the door. "Mr. Tarrig!" he calls out as he knocks. "Are you alright in there?" He pauses for a moment. "We're here to help. Can you please let us in so we can talk to you?"

Diplomacy 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

While the others are talking about the creature, Shilyn slips off a short distance to take a look at one of the bodies and to see if she can pick up any signs.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

"Poor blighter. What a way to meet the end," she mutters softly to herself before casting a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure the others haven't wandered off on her.

Sorry for the lack of reply; got a home game tonight so updating tomorrow!

@Owai: A somewhat panicked voice comes through the door. "No! Ima safer in here, away from the ground, away from that...TH-TH-THING!" You can try again to make him talk, albeit through the door instead of inside

@Shilyn: Wisdom check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 In your time adventuring, you have never seen damage of this kind, and this is from someone who mind controlled a golem to smash down a gigantic four-armed ape. With little else to go on, you quickly look away to avoid causing your stomach to churn up your early breakfast.

Walking back to the group, she looks at the others and relays her findings. "Not sure what it was.. but one thing I am sure of," she says with a pause, "Whatever it is, it's big, strong, and probably ugly. Definitely on our list of things to get rid of."

"It's that very event that we wish to talk to you about.. perhaps we can just converse through the door, you don't even have to open it. Would that be alright with you? What can you tell us about this monster? What did it look like, for instance?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

@Varian: "I-I-I... guess.", the voice stutters from behind after Varian's words play to his nervous state.

"That's the creepiest thing... I couldn't see it! It was like an invisible hand just.... just crushed that poor man into a ball! When it burst out of Old Man Marshan's place, it shook with a terrible thunder... the only thing that could be seen was the blood and the wood and stone being tossed everywhere. And when the guards came by... something lifted them up and twist and split them like a worn towel! It's been a bit... butitdoesn'tmeanthemonstergone!GONE!Whywon'titbeGONE!", Tarrig cries out, ending in a mad, nearly incoherent babble followed by a sobbing wail.

Tarrig seems too broken right now to be of any further use.

You and Owai return to the others and share this information, what little there is.

"Invisibility is something I can help deal with if that's an issue," Varian says after relaying the frightened man's information. "Whatever this thing is, it sounds pretty nasty."

"That man should learn to conquer his fear; an unquiet mind is a useless one. No self-discipline!" He clucks his tongue against the top of his mouth in his stern judgement.

Mahasi looks off into the air, considering a moment the description and what creature describe might be; a crazed gandharva? A cunning asura?

Owai shakes his head and looks back at the house as they walk away. "I'd like to check on him later, he didn't seem to be taking this well."

"Well, what do we know about this thing?" he asks the others. "Big and strong, obviously, but also has the ability to become invisible, and yet not be revealed when attacking. It seems to be attacking at random."

@Mahasi: Your first guess would be some sort of magical beast or aberration... although you have no idea what it could actually be from the poor description.

The Sub-commandant goes returns to the party. "Find anything of interest?", the soldier pausing to hear your reply before adding, "I'd like to request for you to enter the Marshan residence ruins and investigate there." The man looks at the partially collapsed house and adds, "If there are any bodies able to be retrieved, we'd like to give our fellow Crows a proper burial, especially the Commandant."

"That indeed sounds like the best course of action. And we will try to retrieve any bodies if that is possible." Deaglan moves to the Marshan residence ruins and calls his companions "Let's do this, hopefully we find out more in there"

Shilyn glares at Deaglan at his comment of recovering the bodies. "Um.. once you've seen them up close, I think you'll leave the recovery to the townsfolk," she mutters softly.

"My stomach can handle quite a lot, with Trudds help I can manage most if not all situations" Deaglan replies to Shilyn

Yes, yes, we shall help you burn their bodies and scatter the ashes. I'm sure they will all be reborn into more useful forms in their next reincarnation. Mahasi assures the sub-commadant.

"Yes, let us go and see what we can find." Owai says. "Dawnflower preserve their souls until we can bring them back to a temple for burial." he adds, touching his holy symbol.

He checks his gear and readies himself to go, honing the edge of his scimitar with a whetstone.

As the party makes their way to the ruined house, the clutter and refuse of trash and broken stone can be seen. The roofs provide some shelter from the rain which also preserves swaths of blood and gore along the walls here and there.

A hideous stench wafts out of the ruined building; it is as unplacable as it is stomach-churning.

The strangest feature, though, is a spiral-shaped smear of blood and brain matter on the wall opposite the partially-destroyed home. Protected by the rain, this ominous rune rises high on the side of the building as if something enormous used one of the smashed and broken bodies as a paintbrush for this grotesque mark.

In the room ahead of you, what was a living room is in complete disarray. Doors are smashed open and the northern wall has exploded into the alley you are standing in. The rain leaking in from multiple holes in the roof has done little to wash away the thick layer of black slime that seems to coat every surface - slime that exudes a horrific stench like an open grave, burnt decay, and wet, diseased fur combined. Scattered amid the slime and rubble are body parts: heads, limbs, crushed fingers, various internal organs. Too many to be from one victim, but strangely are bloodless.

What appears beyond that is a library that received similar destruction.

Map updated!

planes: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34
religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

"That spiral is a symbol of the worshipers of the nameless gods of chaos, creatures that would disrupt the cycles of the world. A bad sign indeed."

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

"Ok Shilyn, it might be that this is too much for even my stomach" Deaglan says as he examines the spiral smear.

"Did you know that the spiral shape is associated with the Dark Tapestry? That is the dark region between the stars where ancient gods and beings are said to dwell. The only references to this on Golarion are from so called Old Cults who worship this dark and mysterious beings."

Owai covers his nose and mouth with his sleeve as they enter the alley, and he looks up at the symbol on the wall with a sense of dread descending on him as the others describe what they know about it. "Well, now we know that the creature has the presence of mind to advertise its religious affiliation. Is it intelligent or just programmed to do so?" he says.

After looking into the house he turns away for a moment. "Nothing in my experience quite prepared me for this... though there was that time near Sandpoint..." he mutters. "Looks like we've found the remains of those unfortunates. Not a lot of blood, considering..." he adds. "And a library beyond."

Entering the viscera-covered room, the stench is a flagrant assault to the olfactory senses and the various body parts littering the room do much for the ocular ones.

Deaglan Fort vs DC 12: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Mahasi Fort vs DC 12: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Owai Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Shilyn Fort vs DC 12: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Varian Fort vs DC 12: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Shilyn is right; Deaglan's stomach churns between the sight and smell. However, Mahasi and Shilyn suffer from the same condition. Only the aasimars seem to handle the unnatural condition with any fortitude.

That was a bunch of poor rolls... let's hope that occurs if you find what caused this mess!

The lack of blood Owai commented on is indeed unusual, especially given the horrific dismemberment that occurred. One man's head, severed with spinal cord attached lies on the remains of a bookshelf with no less than three legs ripped from various torsos. Stepping on the broken table causes a squishing crunching sound with a man's intestines squirting out from below.

Ogre pits are less disturbing than the mess before you.

Adjacent to the ruined living room is a parlor that took somewhat less damage, although the pouring rain drops into that chamber as well.

You're in the living room. Anything you wish to do in there or head into the parlor or library?

Mahasi moves over to the library and starts poking through for some of the less bloody tomes. He'll look with his magical senses as needed.

Det. Magic

Seeing Mahasi enter the Library, Owai steps into the parlor and looks around.

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

@Mahasi: Nothing is magical. Most of the tomes that you find are about the history of Carrion Hill as well as its surrounding area. Also, some books about astronomy catch your eye. Unfortunately, nothing is magical and the tomes have received too much water damage to be readable outside of the covers.

@Owai: As you examine this area, you can tell that before its destruction, it also served as a bedroom. A splintered bedframe lays next to ruined books that are smashed, torn, and covered in more of the dry, icky slime. What you can see of the books appear to be that of astronomy and Carrion Hill, but of fair quality, too. You can see a set of stairs nearby that descend deeper, and your eyes can tell that the black slime came from that direction.

"These books bear closer examination." Owai calls out. His voice comes out in a forced whisper, however, and he clears his throat and repeats himself. "These books bear closer examination." slightly louder and he gathers some of the books with titles relevant to Carrion Hill's history and anything else that catches his eye. "And there's a staircase to the basement here. Looks like the trail comes from that direction."

"Astronomy texts. I wonder if the inhabitant of this room was the architect of their own demise." He pauses. "Or transformation."

Struggling hard to keep her most recent meal where it's currently located, Shilyn helps the others examine the rooms, paying close attention to the library.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

"And there's a staircase to the basement here. Looks like the trail comes from that direction."

Looking over at Owai, she can't help but try to lighten the mood. "Yes, I've seen that play back at the lodge. The half-elf girl goes down by herself, her candle suddenly goes out.. nuh uh. This half-elf isn't going down there alone..

Sorry, couldn't resist that lead in for a bad 'B' horror flick reference.

Owai turns to Shilyn and grins, brightening up, literally, as his head begins to glow, a halo forming. "I shall be thy candle!" he says. His light dims slightly when he turns towards the gaping, stinking basement entrance, and it becomes plain how much of a brave face he is putting on it, but he proceeds despite the dread that still remains. He draws his Scimitar as he does and it also glows faintly in the shadows.

"Stop it Owai, it is bad enough as it is. No need for you to make it worse." Deaglan says with a very white face. "to the basement?" he asks while moving down besides the aasimar.

Update this afternoon... new map involved!

The party makes their way down the stairs from the Marshan place. While the gut-wrenching odor is weak enough that it no longer sickens the afflicted, the scent is still strong and permeates the stone walls of the passage during your descent.

After your first turn, traces of dust and debris indicate that the stairs were once clogged with rubble but have been cleared recently. After the second turn, the architectural style changes involving stone arches and brick-lined walls.

Ahead is a brick chamber supported by fifteen-foot-high stone arches. Between each arch are circular alcoves that have been cut into the wall, each containing a stone sarcophagus. One such sarcophagus against the southern wall has been topped over, spilling its long-dead occupant onto the brick floor.

A dry swath of black sludge nearly ten-feet wide runs down the center of this room. The far end of the hall seems to have collapsed long ago.

Map updated!

"Impressive for Varisian ruins; or Thassilonian, I suppose. In which case they are perhaps only average. No doubt the dead walk freely in this place."

@Mahasi: Give me a Kn: History or Kn: Religion :)

Owai steps into the room, his halo illuminating the darkness within. He holds his scimitar at the ready. He looks at the tombs with interest.

Kn: Religion 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Perception while I'm at it 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

history: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19
religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Mahasi strokes his hairless chin...

Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 +2 on checks that pertain to dwarves or their enemies
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

"You're contemplating if you will try to grow a beard aren't you?" Deaglan asks Mahasi on seeing the man stroking his hairless chin.

Mahasi looks startled. "Contemplating it? No, no, no! But if I were contemplating it, I could easily grow a beard! It would merely be another manifestation of my superior will. I merely do not wish it."

@Owai: While Mahasi and Deaglan fail to see it, you can tell tha this was an old shrine to Aroden, helping date this ruin somewhat. You take a look at the body a head and can tell that it is not going to reanimate; the body is too shriveled and its equipment has rusted to the point of useless many centuries ago.

In this room there is a small alcove straight ahead, a door to the right, and a passageway to the left.

"This place was a shrine to Aroden." he says in a whisper. He steps into the room, moving silently towards the left where an open passage is visible, and looking into it.

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Following Owai, Shilyn steps into the room as well, moving to the right. Her eyes dart about taking notice of her surroundings and attempting to spot anything of particular interest..

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

For a minute I thought we had landed in the confirmation ;-)

"That fellow has been dead for ages! This place has probably been unearthed by the attack of whatever it was!"

@Owai: Ahead in that small alcove that bears nothing of interest. In the passageway to the left, stairs start to descend and bank to the right, going down even more.

@Shilyn: Nothing of interest catches your eyes. You see the door to right made of heavy wood. It looks somewhat recently setup, perhaps within a month or two's time.

Door or stairs: the decision is yours!

Turning from the passage, he indicates the door and gestures to Shilyn to check it.

@Shilyn: If you wish to save some time, unless you feel that there is an immediate threat on the other side, you can always Take 20 on Perception while looking over the door to see if there's anything there. I will request that you let me know if you're inspecting the door versus checking if there's something on the other side, but of course you can just let me know if you are making two separate T20 rolls.

Shilyn pauses in front of the door Owai indicated and takes a couple moments ensuring it is safe to proceed.

take 20: 20 + 14 = 34

@Shilyn: You do not find anything unusual about the door. It's unlocked and not trapped. You try to push it open, though, and find that it's been barricaded on the other side!

I'll need a Strength check or a clever idea to bypass it!

Taking a peek the other direction, you see a stairway that goes deeper and deeper down, far beyond what you can see even in the darkness.

Map updated! And sorry for the delay guys! Back on track for more gothic adventure!