CORE PFS #5–12: Destiny of the Sands—Part 1: A Bitter Bargain (PFS PbP Gameday VII) 13 Aug 18 (Inactive)

Game Master Paladin of Baha-who?

You have flank as well Pau

Thanks! Please add a +2 to those attack rolls, DM. My early morning posts always miss something, lol.

Pau kicks out twice at the snake.

Also, bit of luck is all d20 rolls, not just one.

I'm assuming my original attack counted for this round, correct?

not sure that there will be anything left for me to attack :)

Pau and Vuldruk make short work of the remaining snake.

Combat over.

Looking around this ancient shrine, you see no immediate sign of the artifacts you were sent to recover. Perhaps they are hidden, or perhaps someone beat you to them?

survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Arin looks around for tracks to see if anyone else had beat them here.

Well, the most important artifact hidden here is supposedly a magic rod, so let's see if we can locate magic auras...

Telos first initiates an arcane scan of the pool of water before them.

Cast Detect Magic

If that yields no auras he proceeds to each major feature of the room in turn: the nearest alter, the statue across the pool of water...

Telka will also cast detect magic and hunt around the statue.

Perception, stonework: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 2 = 15

If Pau is told about the magical auras, he tries to search for any of the items.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Told where to look by telos, Pau finds the hidden compartment, and recovers the items. The rod looks like what they were asked to recover.

This rod is what Torch wanted you to sneak into Eto without letting the customs people know about it. Any strategies for doing so?

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Telka examines the various items, this looks to be a Rod of the Viper, possibly quite dangerous. The other tablets are like scrolls, deathwatch and false life

He shrugs, is anyone any good at hiding items or own one of those handy haversack things?

Telka knows read magic

Well, I haven’t had the most luck trying to hide things and sneak them past the guards, so I’ll let someone else try this time.”

Arin didn't know of any ways to hide items like that... well, at least not in a living body. "I wish I could be of more help."

Well, as far as dead bodies are concerned, you do have these two big, dead snakes.

Actually Arin, you might be onto something. We smuggle the items in a snake body and hoist it out, claiming that we're developing recipes for a restaurant that will serve snake. Eh?

He looks around at the party confidently, awaiting the inevitable positive response.

Telka looks a little dubious. I'm afraid I have a very honest face and I blush terribly when I try lying, not sure I could convince anyone of that. Maybe just say we are bringing it in to sell the meat and leather, keep it simple?

Oh, sure, sure. A simpler story. We can't be the first to have thought of this... I wonder what the animal carcass inspection is like... Telos chuckles.

"Hmm, that's not a terrible idea. Why would anyone want to dissect a snake, or any other carcass, eh?" She pokes at one of the snakes. "Might make for a decent 'trophy' as well."

We can take the snakes to be studied and introduce the objects inside if they are not very bulky

OK, make either a survival or sleight of hand check to try to conceal the rod in the largest snake corpse. Others can aid.

Telka will set to work trying to massage the rod down the dead snakes gullet. I never thought this is the sort of thing I would be doing when I joined the society but I suppose its not so different from skinning a rattlesnake to roast over the campfire.

He mutters a blessing to Desna while he works.

Casting guidance

Survival, guidance: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 1 = 18

I may use my reroll on that depending on how many assists I get

Survival aid 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Pau tried to recall how the beast looked while it was still alive, and accounted for the extra weight it was now carrying.

survival aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
And I thought they smelled bad on the outside.

Telos stays aloof, purposely away from the smell of dead snake but attempting to simply appear as if involved.

You're doing a great job folks! if I walked around the corner I would think that snake might still be alive!

OK so that's a 22 total for this. Are you doing anything with the tablets to hide them, or do you want to declare them as you re-enter the town?

survival, aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Telos tries to see if the tablets fit in there too.

Snakes eat a lot of things...

The tablets do not fit in the snake. These are somewhere in the neighborhood of a sheet of paper in size.

lol!
"Let's just leave the tablets out. We don't have to try to sneak those in."

Vultruk tries to hide the tablets inside his armour
survival check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Hiding the tablets in armor uses sleight of hand. It's only because you're using the snake to disguise the rod that the survival check is possible. However, hiding objects on your person is possible untrained. So that's a 17 dex check to hide the tablets.

Telka looks a little concerned. I think it will be more difficult to avoid detection of the tablets and I would rather not go through the same problems as we had at the gate. We may not be so lucky a second time. I am happy to carry them and pay any required toll.

Since Telka and Arin agree on taking the tablets in and paying the tax, we'll go with that.

The team goes back to the gate and passes through the line again. It so happens they end up facing Mahu again. He examines the tablets and nods. "A nice find. Hmm, let me see..." he says as he examines a ledger with a list of tax rates in it. "For these three tablets, the tax would be 20 gold scarabs." He looks over the snakes but simply congratulates you on killing such dangerous-looking animals.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

OK, you have successfully returned to town with the artifact Torch has requested. What do you want to do next?

Telka pays the tax, slowly counting the coins from his belt pouch one at a time, holding each of them for a moment and rubbing them between his fingers before letting them go. Each seems ton be known to him.

Remember, its only money, it comes and goes, good journey my friends, may you explore new places wherever you go

After they get back into the city he says, I suggest we visit Torch and drop these off, I dont really want to be trudging around town which bloody great snake carcasses.

After that perhaps we can visit Madame Zelekhati?

As they head out he will also tap himself with a wand to deal with the snake bite.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

”Makes sense to me. Let’s drop these off and head on to see the Madame.”

Agreed, seeing the Madame is as good as any next step.

The pathfinders travel to the Dancing Dunes.

A spectacularly groomed garden of colorful sand occupies most of this two-story cabaret’s ground floor. A narrow wooden bridge winds about a trio of decorative obelisks dotting the miniature desert. A lavish sitting area flled with divans occupies the second-floor balcony granting a magnificent view of the garden below. Private curtained chambers encircle the garden, where lush rugs, soft mattresses, or piles of throw pillows serve to cushion the repose of clientele in each chamber. A door off the northern balcony opens to a staircase leading down to the street, while another set of stairs to the east leads down to the garden.

"Welcome to the Dancing Dunes, gentlepeople. You are welcome to explore the gardens for free. Performances begin at sundown and are a scarab per person."

Arin whistles appreciatively looking around the Dunes. "Posh place," she mutters. "Why don't we take a turn about the garden before the show starts?" "And see if anything looks like a clue," she adds sotto voce.
perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 Clearly all the elegance is distracting.

Telos goes along with Arin. Sure. This place is quite an eyeful... and we haven't even see the "main attractions" yet... He speaks softly, unfamiliar with whether his talk would offend the staff. It's likely just his own unfamiliarity...

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

The garden covers an area 40 feet to a side, and the second story sits 15 feet above the ground floor. In the evening, servants set up a small stage in the northwest sand garden where performers can sing, dance, and play instruments.

As you look around, the employee continues, "I see you are well-armed, which is your privilege of course, but we must insist that the weapons be peace-bonded while you are here."

Peace bonding requires that the weapons be tied into their sheathes, bowstrings loosened, triggers locked, etc., which only means that they will require a full-round action to draw or ready.

"What can we do for you today?"

Neither Arin nor Telos notice anything of note.

Telka wanders along behind the group, examining the garden as he goes. My, this place is lovely, I hope we dont cause this woman too much trouble. This Torch seems like a bit of a bastard...

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

He starts a little at the mention of weapons and looks a little guilty. Peacebond, yes, of course. Honestly I only really wear this thing out of family duty, it belonged to my father and his before him and his before, and, well, you get the picture, he says, looking a little guilty as he ties up the mace at his side.

We wondered if it might be possible to meet the proprieter of this wonderful place.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Pau offers up his weapons for peace bonding while the others working their social graces.

"I'm sure Madam Zelekhati will be willing to speak to you if she is free. May I inquire as to the reason for your visit?"

Only Telka or anyone else whose Perception check is 22 or higher, who also sees the same thing he does (and can read the above spoiler), can make the following check:

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Telka gives a nervous little smile and shrugs a little, I am afraid it is really rather confidential, I am sure neither your mistress nor our employer would wish it to be discussed openly with quite so many ears around...

He looks towards the stairs, Her office is upstairs yes? he says making to move in that direction.

perception check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

I'll say Telka can take 10 on diplomacy for 16 to convince the majordomo to let them talk to her.

"She will converse with you in the garden, as soon as her current appointment is complete," the majordomo replies.

Soon enough, Madam Zelekhati joins you. She is an elegant half-elven woman of garundi heritage, with coffee-colored skin, black hair pulled back in a tight braid, and enchanting grey eyes. A portrait of her is on the slides now.

"Greetings, welcome to the Dancing Dunes. You are welcome, both to enjoy the garden, and to join us for the evening's entertainment. What can I do for you, visitors?" She speaks cordially, but without any particular affection.

Sense Motive 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Pau waits for the more diplomatic types to take the lead, before he chimes in, pointing out what he had noticed about the woman.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

We're told you're good at procuring secrets. We were wondering, what are the limits of this gift? What if we needed to get a particular secret, that we might ask for your assistance? How high up the ladder of elected officials and noble folk can you climb to get a bit of info?