DM Carbide's PFS#8-07: From the Tome of Righteous Repose (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

Kel is at max hp currently.

Kel checks his rapier to make sure there isn't any ghost-goo on it, and sheathes it.
I'm fine for gear, mate, but we need to figure out where those things came from real quick, and make sure that doesn't happen again! And I thought I hated fighting zombies more than anything...

The shadow-thief shudders at the thought of fighting them a second time, and then laughs.
Thanks for bringing me back, Chaul. You really saved my skin back there. I thought I was about to become one with the shadows, in the literal way...

Celidrian is at full hp

"They had us trapped between them, if the ghost hadn't been vanquished, I'm not sure we would have ocme thru that without losses... thanks for keeping us all up on our feet, Chaul."

"Once again, the valor of Taldane might proves to be the catalyst by which all is made to happen!" exclaims Aldebert. "I am feeling a mite under the weather. Perhaps we should regroup, reassess and reengage?" he asks, before hawking and coughing up some blood.

I am down 26 hp. My resources are nigh-infinite, how is everyone else looking in terms of spells and the like?

"I am fine after that last healing charge you did" Alektara says to Chaul.

"I am only mildly taxed" agrees Chaul.

"I would not wish to face the ghost again. It may be we can put him to rest permanently with the ritual we carry. "

Slowly he allows the doors of the heavens to close, allowing a last bath of the radiant glory to fall over the group as he does so.

channel: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 3) + 1 = 11

Chaul, the ghost was of a woman. You're aware that to permanently lay a ghost to rest generally entails resolving whatever binds it to existence. It's likely, given that she was famous enough to make it into Fustbickle's book, that she was noble, and the resolution will probably involve dispositioning her body in an appropriate manner.

Where to now?

With the immediate threats vanquished, Chaul, cautiously, advances back into the ghosts room. He looks around for a body that may belong to the ghost.

A crushing weight of sadness and grief again comes over Chaul as he enters the room. It only becomes too much to bear for a short time, though, and the priest is able to find a body in one corner clad in steel lamellar armor and holding a sheathed katana.

"That ghost had a katana did she not?" asks Chaul.

"Let us return her to the noble sarcophagus in the entry room. Perhaps that will put her unquiet spirit to rest."

"Are you sure that is wise? Should we even mess with any remains at this point?" Alektara says aloud... then throws up her hands in defeat "You know best as this falls in the religious and spiritual realm." and moves to assist Chaul.

"I trust all clerics implicitly in their affairs with the dead! Back in the Phalanx it was a mark of great dishonor not to trust the clergy! Although, given the scandals that took place, that policy was perhaps overblown" chimes in Aldebert, who gladly assists Chaul.

The katana and armor are in excellent shape despite their age. Chaul reverently gathers up the remains, and the party returns to the large chamber near the entrance. However, the seal on the sarcophagus there is still quite intact, suggesting that the body of Dame Vheist is still interred within.

religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

"I hesitate to break the seals on this sarcophagus..." sighs Chaul.

Is anyone familiar with Minkaian funeral practises?

On the way out, he spends a moment or two basking the pool room with holy power, allowing the corrupted waters to return to their (presumably) previous holy state.

knowledge any of the above listed: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 8 + (2) = 23

"It seems to me that I recall that Minkaian nobles are laid to rest with their families (or other place of honor, such as the Ossuaries of the Fallen in Vigil) after cremation. We would have to cremate the body before interment."

"The holy fire of Saeraen would be well used for such an event. Or if there has been too much 'magic' then we could retire to the surface and see such a ritual enacted before sundown." suggests Chaul.

Chaul, reconsecrating the bowl will take a bless water spell.

-Posted with Wayfinder

That will have to wait for the next day then.

Looking at the chamber he sighs. "We must wait for the dawn to refresh the world before I can help here."

Are you withdrawing for the day?

I think just for an hour to burn the body. Are her items magical? If so, they should probably be returned to her family with her ashes.

Both the katana and the armor are magical and Cel easily discovers that they're both +1 items.

Kel stands at the edge of the group, wary of the body.
So, we burn the body, then figure out where it goes in this tomb. Otherwise, we're going to continue to be attacked? Fun! When do we get started?

Chaul knows that in almost all cases, ghosts take at least a couple of days to reform after being destroyed in a fight.

"So let us burn the body, carry the ashes and then continue our explorations. Tomorrow I can purify the fouled chamber and we can return the ashes and weapons to where they belong." suggests Chaul.

What time of day is it?

Mid-afternoon, I figure.

"You sure? She won't pop up again? Nasty fight that was."

"It was indeed. All ghosts vary in their persistence. However most take a day or two to reform. It may be best to investigate her area of the tomb while she is still... disrupted."

He leads the way back in. "Let us see if there is more to be discovered in that back room."

There is nothing further to be found in the ornate nobles' tombs, but the overwhelming aura of sadness and despair still hangs over the room like a palpable cloud. Every now and then, one of you will be overcome with the foreign emotion and unable to act, doing nothing more than crying for the loss of Mordesha, fallen Mordesha.

Chaul circles the entry chamber, looking down the other passages, trying to work out which to check out next.

Or is the one we took the only real exit from the room?

"You have no need to cry anymore Aldebert... this mission shall be over soon and you can re-join your legion if you so desire." Alektara says to the weeping man overcome with the loss of Mordesha as she feels a tad of sorrow as well.

There are multiple exits to the room with Vheist's tomb. The one that Chaul is at leads to a short passage north that opens up after ten feet or so. The priest can't see the far end of the room from where he is.

"Let us try this one!" he exclaims, entering the passageway.

Chaul has 60' darkvision

Chaul advances into the room, seeing and hearing nothing of danger. The walls of this long hall are filled with niches, each holding a unique urn. On the north end of the hall is a raised platform, and when the party has the opportunity they'll be able to see a red symbol painted on the ground.

Where are you going in the room, Chaul?

Jeb follows Chaul, his gun out and loaded.

linguistics dc 20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Celidrian offers a bit of his studied knowledge. "While I don't actually speak or read Tien, I believe this red sigil is actually an artistic rendering of several symbols that together translate to mean 'peaceful journey'. Perhaps this is where the ashes need to be interred?"

Kel keeps himself ready to act, and peers at the symbols.
I'm glad you know what that means, mate, because I sure don't.

"That would make sense. Although if this was a tomb for soliders rather than family they could just be her comrades. For the moment however this is probably the best place for her remains to rest." agrees Chaul.

Chaul heads into the middle of the room, waiting for his companions to catch up. "This links up with where we were before."

Routinely, he checks the area for magic.

"I'M NOT SAD! I just have ... Things. In my eyes" protests the crossbowman as he follows along.

"So long as it isn't a bolt or covered in ectoplasam, we're fine" notes Chaul, dryly.

Chaul detects a few magical auras up at the far end of the room, in a stone chest against one wall.

"There is magic ahead, come everyone. Let us see if there is yet more to discover about this tome as we attempt to return it to its holy nature."

As the party straggles into the room and Chaul approaches the source of the magic, he is interrupted on the way. A humanoid figure lurches out from its position of concealment in the passage to the west and runs an obscenely long tongue down the priest's face. DC 21 Fort save or paralyzed for four minutes.

The figure is mostly skeletal but for its tongue and a thick tangle of purplish entrails in its torso. It's clad in the rotted remains of Tien-style leather lamellar armor.

Round 1:

Initiative order
Kel
Jeb
Alektara
Foe
Aldebert
Celidrian
Chaul

Kel, Jeb, and Alektara can act!

fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Yowzer, DC21?!?!?!?

Chaul stands paralyzed.

K. Religion: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

"Chaul-I have no clue what that is but it does not look friendly..Chaul... Chaul...he isn't moving..." Alektara says and then moves up to attack the foe...

ECB1+PA: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14...DMG: 1d10 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

i am wondering if my next d20 roll here will be a 3...

Jeb lets out a manly yelp, as the skeletal tongue thing lurches forward and turns Chaul into a Chaul-sicle. He fires!

Pistolero!: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 1 = 31 for 1d8 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 1 = 13 damage! Plus spending a grit point for up close and deady damage! 2d6 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2
Pistolero!: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16 for 1d8 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9 damage!

Yep, DC 21. They're pretty tough.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Kel
Jeb-acted
Alektara-acted
Foe
Aldebert
Celidrian
Chaul

Alektara charges the strange creature, but can't get past Chaul's paralyzed body. Jeb, however, has its number and puts a couple of bullets into it.

Kel, your turn!

Foe: AC 23 T 15 FF 18 HP: -24 HP

know religion dc 18: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 8 + (5) = 28

"Careful, it's a Mohrg... an undead that can paralyze with a touch and those it kills rise as undead under its control..."

since I beat the dc by 10, I assume I can know 2 things about it... so let's go for DR and resistances

No resistances or DR beyond standard undead traits, Cel.

ok thanks, oh well...

Botting Kel for the moment.

Round 2 (ongoing; rearranged):

Initiative order
Mohrg-acted
Aldebert
Celidrian
Chaul
Kel-
Jeb-
Alektara-

Kel summons shadow duplicates and advances, ready to strike when he can. The mohrg turns its attention to Alektara, punching her with bone-jarring force for 14 HP and grabbing her, then running its tongue across her face. DC 21 Fort save or paralyzed for one minute, and grappled in any case.

Aldebert and Celidrian can act, and then the rest of the party!

Mohrg: AC 23 T 15 FF 18 HP: -24 HP

Celidrian pops his wand of magic missiles out of its wrist sheath and fires off a magic missile at the mohrg.

mm dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2