[DMK] PbP Game Day 2: PFS #4-11 The Disappeared (1-5) by DM Kludde (Inactive)

Game Master Kludde

Of the next junction reached, the right side of the fork is adorned with the scales of justice, while the left fork is plain wood.

The tiefling takes the right scales turn, then the right crown branch.

Following the vent on the crown side leads to a dead end with a vent in it. The middle third of a centaur wielding a bow adorns a wall of the tunnel, its arrow pointing to the vent.

Vesparo studies the vent for a minute, peering out if able, and assuming it is similar to the last swivels round and gives it a couple of kicks with his heel.

Str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Str: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Cressyk finishes looking at the code and follows the others through the vents. To anyone interested, his mouth splits into a wide, toothy grin as he explains, "The writing at the bottom of the note behind the portrait had the same markings as the common part, so I figured it was in code." He grins even more widely as he continues, "Once I figured that out, I took the same code and tried to decode the note we found on the desk, but I couldn't figure out all the letters. It seems like it's just a list of numbers and names, though." He shrugs, but the grin remains.

Nodding in agreement, "Yea, the writing at the bottom of the note does mirrors the first line of the note, but it's not a complete alphabet. Some of the list of names have more bold letters than others, like the words in the note. Unfortunately, the list of numbers and names don't make any sense yet."

While Vesparo continues to follow the vent, Mogall checks the items found in the vent for magic, "looks like grab and go bag. So she's probably didn't get a chance to grab and go."

"items tucked away in a bag behind the vent: a cloak, a pouch containing dust, some false documents establishing fake identities for Zarta, a hat and quite a bit of money and four opals."

With a loud clang, the cover of the vent drops on the floor. The end of the pipe opens up to a large, square room. The walls glow with a gentle blue light, and the air feels unnaturally cool and dry. Shelves line the walls and stand in ranks through the middle of the room, punctuated by a wooden table and ornate chairs. An imposing, unoccupied desk faces the main entrance to the room. On an easel in one of the aisles is a map of the room.

Standing Vesparo calls quietly for the others to come through and moves over to examine the desk in minute detail.

Vesparo moves forward as the adventurers emerge, one by one, from the vent. As he approaches the desk, one of the chairs starts running amok!

---
Cressyk
Malena
Nils
Mogall
Vesparo
---
Chair
---
Rhanloi

Cressyk drops his longspear once more, pulling out his falchion and calling down a blessing on the party from Gorum.

Free action: Drop longspear
Move action: Draw falchion
Standard action: Cast bless
Free action: 5' move W from current position

Dusting himself off from the crawl through the vent, Mogall reacts to the hostile chair by casting shield and moving 20ft west.

(AC 17 for 1d4 ⇒ 3 rounds, then AC16 for the remainder of 10r)

(please move Mogall 4 squares to the left)

Vesparo runs past the chair and leaps up onto the table pulling his bow as he moves and firing down at the cranky furniture.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 DC 12 for 3ft. so I think should suffice.
Arrow: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 19 Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Cressyk and Mogall prepare for battle while Vesparo is already fully in it. Vesparo's move is flashy.

--edited after comment below--

---
Cressyk
Malena
Nils
Mogall
Vesparo
---
Chair (4)
---
Rhanloi

Unless it has combat reflexes it should not get AoOs while flatfooted, that being the reason I did not roll tumble - acrobatics was for jumping up on the table.

Cressyk's and Mogall's names are still in bold - are you expecting another action?

"Hmmm, I shall have to expand my arsenal, a saw perhaps?"

Malena draws an acid flask from her belt pouch and, channeling its alchemical properties, casts acid splash at the closest chair.

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 2 - 4 = 5
Damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Nils laughs at the site of the dancing chair before he closes the distance and swings his axe at it.

War Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 = 23 Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Malena's acid splash goes wide. The finely finished chair then becomes quite a bit rougher as Nils hews into it with his war axe.

Attack, Nils: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 221d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Grab, Nils: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

The creature slams back and tries to fix Nils in its seat, but fails to do so.

---
Rhanloi
---
Cressyk
Malena
Nils
Mogall
Vesparo
---
Chair (14)

Malena moves about the room in order to get a clear shot (If she is able to without triggering an AoO). She then casts another acid splash at the chair.

"Did not think I would be fighting furniture when I wake up this morning," she says. "Always surprises with Pathfinder business!"

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 2 - 4 = 11
Damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Is the combat map current? I'm trying to figure out how best to flank, etc.

Combat map is current now

The chelaxian sorceress cover the chair in acid, dissolving some of the seating in the progress.

---
Rhanloi
---
Cressyk
Malena
Nils
Mogall
Vesparo
---
Chair (18)

Rhanloi moves to the southern end of the table and fires the only spell he can think would harm a chair...Spark.

Vesparo notches another shaft and sends it flying at the chair, but its obvious his wounds are paining him and he clutches at them after letting loose.

Arrow: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 12 Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Vesparo's diminished nimbleness sends an arrow clattering to the floor, while the chair dances around it.

Fort: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

The chair briefly catches fire, but it bumps against the table, and quickly put it out. The chair is not really 'Fine' or 'Unattended', so I doubt it would work. I'd have awarded a one-time damage if the save had failed.

---
Rhanloi
Cressyk
Malena
Nils
Mogall
Vesparo
---
Chair (18)

Mogall sends an acid splash towards the overly aggressive chair.

acid splach range touch: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 2 - 4 = 11(included -4 into melee) damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Wounded and clearly very angry, Nils takes another swing at the chair, hoping to reduce it to kindling.

War Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Nils is clearly too angry to see straight, his swing being dodged by the walking chair. Just as it does so, it is hit by a blast of acid sent forth by Mogall.

---
Rhanloi
Cressyk
Malena
Nils
Mogall
Vesparo
---
Chair (19)

With a sigh as he glances at his rapier, again inappropriate and sends another arrow flying. This shaft strikes true with a solid thwack sending wood splintering.

Arrow: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 25 Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Feel free to advance-post your turn. If possible, do so in a spoiler.

Oops, thought I was in turn my apologies.

Sorry for the delay...

Cressyk mutters a quick incantation to dull the chair's reactions, then advances past it to flank with Nils and swings his falchion.

Swift action: Cast litany of sloth
Move action: Move SW -> SW -> W
Standard action: Attack chair
Attack (Falchion, Bless, Flanking): 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 16
Damage (Falchion): 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2) + 6 = 9

Not laughing now, Nils swings again.

War Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

And misses.

Cressyk brings down his Falchion with a crashing sound.

Attack, Nils: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 91d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

The chair tries another feeble attack at Nils, but with the armrests getting less sturdy, it is not as effective. Finally, Vesparo's arrow hit it in just the right spot, splitting the chair seat and leaving it ruined, and motionless.

Combat over. The archive is yours.

The back of the chair holds an exquisitely carved jade amulet, used to identify the animated chair.

The cabinets require perception checks to search, and take time to search as well. The better the perception check, the shorter it takes.

Cressyk walks up to each party member in turn, incanting a brief phrase and touching their respective shoulders.

Cressyk casts guidance on each party member
Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 1 = 25

I see, I'm being clear as mud again. I meant to say that searching a single cabinet - of which there are quite a number - takes quite a bit of time. You probably don't have time to search all them, so if you are using perception to search one, please indicate which one you're searching. The 'map of the room handout' has the labels for each of the cabinet, so tell me which one you intend to search.

"We should still have half an hour," Vesparo says looking at his hourglass, "I guess we do some reading."[/b] He moves to the cabinet marked [b]internal security evidence and begins rifling through the papers. But the tiefling's eyes quickly begin to drift as he stares at the row after row of tedious script and he lets out a huge yawn.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The drawer 'internal security evidence' contains row upon row of files, but they are mostly encoded in strange cipher. Ysxoihinco.

Vesparo squints at the words and calls, "Cressyk?"

Once the chair has been defeated, Malena allows Korvus to come out again. She takes a look through the files labeled Linguistics Translation Dept, hoping her mastery of the Chelish tongue will aid her in her research.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 1 = 15

See searches concurrently with Vesparo.

Ysxoihinco -> Unreada__e. Well, I guess we know that n -> b and c-> l, now...:-P Since we need to make multiple perception rolls, Cressyk will just cast guidance on himself before searching future drawers.

"Try to concentrate your searches to those in these drawers," says Cressyk, indicating those labeled "internal", "to start. They are most likely to deal with Zarta Dralneen."

He walks over to the cabinet marked "internal security evidence", does some quick scribbling, and begins looking for files that are labeled "Hxicsoos", or possibly "(R)ixwi".

Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 1 = 25

Cressyk focuses hard on finding the correct encoded name, but the document in the cabinet do not seem to be labelled that way. Rather, he finds a file labelled 'A23'. Inside are a number of documents, and Cressyk clearly recognises the handwriting from the note found earlier.

The folder holds a series of letters written in a halting hand that resembles the paracountess’s. Upon closer examination, however, the letters’ writing differs significantly from the note found in Zarta’s study. The forged letters are addressed to a prominent House Thrune enemy, and in them “Zarta” discusses selling privileged Chelish information supposedly meant to foment political insurrection.

Zarta’s personal travel logs, written in her natural hand, are also included. While the first entry—a trip to Absalom’s Ivy District—does indeed match with the letters’ indication of Zarta’s supposed treasonous activities, the second entry proves the paracountess was away from Absalom during a time the letters claim she met with her conspirators in the Petal District.

In all, not a bad catch, but there is still no indication of where Zarta may be at this moment.

Malena searches the linguistics department, and finds a controversial note on the usage of the apostrophe in proto-Galtan dialect.

When an appropriate amount of time has passed...

Once he's done with that cabinet, Cressyk moves on to the one labeled "internal security sites".

Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24

The cabinet 'internal security sites' contains much useful information: embassies, high security stockades, fortifications, strongpoints. Unfortunately, no information that can be linked directly to Zarta.

Do you want me to just rapid-fire searches, or do you want an easier time of keeping track of how many minutes have passed?

Whenever you roll 20 or higher, searching takes a minute. For 15-19, three minutes (lower is failure, also three minutes). Feel free to roll a couple, but keep in mind that you need some time to get back to the entrance once complete - five minutes to crawl through the vents, and then whatever time you need to get back to 'start'

I'll assume you stop/pause searching if you find something of relevance, unless you note otherwise.

Nils sits in a chair, swearing under his breath in dwarvish. "That hurt," he says as his eyes move from all the shelves of documents to his various colleagues. "Could someone spare some healing before we run into any more trouble?"

"Healing seems to be in short supply I am afraid Nils," Vesparo says, gesturing to his own injuries from the devils.

Can we take 20?

You don't want to take 20 - we don't have the time. You could take 10, but unless you have a +5 or better, it wouldn't be helpful.

Cressyk looks through the next several cabinets, "internal security lists", "internal security receipts", "counter intelligence", and "internal security misc.".

Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 1 = 28
Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 = 17
Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19
Perception (Guidance): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 = 17