DM Panic's PFS First Steps

Game Master wakedown

Cao motions for his retinue to precede him. "We have faith that you shall announce Our presence with utmost dignity." He continues gazing at the dead woman. "The hunger that never ends. We have a similar hunger for preserved python egg. Alas, these Avistani lack such discriminating appetites... You might find them tastier than, say, the flesh of an Eternal Emperor."

"Of course we bloody well will! I didn't walk all that way for nothing!" the wizard snaps, hobbling toward the door and motioning for the others not to follow. "Now this looks like wizard's work." he says, peering at the door over the rim of his dusty eyeglasses. "STAND BACK!"

The wizard throws his arms wide, pulling out a long scroll from the folds of his enormous spellbook, erupts into some largely unnecessary chanting and casts open/close. (Scroll of Open/Close scratched from my profile.)

Suitably impressed with himself he turns to receive the due adoration for... opening the front door.

Adebisi claps slowly to humor the mighty Archibald.

Etta hangs back, allowing the others to deal with the iron door....and the ghoul. Her hand never comes off her loaded pistol.

"Maurit, perhaps you can be useful to us...and your death does not have to be a complete waste after all. Can you tell us anything about the interior of these ruins?"

I rolled an 8 on diplomacy, y'all. ;)

Never taking his eyes from Maurit, Drail listens as Etta speaks to the woman.

"Or better yet," he adds in a low voice, "will you hold true to your honor as a Pathfinder and show us what you have learned of this place, through your own venture into the keep?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Maurit's head bobs in agreement.

"Of course, Pathfinders! Of coursseee!"

Peeking around the corner into the newly revealed darkness beyond, her red eyes glance upward in thought.

"Inside, you will find a tribe of kobolds - and they are led by a strange creature, a man whose skin can change colors."

Maurit scampers closer to Etta and Drail, her head bobbing left and right as she curiously observes Etta's pistol before looking up into the gunslinger's eyes.

"And why do you go inside? What... objective do you have for your Pathfinder mission, this day?"

Another post following...

As the iron-bound door shifts and creaks open, beyond you recognize a short hallway leading a mere five feet before it splits into a T-shaped intersection.

Attached to the north wall at this corridor junction is the relief carving of a giant face. The relief is that of a Qadiran man with a billowing beard. His eyes are closed, and his lips are parted, as if he were blowing out a flame.

His lips frame a deep hole in the wall. The paint once adorning the relief is chipped and faded, but traces of its brilliant blues and pristine whites are still visible here and there. On the man’s forehead is a single Kelish word, carved in a flowing script.

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"Hold!" Hooli whispers in command.

Creeping forward, she looks for traps, the hole in the wall seeming far too obvious a threat. Not seeing any, however, she motions to her companions that the way seems safe.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Drail makes no move toward the door, his eyes staying locked on Maurit as she scampers and chatters.

He speaks sidelong to Etta even as he watches Maurit.

"Venture Captain Li made mention of a report from other Pathfinders," he murmurs, "but not of casualties or missing field agents."

He cocks his head at Maurit.

"Where are your compatriots, Pathfinder? Did you come to this place with others?"

Adebisi will draw and load his heavy repeating crossbow, creating a satisfying ka-chunk, before heading in.

"I would say our mission is the same as yours, Maurit. You know the drill, vague instructions...need to know basis..." Etta turns her attention to her fellow companions, still keeping a watchful eye on the ghoul.

"Adebisi, maybe you should let Maurit go first, seeing as she's already.... Been in there." She gestures for Maurit to lead them through the open door.

Hooli finds no traps in the T-intersection.

Maurit gives Drail an uncertain look.

"My... other companions? They fled - they may be all the way in Absalom by now... yes, Absalom!"

"First in? No, Maurit has no interest in returning inside and playing guide again."

If you do go in, let me know which way you go and your marching order. I would assume it's Drail>Adebisi>Hooli>Cao>Archibald>Etta unless instructed otherwise.

Also, let me know if anyone wishes to do anything with the face carving.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

"When We were first in this world, Our attendants would strew chrysanthemum petals before Us, to bless the earth upon which We walked. Alas, woman, you have no petals to bless the ground upon which We walk. Next time We shall see you're outfitted as befits the retinue of the Eternal Emperor." The young overlord steps after Hooli with determination. What would petals beneath my feet feel like?

Seeing the mask, he looks to his servants to fiddle with it.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Drail narrows his eyes, yet finally removes his hand from the hilt of his sheathed blade.

He cocks his head toward the now-open doorway.

"Maurit, is this the way that you are familiar with? Is this the way that you took into the keep?"

He looks up toward the young woman who had searched the doorway.

"I mean you no disrespect, but perhaps it would be best to consult our newfound...companion, upon the defenses of this fortification."

"Well, Adebisi, it's looking like it's going to be you after all. I would go first... except for the fact that..well, I never go first." Etta makes a nondescript gesture. "I'm sure you understand."

She turns toward Maurit, adressing the ghouls most recent comment; "Well, what do you plan on playing? huh?"

Turning to her compatriots "I have this feeling that her usefulness is going to be short lived." She shrugs. "Your call, gents. But I know I'm not letting her walk behind me."

"HaRUMPH!"

Indignant at his companions blatant disregard for his superior wizardry, Archibald hobbles inside the complex, pushing past Hooli mid-search, his grumbling and the tapping of his staff echoing in the dark as he moves to the relief on the northern wall to examine the Kelish runes, lighting up his staff as he goes. I've got Kelish as one of my listed languages, by sheer happenstance.

Once his curiosity is satisfied he'll hover by the door again, peering expectantly at the others from beneath the brim of his over-large hat. "I'm a very old man, and I don't have all day, blast you!"

I'll move at least as far as the relief, but I'm happy near the back of the marching order.

"Go on,old man. I'm as good with it being you as anyone else. " Etta winks at the decrepit old wizard.

Cao's neck assumes an almost unnatural length—an adolescent mimicking poise. "Archibald, is it? We have dim memories of Our elder years. Feel at ease, young soul. There are a multitude of lives before you to understand your station in the Eternal Cycle."

The boy's poise dissolves into poorly concealed titters as he enters behind Hooli.

I'm not going first

Drail watches the elderly wizard shuffle forward, his jaw setting tightly in apparent frustration. He keeps Maurit in his line of sight, while glancing sidelong at Etta.

"You are either getting more wise," he murmurs, "or more rude, it is difficult to tell."

Drail then slips sidelong, to stand by Etta, keeping Maurit in front of him and one eye on the doorway.

"Ladies first," he murmurs, "and since Etta hardly fits the term, I mean you, Maurit."

"Bladesman, let's not force Our poor subject back into her grave. She has done her duty, opening the way for her liege."

Archibald stares in blatant incomprehension at Cao, unsure if he is supposed to take offence. His brows furrow and his mouth opens and closes several times, seething in indignation at the youth's laughter. "Dim, is it? Why, you wretched little tadpole, you puffed-up precocious little peacock, I aught to... I aught to... What was I saying?"

He pauses, acknowledging the ghoul for the first time in several minutes.

"Gods, you don't mean to bring her inside, do you? She'll alert the whole confounded lot of them!" Archibald grumbles, unable to meet the Samurai's stare. "You. Ghoul. We're under strict orders from Major Colson to eliminate any undead we come across. Run along now and we can pretend this unfathomable waste of time never happened. Pip-pip!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16

Archibald's whiskers twitch into something that barely resembles a smile. You come to the horrifying realisation that this is him trying to be agreeable.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Giving a sigh of irritation, Hooli will creep forward and examine the carved face.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Maurit continues to observe the interaction between the various Pathfinders with a sort of morbid curiosity.

"Much talking these Pathfinders do, yes? Much more conversation that Maurit's party, is this a good sign? Yes?"

As Drail puts forth the idea of Maurit leading, she shakes her head and shambles partially up the canyon wall with the skill of a frenzied spider.

"No... Maurit will not return within. Maurit died the first time, and has no wish to return again!"

**

Archibald steps closer to the carving and recognizes the flowing script as the Kelish word for "air".

Hooli sizes up the entire carving and cannot discern any mechanical parts or mechanisms - it appears to be nothing more than a simple yet ornate carving to her eyes.

I'm assuming someone brings a light source inside for Hooli and Archibald to see...

Hooli does note that the passage to the north passes a closed door along the western wall before opening up into a larger room that appears to be filled with a substantial amount of spiderwebs.

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Cao waits for light to be provided before stepping into the hallway, sipping on a small tincture as he does so (potion of mage armor). He steps into the corner just beside the door, gazing down the hallway.

Hooli has low-light vision.

"Be careful of the spiderwebs, Oh Eminent One," Hooli warns Cao. "That's probably not the silk you're used to."

"Have you not heard of the wonder of dream spider silk, Our Loyal Subject? All of Our robes are made of such. Woven by the Celestial Ettercaps of Hubberjubbai."

Archibald will cast light on the tip of his staff as he enters the complex.

"'الهواء', it reads." the wizard says, stroking his beard and chuckling at his own brilliance. "Meaning 'air'. How very curious. Do you think there will be others?"

As the others attempt to push past him the wizard holds his ground. "A moment. A moment, damn you!" he blusters, eyes glazing over as he sends his senses to scout out the spider chamber. (2/6 uses spent)

Perception: 1d20 - 0 ⇒ (18) - 0 = 18

Drail narrows his eyes, watching Maurit skitter away. He then looks at Etta. "Age before beauty, I suppose, yes?" He shrugs softly. "Well, seeing as how both of those mean me, here we go."

He gives Etta a teasing grin, the smile pulled lopsided by the scar running from his temple to his cheek.

Without waiting for a response, Drail then strides forward toward the doorway, following the path of the woman, the boy and the elderly wizard.

Etta chuckles at Drail's sarcastic brand of humor, cuffing his shoulder as he walks past her. She takes her place at the rear of the party, her eyes dart between the entrance to the ruins and the ruined Maurit behind them. She shrugs and begins to follow a few paces behind Drail.

"Lead on, Archibald, you old...and...er... obviously wise man" She half whispers as much to herself as to him "I don't know why I'm whispering. The old coot probably can't hear me."

Perception -4 for distance: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (8) - 4 = 4

He can't.

"Hubberjubbai. Of course."

Hooli snickers to herself as she looks around for any sign of threats.

Archibald steps up and considers the carving and the Kelish inscription upon it.

Upon pronouncing the words in their native tongue, eyes begin to glow as previously undetected runes ripple across the carving, forcing the wizard's hair and robes to whip about him in a windy torrent.

Archibald first needs to make a DC14 Fortitude save to stand against the wind. Failing that, he can make a DC12 Reflex save to grab onto the ironbound door frame and catch himself there. Failing both saves, he is blown out the front door and down the entire pile of debris and takes the following damage.

Falling Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

As either Archibald will make one of those saves, or he'll fall and collect himself in a dignified manner and ascend to rejoin everyone, I'll get some more details up for those brave enough to continue...

As Hooli and Cao advance and gaze into the southern chamber (area 3)), they observe this large room is dank and a strange draft flows through it carrying a foul odor.

Rubble is strew here and there - and a large, slimy slick glistens down the western wall. Near the slick is a wooden door. The only sound in this room is a faint drip echoing from deeper in the dungeon (and perhaps some grumbling from Archibald).

As Adebisi steps in and gets a better look towards the web-filled room, he observes what appears to be small, dead humanoids with dark, scaled skin - each wrapped in cocoons of the sticky webbing.

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What I need next (despite more excellent roleplay, of course) is to know where you are going as a party - are you heading into the slimy room (#3) or the web-filled room (#11)? The door next to Adebisi is a viable route as well, and nobody detects any sounds from beyond.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

"How very curious, do you think there will be oth-" he begins, as the torrent of wind hits him square in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. The breeze, however, is no match for the wizard's stubbornness, and he plants his staff firmly in the ground and weathers the blast until it subsides. He stands in stunned silence, punctuated only by the sound of him blowing out a mouthful of beard. "Confound it all! What - huff - what kind of -puff- damned fool contraption is this? Harumph, if I could get my hands on that architect I'd give him a piece of my mind." he says, flustered and red-faced. "All I say is 'الهواء' and it tries to blow me halfway to... Oh. Drat."

Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

The wizard takes a deep, rattling breath, nose twitching in agitation as he tries to maintain some illusion of calm. It is clear that his temper has reached it's boiling point. Steam is practically pouring out of his ears. To provoke him now would perhaps not be the wisest course. He pushes past Cao and Hooli and hobbles, fuming, into the slime-filled room.

Archibald pushing into the slime room is good enough for me to advance you all into said room!

As Archibald composes himself, a few of you can hear Maurit's snickers from outside the dungeon. Pushing past Cao and Hooli into the room beyond, you all quickly follow in step realizing your mission, after all, is to find and retrieve Amara Li's katana.

Besides the closed door in the southwest, you notice another passage leading north off into the northwest.

As Adebisi and Drail make their way into the room's heart, the slippery wall suddenly jiggles and with a splorch forms into an odd little jelly ball that flings itself from the wall to land a few feet from Drail's toes.

Jiggling eagerly, it begins to wiggle its way closer to you.

Round 1
21+ Etta:
21 Cao:
20 Drail:
13 Archibald:
7 Hooli:
6 Adebisi:
-1 Slimeball:

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Now Up: Everyone!

Folding his arms and grumbling, Archibald is content to leave the fighting to the others, barely sparing the creature a glance. "... I mean it defies sense. What possible purpose could it serve? Aside from disposing of salesmen and doorknockers?" he rambles, seemingly oblivious to the unfolding combat (Delay Action until Init Count 0). "No, the great Taliq Asad does not want to buy any of your confections and he certainly doesn't want to donate to the Church of the Inheritor's relief fund for Mendevian Veterans, now stop bloody well knocking or I'll file a complaint. الهواء."

"Hrm. Perhaps there's some stock to that theory, Archibald m'boy. Make sure you include that in your report, eh?" he says, no longer shaking with rage. He turns toward the proceedings behind him. "Hrm... Bw... Wh... Wha?"

"Oh! -Ahem- It's only a... only a... hrm... What is it?" Archibald stares at the creature with the eager curiosity of the chronically academic. If there's room in the melee, he'll give it a poke with his quarterstaff. For science. If not he'll stand just outside the fray, standing on his toes and trying to get a good look at it.

Quarterstaff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Round 1, Init 21

Cao steps back a bit. "You know, this reminds Us of a time when..." He begins to sing in a rather lovely contralto.

"Our eldest son, he was a sickly boy.
Every day a-coughing was he.
We tried ginseng and needles three.
And yet came the cough.
Until one day, out came an oni.
An oozy, ugly oni.
And then right there, katana in hand,
We slew his cough with a samurai's slash.
Yes, We slew it with our blade."

Inspire courage, if not good poetry: +1 competence bonus to attack & damage; +1 moral v. fear. That'll apply to Archibald's rolls as well.

Any knowledge checks?

" ... What is that?" Hooli asks, starting the blunt end of her kusarigama twirling as she steps forward.

Five-foot step, one square to the west.
Standard action: Ready action to attack if it attacks: Kusarigama+inspire courage: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Oh, good point. Bardic knowledge: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Cao recognizes the creature as possibly a giant amoeba, knowing it moves extremely slowly but if it reaches someone has the ability to not only slam into it with acid, but also engulf something in order to digest it.

With initiative order placing Archibald 4th (behind Etta and Cao who are not in melee), the addled wizard will have a spot to step up!

As Cao begins to recite a song, Archibald starts to pick up some of it's rhythm and his quarterstaff whacks into the ooze, splattering little jello bits of it all over the wall behind it (8 damage total with Cao's song)

Still Up: Etta, Drail, Adebisi.

Etta steps forward into the room and eyes the jiggly wall goo ominously.

She throws Drail a sidelong glance and says, "Well, I can almost guarantee you that this one's not going to be friendly.

She raises her pistol and fires at the nebulous ooze.

Pistol shot with Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 1 = 14

Against touch AC.

Damage + Point Blank Shot + Inspire Courage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 = 7

Edit: If Archibald was engaged in melee with the ooze, that would've been at a -4.. So AC 10 touch.

Drail cocks his head quizzically at the slimy ball as it wiggles toward him. Smiling thinly at Etta's words, he murmurs, "They so rarely are," as he sidesteps in a smooth practiced motion. His sword is still sheathed as he drops one hand to the hilt of his blade.

Move action + weapon draw, one square of movement to the southwest diagonal.

Drail shows no reaction to the startling report of Etta's firearm, already well-used to the cacophony her little experimental toys make.

As he completes his sidestep, he suddenly draws his blade in a blur, the weapon sweeping free of the scabbard in a whipping upward slash through the slime ball.

Attack Roll with Power Attack, Furious Focus and Inspire Courage: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10

Damage Roll: 1d8 + 6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 3 + 1 = 16

Drail's eyes are closed, his body still, his pose frozen in completion of the slashing strike.

Etta goes first, so no melee penalty from archibald, but also no inspire bonus from Cao unless she delayed - it doesn't matter this fight, but something to consider (delaying to the bard, that is) in future encounters.

Round 1
21+ Etta: Hits for 6 damage
21 Cao: Begins to inspire courage
20 Drail: Hits for 16 damage
13 Archibald: Hits for 7 damage! (yes, the wizard!)

The little jello ball begins wiggling its way towards the Pathfinders, perhaps to offer them nothing more than a slimy hug.

Bang!

Shlup!

Whack!

Etta, Drail and Archibald team up to ensure the slimeball has little chance to cross even a couple paces from the wall. It shudders in sadness for a moment as it realizes its existence has come to an end andn explodes with a pop and transforms into a mere puddle of ooze.

Hooli grips her kusarigama and is prepared for the worst, but luck has it that she is in fact paired with several competent Pathfinders on this outing.

Combat is over!

Going to make some presumptions over the party's next actions here...

With little else to investigate in the current room, Drail takes a few steps up to the large wooden door in the room's southwest corner, flexes and nearly tugs the door from it's hinges.

Metal hinges snap and break, apparently decayed with age, and as the door nearly topples on top of him, he repositions it against the wall in time to avoid being flattened like an Andoran flapjack.

The cramped chamber beyond stinks of something worse than rotten eggs. A black mildew covers the walls and the three doors that lie beyond the entrance. Each has a small metal slot at its bottom, but the latched covers long ago rusted away.

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Feel free to get a little roleplay in here, and let me know if you're headed to the spiderwebs or the unexplored room to the northwest.

"Slimes and snails, how does the children's rhyme go next? Goblin dog tails?"

Adebisi, being from the Mwangi is not afraid of bad smells and will venture into the area although he will find his meager strength beyond sapped by the overwhelming smell, and will stumble back out dejected.

Strength: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (4) - 4 = 0
Strength: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (4) - 4 = 0
Strength: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (2) - 4 = -2

Cao lets his subjects step into the room before him, satisfied to maintain a distance from the squalor within. "We thank you for your fine sword work and gun play. Ah, and smiting, Archibald. We said you did well with the staff, old one." His mouth once again becomes half of his face as he yells his praise at the decrepit one.

Cao nods at Hooli with that slight smirk in the eyes. It is nice there's at least one who's in on the jest.

Drail watches the dwarf come stumbling out of the room, wretching. His jaw sets tightly and he peers into the room, checking for signs of threat or any movement.

Seeing nothing, he kneels down, unhitching his pack and pulling a sturdy iron crowbar from within.

Re-slinging his pack, he looks at Etta.

"Stay here," he murmurs, before striding quickly into the room, crowbar in hand.

The stench hits him immdediately and Drail immediately gags slightly, his eyes watering.

"I know this smell," he gasps under his breath, "and everyday I am thankful I have never grown used to it."

He hefts the crowbar, spitting on the floor to keep from retching.

Strength, Door #1: 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 14 - Sickened, Crowbar
Strength, Door #2: 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 24 - Sickened, Crowbar
Strength, Door #3: 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 7 - Sickened, Crowbar

Wrenching at the three doors, one is forced open. Drail takes a cursory look around then steps away, wavering slightly, from the room. He takes a series of deep breaths as he clears the doorway, bent over slightly, eyes closed.

"Bodies, long dead," he says between breaths, still trying to recover from the overwhelming stench. "Tian garments on one, or what is left of the clothing, at least...one door is open, the others need further effort...or teamwork."

Hooli giggles as Drail nearly falls down when the door offers no resistance. "Stronger than you know," she tells him with a knowing nod. "On a scale of one to 10, you'd be an 18 based on that door."

She giggles a moment at her joke before gagging at the stench and stepping back.

Her face falls as she hears Drail's report.

"I could maybe try to pick the lock if that's the problem," she says dubiously.

If desired, Drail is able to Take 10 or Take 20 on the doors and complete exploration of the prison cells.

**

With exploration of the prison cells complete, the intrepid Pathfinders head to the northwest.

Here, cracked and crumbling frescos line the walls of this large empty room. The sections of the frescos not destroyed by the passing ages show Qadiran men engaged in battle. A rough stone tunnel leads off to the northwest, as if the ground simply cleft in two ages ago. A pile of bones rests just inside the passage. (This is room 5 on the map)

As you all step into the room, crunching past yet more assorted bones and debris - a particular pile twitches and springs to life, standing on its own feet and grinning a crooked leer at Adebisi.

Surprise Round
19 Skeleton : Rises to its feet
14 Etta
12 Archibald
8+ Drail
8 Cao

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Now Up: Etta, Archibald, Drail and Cao.