DM Rah's "Before the Dawn, Part II: Rescue at Azlant Ridge" PFS (Inactive)

Game Master Kobash

"I figure we let the men in, 'cept for the leader, and have them lay down arms 'n give up the payment they was offerin'. If they do, we let in the leader. Seems like the safest option to me." Barlor offers, trying to use his thinking brain.

"I am more of a shrewd negotiator, not so much evil Shel. Barlor has a good idea."
Peri pauses

Are we sure the ape guys are evil? Maybe they were slighted as well.

"I agree with Master-Dwarf Barlor's wisdom in this. If the creatures are truly that much of a threat, we could use their help in protecting these people as well as our mission and this site. I was not awake when the last negotiations where held, but Eristal tells me that I could do worse than to trust the knight-warrior's word, if he gives it. it is also very possible that they might hold another piece of the puzzle we need of this place, as where even the Cheliaxian's damned divinations failed, it seems that theirs have not, and they do hold more knowledge about what is actually going on than we do. I also feel that there is a chance we could turn them away from their current path if we show them both the risks and the rewards of walking a righteous path rather than the dark ways the follow now. He and his men, could make for a powerful ally if they could be turned to the light side. That is my vote. If we do not try everything in our power to help these men, then all of the rumors, all of the common notions of how the Pathfinders are just common thugs, grave-robbers, thieves, and trouble makers is true."

With that, I will draw Witch-Hammer as well as my bow, and make my way to the top of the wall, ready to wither attack or parley once the final decision is made.

"I think your decision has been made." Juliet places a weary hand on Yanos' shoulder before he can ascend the wall. "Wait a moment."

Juliet instructs her guards to follow your instructions. The gates are opened and a bedraggled line of mercenaries enter the camp under wary eyes. After they have been assembled and disarmed, Calgredine marches in, his jaw set like a vise. He is led to your group where he hands over a scroll tube.

"As agreed." He says stiffly.

Inside the scroll tube are a collection of scrolls both arcane and divine.

Scroll of cure moderate wounds, scroll of fireball, scroll of magic missile, scroll of shield.

Candy!

In PFS, scrolls, like wands, are not arcane or divine, anyone with the spell can simply use it. I'm not really interested in these items, myself. Maybe we should throw the CMW out somewhere in the open so who ever is not dropped can try to heal the other healer? I have a few backups already ready to go. :)

How about Barlor taking the CMW scroll, and Peri taking the other three? I think she is the only one that can cast those spells,r right?

I believe so, yes. I wouldn't mind using the CMW in an emergency or especially after combat, but I don't want to have to deal with moving, drawing it, and then next round using it in combat. Does anyone want a Enlarge Person prebuff? I don't believe that Peri can get it, but I don't know that in character. It's a Full round casting even from the wand, and lasts 1 minute.

I will go ahead and cast Enlarge Person and Barkskin now, though.

Everyone, the charau-ka stopped chasing the mercenaries up the trail and are currently massing at the bottom. They might attack, but there is no battle yet so you have a little time to do other things.

I'll take the scroll and stay close to Yanos in case he does another one of those dying things he likes to do.
But Yanos, you should stick with us too.

I was only considering going outside if we didn't let the other guys in, because it sounds like a really epic battle/death that would be a great story. I was under the impression last time other would come once the other group was locked down, which don't think will be an issue here. :) No worries. Did you want an Enlarge Person?

Sure. Once I pop shillelagh as a larger size, I think my club's base damage die will be 3d6.

I'll use my Pearl of Power to recast Enlarge Person on Barlor

Assuming you mean just before the ape-critters get to the gates.

Juliet draws your group aside. "Though we could use more warriors on the wall, we need you Pathfinders for something else. You mentioned a key. May I see it?"

When you give it to her she examines it for a moment before turning to walk towards the back of the camp, gesturing for you to follow. "Come with me."

I'll follow, wondering did I mention this some time ago.

Before the interaction with Juliet, László will approach the Aspis mercenary leader. "This is an odd question, but do any of your people have any knowledge of magic?"

Haris walks out of the privy, tying his pants together as he rejoins the group. Then he notices Captain Killjoy from the camp fight, "Hey, what's he doing here?" After hearing the explanations, he follows Juliet, not before giving Calgredine a mocking salute.

The key was mentioned a little while ago, right before checking the sick camp members. There was a lot going on, but I (and Juliet) didn't forget about it.

"My wizard was killed on the trail." Calgredine says. "I still have his apprentice, but I'll only order him to help you for a fee of 10 gold."

László chuckles at the mercenary's audacity. "I suppose we do not have the time to bargain, yes? Here you are." The Varisian counts out ten gold and hands it over.

Calgredine takes the gold and pulls forth a wide-eyed boy in a dirty, tattered robe from among the mercenaries.

So, is the group splitting up? Juliet seems to want you all to accompany her, but she will wait if you want to deal with the sick first. Also, the apprentice looks pretty green. If you have anything to aid him, you might want use it.

If Laszlo wants to deal with the sickness now, I'll aid him, since I've got a faction goal for it as well.

"This shouldn't take but a moment or two, Juliet, but we have to find out what's going on with the illness. If we are all at risk, that needs to be quickly investigated.". She takes the young apprentice's hand. "Come with us for a few minutes. Then we will return you to your group."

Does anyone have anything to aid in a spellcraft check for the lad?

László just wanted to line up someone with Spellcraft to work with a healer, if it could be done quickly. He doesn't have a faction goal for that.

@ DM, no worries. A lot going on, and I know you where saying you where starting a new job. I didn't mean that against you, I was just sort of rping with myself.

"I have a prayer that will help to guide the boys will towards the correct path. I can also call on my god-sight, to see magical auras."

I can cast Guidance on him (for a +1 to his roll), and if the DM will allow it I could Aid Another by Detecting Magic.

Peri takes the fireball scroll, and smiles with delight. She follows Juliet and her posse outside. After casting Mage armor on herself.

Peri can be enlarged she is not an outsider, rather a very rare humanoid. But enlarging does very little for an arcane caster.

Keep in mind there is no combat eminent. The charau-ka are about 5 minutes march from the camp. Spells cast right now will likely be wasted.

Regarding aid for the apprentice - he can cast detect magic on his own. I will give him a bonus if Yanos' can roll another heal check to explain his current findings.

Apprentice Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Heal Aid: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

It turns out the apprentice is a native to the Mwangi and has seen similar sickness before. With his insight, you are able to identify it, and if they survive the charau-ka a treatment could be developed for them.

One of two Taldor/Sczarni faction missions completed.

I wasn't sure if that was my Heal check or if you wanted me to roll one? Also, I wasn't clear that the Charau-Ka horde was that far away. I thought they where very close, or I wouldn't have cast. Can I retcon back the Enlarge Person's? If not it's cool. I still have the wands I can use.

That was Yanos' heal check (turns out it wasn't needed). You can retcon the spells. I have been trying to tell you the attack wasn't coming, but it's sometimes hard be clear without a visual aid.

Shel can't help but hug the young boy after he shed perfect light on the sickness. "Thank you so much, young man. You've been very helpful. Is that per group you are traveling with treating you okay? If not we might be able to return the favor and help you," Shel adds, talking to the apprentice away from the other group.

"Thank you indeed, young man. Your leader may not be so grateful, I fear, as you have made it less likely that we will be dislodged from this place. Now, Juliet, you had a task for us?"

The apprentice is young, but loyalty does not know age. He refuses Shel's suggestion and returns to Calgredine. His master's death has made him valuable and important to the mercenary, and thus to the Consortium as well.

Leaving the sick with hope for a cure, Juliet leads you beyond the tents and the other excavation digs to one last site that slopes down into the side of the ridge. There at the bottom stands a massive door. At fifteen feet high and ten feet wide, it is an impressive structure. Carved from a dull yet shimmering metal, every inch of its surface is covered in runes, glyphs, pictographs, and intricate patterns. A single rift, about an inch deep, splits the door in half from top to bottom, giving you the impression that it might open were it only to have handles. The door sits recessed several feet into the jagged rock of the ridge’s cliff face, which stretches a hundred feet or more above the camp.

Juliet descends the terraced excavation to the door and spends several minutes tracing her hands along various pictographs and symbols, constantly looking to the key and then back to door. Without warning, she slaps the key into a space that just moments before wouldn’t have fit it, and the door slowly, silently, opens outward to reveal a set of wide stairs descending into darkness.

She turns back to you with a huge grin on her face, but as she’s about to speak, a horn sounds from the tower over the palisade gate and the camp suddenly leaps back into action. Dias runs back up the terraced dig and says, “Explore the complex, find out what might be in there, and hope to the gods it’s something that will help us. I have to organize our defense. Go! GO!”

As she sprints off toward the camp’s defenses, a familiar roar thunders in the air, and a cacophony of screeching and screaming sounds echoes from all around the palisade wall.

Shel takes the front of the group and begins looking for traps in their path.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Advancing right behind Mistress Shel, Yanos calls on Guidance to help her in her search (+1).

"What is this place. Ive never seen anything like it."

Peri assumes a place in the middle of the pack and casts light on her amulet if the area warrants it.

Gee fellas, this area seems rather spooky.

What level are the scrolls GM?

The Varisian looks over at Peri with a slightly strained grin. "Spooky? Just because we may be the first living beings to set foot on these stairs for thousands of years?" He advances on one side of the middle, bow out, listening carefully for movement in the darkness around them.

Perception check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

"I just know we're gonna find some zombies. Almost wish I was part o' the wall defenses instead. Anyway, better hurry! Those sick folk won't last against those monkey-critters." Barlor says as he stays close to Yanos.

"Spooooky." Haris whispers, pulling out his Everburning torch.

No traps or hidden dangers are discovered.

You descend a wide set of stairs into an enormous room, measuring thirty-five feet wide by forty feet long, and more than thirty feet tall. The entire room smells sickly sweet, but the floors, wall, and ceiling are all smooth and clean—rather similar to the sphere in the ground outside. Four enormous monoliths, fifteen-foot-tall human-shaped metal statues, rest in the four corners of the room. They’re made of white metal, almost like a suit of full plate sized quite large, but without anything discernible as a face. They are perfectly smooth and perfectly clean—as though dust or dirt were repelled from their surface.

To your right, between two of the monoliths, a small passage continues deeper into the site.

Shel halts before entering the room, tossing a stone in front of her into the room, to see if the statues react.

The statues do not react.

Activating my Wayfinder (Light), I'll cast Detect Magic, and scan ahead of us as we proceed. I'll try to stay right next to Shel as she scans for danger in case she needs help. "I'm not sure my weapon will be of too much use down here."

Would a Know Arcana, Local, or Religion shed any proverbial light on the inside or the statues?

Yanos Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Yanos doesn't know anything about this.

Shel nods at the cleric's assist and slowly walks into the room with him. She stops at first statue and inspects it.

Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Shel does not learn anything new in her examination of the monoliths.

"Deeper in, yes?" Only the slightest quiver in the Varisian's voice betrays his profound unease in the place.

"Guess me & Yanos ought ta go first. Unless anyone sees any traps?"

As long as I don't have to go first

"That sounds good Barlor."

"Hold on, Barlor. Let me make sure there are no traps, then you all can take the lead if you want.. Shel goes to the passage between the monoliths and again searches for traps.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13