Darkest Corners volume 2

Game Master Harakani

"Regarding his magics, I could bring into being a zone of magical silence around someone capable of grappling him. If Diene or Ophelia manage to close in with him, and pin him while the silence lasts, he may not manage to cast any of his magic on us...unless he specifically prepared for such cases, and even then there's a good chance we won't have to face the most powerful spells in his arsenal as it's mentally very taxing to cast spells without their proper components-"

"That will no doubt be helpful. Hmm. I wonder if he has any accomplices with him? Hired thugs sounds unlikely, but there may be conjured or otherwise compelled creatures at his side."

Maybe he IS the hired thug. Hauling bodies around and pawning off family treasure don't seem like the actions of someone in control of anything. I can sic a swarm on magic users if needed.

"Given his and his family's history, I doubt he is the THUG...but it may well be that he is a TOOL...someone manipulated by promises of power. Doing the hauling himself makes perfect sense to keep things secret...get no one else involved, only trust yourself...the question is: who is this invisible existance that guides him into action, and would it act openly? Either way, we may want to inquire with HQ if they can support us with scrolls that let us bind things into the material plane..."

Specifically, Ghostbane Dirge and See invisibility...considering what we learned so far, that should be reasonable requests.

Whatever it is can't be anything but pure evil that's fer sure. Isama says with a shudder.

"Er... Right. Those are things. Break up, grab what supplies you need, we meet up in a few hours at base to head in. Kay?" Diene boldly and confidently leads.

"Aye, aye, Ma'am!", Daria gives a mock salute to go with her cheerful acknowledgement, then takes off towards the scribery.

Considering we'll likely be facing something invisible, possibly incorporeal(if it's a ghost of an ancestor or something like that), I'll request the above-mentioned spells in scroll-form, as well as Glitterdust. As far as I gathered from Castor's handling, if the use of scrolls is justified, we get reimbursed for them? They may be necessary, but permanently gimping my budget would need to be carefully considered-
See invisibility at 525GP, one should be enough, with one possibly as backup in case of dispelling. With Ghostbane Dirge and Glitterdust, there's no guarantee they work on an incorporeal creature.(funny though, ghostbane dirge should, going by flavor and intent, probably not be subject to the spell failure chance from a corporeal source), so I would bring multiples just to be on the save side, at 200 each, extras to be returned to the storage, of course. 4 each, if available, with glitterdust being more important. I may be completely off with my guess, but thats what Daria will prepare for.

My free bolt will be a +1 conserving undead-bane bolt if I need to make the bolt +1(despite the crossbow being +1 - seen different handling on that kind of thing. If that is not necessary, it will be a holy undead-bane bolt.

"Affirmative." Ophelia nods and heads up to her quarters. She would need to swing by the quartermaster to pick some things up, but first there was things to be tinkered with ...

When we get back!

The constructed investigator has spread out several items of varying degrees of strangeness on the table in their station. For Diene she points to a large glass bottle containing a sickly green fluid/muck.

"A mixture of frog noses, green whipwillow and alchemical salt which should allow you to locate invisible features. Don't worry, it is perfectly safe! I've hammered out the previous problems and even added some mint and honey for the taste ..." Ophelia beams.

For Daria she has a small tube of paper, seemingly filled with rocks and tied shut at both ends with a piece of string.

"It contains some rock salt crystals infused with divination magic with guiding properties, they should provide vastly improved accuracy. However the magic is extremely volatile and dissipates quickly - so count on it for one strike only. And don't tear off the paper too early!"

And lastly a small brooch with copper wire carefully wrapped around it for Isama.

"It is a warding talisman which should shield against unwanted attacks. But the design is quite unstable so it will probably only last a handful of minutes ..."

The wast majority of gadgets and mathingies seems to be for Ophelia herself - and given the vast amount of pointy cogs and similar stuff attached to them it might be for the best!

To Diene: Extract of See Invisible (So she can tackle invisible stuff)

To Daria: Extract of True Strike (If she gets an opportunity to really make the bolt count!)

To Isama: Extract of Shield (I know she has a buckler, but this is +2 AC, which is something. And she is more likely to end up in melee then Daria I think/hope)

For meeeeeeee: Bull's Strength (Only strength based melee that doesn't have a belt), Mutagen/Overcharge, Ablative Barrier (turn to non-lethal = nice!), Shield and Monkey Fish (because Ophelia sinks like a rock otherwise!)

Which leaves one 1st level slot open if we really need something in the field (Unless you want a Shield extract too Daria?)

In the future, I think it would be efficient for me to brew some Cat's Grace for our more dexterous companions? In hindsight, seems a bit more efficient then Bull's Strength (more versatile too to boot!). Thoughts : )?

And then one last thing - Ophelia will test her Wand of Magic Circle to gain that sweet +2 on Use Magic Device (for previously having activated it!) so she doesn't fizzle later on. And if she gets a natural 1 she can hand the Wand to someone else : ) (If that is a thing for wands, cant recall!)

"Also I brought this!" Ophelia waves a thin baton in the air and says something in some made up language. She clearly expects something to happen, but ...

Use Magic Device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

"Huh. It should not be difficult ..." She mumbles and waves the wand around again, this time more violently.

Use Magic Device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

"That *should* have worked? Are my pronunciation off? Hmm ..." The construct glares at the wand and tries again, speaking slower this time...

Use Magic Device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

... and it seems to work! Something actually happened! A barely perceivable forcefield emanates from the wand.

"Yey! This *should* protect us from mental tricks and as a bonus stop summons and impair attacks aligned with evil."

Fine without shield, thanks for offering :) Had totally forgotten Alchemists/Investigators get early access to See Invisibility(pretty much everybody does...it's only a Level 3 spell for bards - for whatever reason -_- Also thanks for the truestrike. Just don't EVER feed me a Vomit Swarm infusion. I don't think Daria could forgive you.

Diene raises the glass to eye level, giving it an appraising look complete with stroking of chin. With a shrug, she made sure the stopper was fastened and stashed it. "About how long does it last? Should I quaff it before we go in, or is it more of the, 'Ow, something invisible is stabbing me, pop it and finish things quick' duration?"

"The primary effect should last a bit over an hour 70min, so unless the bust goes south, using it early *shouldn't* be a problem Daria's scrolls will come in handy then!. And it might be good so that our mark doesn't slip away ..."

don't waste it, or it actually costs.

At sundown the group finds themselves with a conundrum.
Aspex Tulthin apparently lives in the deepest - and least renovated - shelter in a group of three. Originally designed as three lines of defence, the shelters were linked by a spiral stairwell descending thirty feet. Every fifteen feet there was a sally port, with a newly installed door leading to a shelter. While the first two sally ports were clearly usable, the staircase that descends further is filled with rubble and debris.
Ventilation is apparently provided via a tiny copper pipe, perhaps a foot across.

Please feel free to make a stealth check if you wish. Could everyone please give me two perception checks as well. Talking is possible, but will reduce the utility of stealthing.
If you have any detects running, or have activated any precautions on the way down, please state here. It has taken six rounds to go this deep at careful walking speed.

Since it lasts long enough, one Scroll of See Invisibility is used. Regarding talking, I'd cover all of us with Message beforehand, so we can whisper. Heightened Awareness is active, as is Detect Magic.

Take 10 for KN Engineering for 22. Sharing the spoilers(whispering), pointing at the Debris and giving Diene a thumbs-up. Other than that, Daria will remain silent and focus on the tasks at hand.
Stealth: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
Perception 1: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
Perception 2: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Also, Trap Spotter if we run across any...not explicitly stating that I search, but I do expect some kind of magical deterrants...one more question: do we expect him to be home? Or is he out and we expect him to return?

The odds of Diene making ten consecutive dc 20 strength checks are low enough that we could start praying for Aroden to show up and smite the guy. Next plan?

"Uuuuh... That looks a little beyond even me. And would completely negate the point of stealth. Not that I didn't already announce our presence when I tripped on the earlier stairs."

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 251d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Mage Armor up for AC 18

"Well, he must get in and out SOMEHOW. Unless he's a Vampire turning into a mist to go throught the ventilation pipe, there must be some other way, right?"

Daria searches for some hidden access/door/entrance.(Taking 20 for 35 total, unless we come up with some other idea before or Diene succeeded in clearing away the rubble :) )

I think(may be wrong) GM meant 10 successes total would be needed...and if Ophelia helps, you are close to a 50% chance per check. 10 consecutive would indeed seem a little over the top-

"Well, he could also shapeshift into a small animal or use dimension door or have a secret entrance."

He's also somehow getting a heckuva load of bodies 'in and a lot of victims in. That's pretty hefty magic.

"We don't know that he's doing that, do we? Like, he could kill them out and about. This is where he lives."

Well, technically...I thought the ventilation pipe was smaller...for some reason was thinking "inch"-not foot. Heck, Daria could probably squeeze through there...(and then be alone, cut off, and face-to-face with an angry wizard and his undead ghost ancestor-)

Well yeah, mebbe Isama concedes Diene's point

Perception: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 15 + (2) = 21

Perception: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 15 + (6) = 28

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

At the moment, I can't think of anything Ophelia can do to really help, at least not in any way other then shovelling rocks :P

"Hmm." Ophelia observes. She does pull out a small nondescript rod and shakes it gently causing it to grow into a shovel. "A suboptimal course of action, but better then none?"

Traveller's Any-Tool -> Shovel

"Before we consider using magic or ridiculous brute force, let's check around the building and below it for any other passages in."

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 Checking for tracks to see if someone else usually walks down here.

Survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Seeing what Diene is doing Isama crouches next to her and points out the kind of ground where tracks are more easily seen.

Cutaways
Top View
Side View
Hopefully that helps
Isama and Diene are able to confirm that nobody is using the pipe as entrance or egress, except for a couple of rats. There are occasional strange streaks in places on the pipe - as if something tiny had bumped into the top of the pipe on occasion and accidentally cleaned off some of the mildew clinging to it - perhaps a familiar.
Mia is unable to find a hidden door. When she looks "down" the pipe, her augmented senses detect abjuration magic.

Well Reduce Person ain't enough to squeeze in through the pipe Isama says Whole setup stinks of arcane stuff. Beggin yer pardon. Isama nods to Ophelia and Daria.

Ophelia tilts her head to the side and looks down on herself, a bit confused until she gets Isama's meaning.

"Yes. Indeed. There are advanced magics that *could* transport our suspect down the drain, so to say, without needing much more then this pipe."

Know(Arcana): 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 7 + (3) = 21

Hmm. I have yet to think of a plan better then simply shrinking Mia and stuffing ourselves in bags of holding. Maybe dig ourselves down from the unit above, if possible?

How about requisitioning or just buying this thing:

http://www.archivesofnethys.com/EquipmentMiscDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Tunnel%2 0creeper

@Isama: Mechanically it is. Going to leave whoever it is helpless though. Tunnel Creeper would work - so would Move Earth or Dimension Door. That'd mean moving away and coming back.

Or we could simply hide and then wait for him to pop up ... Hmm...

"Alright, lets case the rest of the joint, hoping for a lucky break, then if we haven't found any better ideas, we'll come back here and do whatever we need to do, or head for supplies. Deal?"

Ah, very nice pictures. Thanks a lot for helping to visualize things

"Ma'am, our goal is apprehending the suspect, right? By whatever means he enters and exits, our primary goal at this time is not to storm his place of residence. We could simply wait and set a trap for him near the entrance of this underground structure. Alternatively, we could attempt to smoke him out..."

Or, as Ophelia suggested, get you into extradimensional storage, reduce me, and I'll slide down and spill you out...I am somewhat reluctant to leave here. If we DID alert him in some way, he may escape and we're back to the start...if we find we DO have to requisition something else, I'd suggest we send a single person to do so and have everybody else stay on location(volunteering for this task if no one else does)

"Getting in would give us a lot of clues and evidence. But, if we can't find a way in, staking it out may be 'do whatever we need to do'."

If you suggest it in character, Diene'd go for it.

Sir, I figger we can say fer sure that this Aspex character is comin' in and out through magic. I can help hide our tracks here so he doesn't get tipped off that something is wrong.

How long would it take 20 to hide tracks? Can I take 10 to do so? I don't think the guy has a good survival skill but every bit helps. I'm good with any plan really.

Mebbe we should see what the neighbours say. And then if we don't get any ideas then we call in a mage to make us ethereal long enough to get in there. I know we'd rather handle it ourselves but considerin' the number of bodies this bastard is responsbile for I think it's justfied

"Good call. You're on point, Isama." Diene figures talking nicely to the neighbors is not quite her own discipline.

"Anyone want to stay here just in-case mage dude shows up?"

Isama nods and moves back up to the top floors. At the first sign of habitation she knocks and calls out.

Hey anyone in there? This is the Guard, we just have some questions fer ya

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

The doors show obvious signs of inhabitation - and just as obvious signs of security.
At sally port 2 she knocks and after about half a minute the door is opened by a construct.

"I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid Madame is currently in the Mana Wastes. May I take a message?"

Perception to see if there is someone else around: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Can you let Madame know that this is the Guard. We're wantin' to ask everyone here about one of the neighbours. Got very good reason to think that eryone here is in danger and it's real important that we get to talk to her soon

"Er, but actually, that's not all that important at the moment, seeing she's in the Mana Wastes, and is safe, well, not really, she's in the Mana Wastes, but she doesn't care about this dude. Anyway, do you know anything about a guy that has an eyepiece and lives on the level below?"

"The resident below" the Manservant hums slightly for a moment "What do I know? I know I have not seen the resident below since he moved in. That was 23 days ago. 7 days ago the rocks appeared at the bottom."

That's about when the problems started. Isama mutters. Alright. Thanks. When the door closes Isama says Let's go get the other doors and then head back Boss. Looks like Aspex stuck to himself and was planning this hidey hole fer a while

"You have not seen him, but you are not usually outside the house, are you? Did you hear him since he moved in? Outside the door? Quite possibly at least when the rocks appeared?"

KN Arcana: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
So, the debris appeared all of a sudden...but it's not magical any more. What kind of rocks are those...and more importantly, by what kind of magic could he have brought them here.
Daria is trying to guess, assuming he did not carry them here and unload them manually, by what kind of magic he could have managed to do this.

"Oh no. I have excellent hearing. When the rocks appeared there was no noise of someone moving rocks. They simply fell to the ground. That happened several times. I did not complain as residents are allowed to perform loud maintenance from ten till six."

Well with money and time full arcane casters can do pretty much anything they want and Aspex used to be rich. I think the important thing is that the rocks are completely mundane now. I don't think Detect Magic picks up anything magical about them.

I know, I was running Detect Magic and it picked up nothing. The question was wether he brought them here by magic...in which case it would be interesting regarding a method of reversing what he did. Or if he brought them by mundane means(e.g. empty a bag of holding after filling it somewhere.) Also, why he choose this method. If money is not a problem he could probably have used a scroll of "Wall of stone" to completely block the entrance except for the pipe...in a way that would have made it almost impossible to clear without heavy construction tools or powerful magic. But he opted for a "cheaper" option here, I think.

"But would blocking the stairs not be in violation of fire security guidelines? Are you familiar with any such rules in place for these premises?"
If we can get the construct to file a official complaint, we'd have an "official" reason to get the debris cleaned out that has nothing to do with what he's really doing...could set some hirelings on clearing it and come back later, while waiting for him upstairs and possible catch him there- just a thought-

The manservant's glowing eyes blinked off for a long moment, then back on.
"I am unfamiliar with any such rules. I do know Madam requires that the path from the door to the surface to remain clear. Is it a violation?"

Bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

"Well, if registered, exceptions CAN be made for locations where it's necessary. But I am not aware of such an exception having been made for this place. If there was a fire downstairs, not only could the guard not reach the place, leading to lethal smoke filling the area to the surface, we also would not know if someone is trapped there, and have a hard time evacuating the others. Or a flooding. Imagine the person living there accidently leaving a Decanter of Endless Water unstoppered. We could not get there to prevent Madam's residence from being flooded. As such, yes, it certainly is a violation unless this is a registered alteration of the premises. As a neighbour, you would have had to be made aware of any such registrations. Thats why I'm asking you if an city official informed you, otherwise this rubble is in violation of several rules and laws, yes."

"Ah." the manservant processes the information "Yes. I understand. No, I was not made aware of this matter by anyone. Nor do I believe Madame was told."
There is a pause as its mind kicks over the problem "I would like to make an official complaint. The tenant in the lower floor has engaged in an unregistered and dangerous alteration of the premises."
Wow, good roll! You're in!

The top floor proved to be home to a small halfling.
Perhaps thirty seconds after knocking a smal, quite attractive, halfling opened the door a few inches and peeked round.