Dungeon Master S's "Deepmarket Deception" [STANDARD] (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

Knowledge (Geography): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 3 = 18

Sarsczek continues to describe much of the boundaries of Ancient Osirion, along with their old hierarchy of the sages.

"...which brings us to the sages of today! I've met some of them! One is a Dragon!"

He looks around at the party after his short dissertation. "What? I was abandoned in Mwangi. I dun com-moo-ni-cate well, but I know what I see and remember what I hear. Easier to read than talk... books don't get mad. Usually."

Zinkyudo's considers his own missions for the Society a moment, thinking on what he's experienced that might be of interest to this pipefox creature. "I've been to a place not unlike the Deepmarket before, Yrishi," he tells her, "underneath a faraway city called Cassomir. Though it's a little more like a sewer and less like a grotto. In any case, there are people who live below-ground there, who worship a Rat God, who turns ordinary vermin into huge, horrid beasts."

He looks at her expectantly, wondering, Is that something she'd want to know? Is that something anyone would want to know?

"your knowledge is... okay." the pipe fox looks disappointed. "can you show me something magical? A spell?"

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"I'm afraid I can't do any magic - though my blood is descended from angels, if that's of any interest!" Zinkyudo looks at Diri and Valandil and gives a sharp nod toward the pipefox, whispering, "Do some magic, would ya?"

Sarsczek's eyes light up for a moment. He holds up both of his clawed hands, raising his index finger on each. He quickly taps his to hands together and simultaneously raises his second finger on the left hand while retracting the index finger on his right. He then quickly taps his hands together again, retracting his second finger and raising the right index finger again.

Perform (Act): 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (14) - 3 = 11

Takes ten on arcana for 23
"I can.." says Valandil, happily stepping forward.

"Is there any particular magic you would like?"

He'll start by using prestidigitation to shine the small serpents scales.

"But perhaps you have some you would like to show me as well?"

"Magic merely gives us a way to minimize temporal expenditures," Diri says, grabbing the glassware she purchased, shattered, and repaired upstairs. She smashes it to the ground, shattering it again, then spontaneously casts mending on it, returning it to its pristine state.

"Glue and patience does the same with a significantly larger time investment," Diri continues, offering the trinket to the pipefox.

EDIT: make whole isn't actually faster. Heh.

"Oooooo" Yrishi moves over to Valandil. "Yes, THIS. I like knowledge of magic and the arcane, and I LOVE watching spells in action. Yes please! Who can I bring you to?"

Keeping his voice low, and making sure there is nobody else obviously close by Valandil speaks.

"Well my little friend. There is a particular person by the name of Tseka that we would love to meet. She has secrets too that we are keen to find out."

"Teehee!"

After traveling behind Yrishi for a couple hours hours, you come to a chokepoint in a cavern on the outskirts of the market. Yrishi disappears into the shadows, "I promise to meet you on the other side! There's an Aspis checkpoint up ahead Good fortune friends!"

With that, your guide vanishes.

I've updated the map to show the path, I figure it's the easiest way to get a marching order, give you a visual, and have people in place for whatever you do to get through the checkpoint.

Trusting to his disguise, Nixkamich simply moves forward, attempting to give the impression that he has every right to be there, and simply wants to keep on moving.

Oleander, a nice looking flower, poisonous though

"Yes... well.. also my sister. A somewhat fitting name for her really."

"Something seems wrong... Strong folk should protect front and rear. Chewy folk in the middle."

"I endeavor to optimize my relevance by having tactical options at multiple ranges so as to better fit my contributions to the task at hand whether its spearheading a group or bringing up the rear or anywhere in between but mobility can become an issue when multiple velocities lead to differences in displacement."

Dirispeak: Diri moves at 15ft. Can contribute at close range with (non-selective) channeling and at long range with spells. Is willing to stand in front, since it seems we're an entire party of archers.

Sarsczek is a frontliner. A hungry frontliner.

Sarsczek whispers to the party "If the serpents are looking for us we've been noisy prey. Best be hunters and watch for prey.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30 Eyes and ears open for ambush
Survival: 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 9 + 3 = 27 Looking for tracks

You arrive at the checkpoint when you see there are two Aspis agents. As you approach, the agents stop you and ask you to state your business.

"And be quick about it." They give Sarsczek a rather dismissive look.

Tametomo kept his mouth shut the whole time but struggles to restrain on firing a volley of arrows at the aspis' faces.

If we want to stop Tseka, I have to play along the group. They seem to know what they're doing.

"Boss say go forward, I go forward.". Sarsczek motions over at Nixkamich while intently studying both Aspis agents.

"You guys will need to show us what you're carrying and state your business."

Zinkyudo's fingers twitch toward his bow, just as he notices Tametomo's doing the same thing, but he restrains himself.

Let's see if we can talk our way past this one. If not, I'll be ready to fight. I just hope we can find our way out of this place if we need to leave in a hurry.

Nixkamich shrugs.

"We have some stuff from up top-side to trade," he says, nodding to the others to show the contraband that the party has left, "but mostly, we are looking for poisons".

Bluff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21.

Technically, everything I said was true, so that should help with the believability of that statement.

"Also, I'm for sale!" Sarsczek moves the contents of his pack around with his tail to show each of the pieces of contraband, and also move the Crown of Swords closer to the top.

Valandil leads forward and gives Sarsczek a light clip around the ear.

"You are not for sale."

He tries to look menacing.

"Yet."

Sarsczek turns and hisses at Valandil, while giving him a wink.

The agents look you over and give you a dismissive nod, "Go ahead. Today's pass phrase is 'The Serpent Shall Rise Again.'"

The guards look you over, confirm that you're not anything bad like Pathfinders, and let you continue on.

After passing through the checkpoint, you head to the Aspis Consortium’s base in Deepmarket. Farther along the tunnel, small communities of recently constructed but shoddy structures connected by narrow tunnels give way to large caverns littered with dilapidated buildings, the homes of squatters too poor to afford to live anywhere else. You pass by an old beggar who whispers that it was once a “temple of nightmares” before becoming “a place where people disappear,” and now the “snakes have it.” Yrishi joins back up with you, helping you on your way. Eventually, the caverns shrink, turning into crude, winding tunnels.

The tunnels open slightly into a small cavern that ends in a wall of worked stone. An iron door bearing a raised image of a three-eyed beast on its face prevents entrance. The symbol matches one of the symbols in your possession, Lamashtu. Yrishi is too scared to continue, but promises to wait here for your return.

Four exits lead out of this sparsely furnished room—an iron double door to the northwest, and three wooden doors leading south, east, and southeast. Worn wooden benches line the walls, and discarded bottles are scattered across the floor.

A pair of ratfolk wearing Aspis badges stand guard while a third seems to be in charge.

"What's the password?" he says with a sizable amount of sneer in his voice.

"The serpents shall rise again." Sarsczek says curtly as he fishes the unholy symbol of Lamashtu out of the pack with his tail.

The ratfolk guards give you a much more thorough look than the checkpoint guards.

And it looks like the Deception is about to fail...

...but at the last second the one in charge nods and says only, "You may proceed."

Tametomo, still mute, gives a copper coin to the beggar, nodding to thank him.

Poor people, living under such bad influences...

Zinkyudo becomes more and more repulsed by the Deepmarket as they see more of it. This place is awful! Dirty, falling apart, impoverished. How can it be allowed to exist? Not only uncivilized, but clearly a natural nest for the Aspis!

DMS - I assume we came in the double doors on the NW wall? Post is based on that assumption:

"Well, we've no particular idea where to go, right?" Zinkyudo inquires of the others. "Might as well be systematic about it, let's start with the left-hand door."

Meaning the door leading east.

My apologies. I meant to confirm that assumption. You came from the NW.

The guards shut the door behind you as you advance. You're not sure if that's a good thing for your cover, or a bad thing for your ease of egress.

If I haven't mentioned it yet, feel free to roll perceptions, etc at doors, I just ask the party to place their minis in their actual positions.

No problem, it was pretty clear what you meant.

Zinkyudo approaches the suggested door and puts an ear to it, listening for any sounds on the other side. He also scans it for any obvious traps the Aspis folks might have set on it, then moves away to let someone else lead the way.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Gang - I put us on the map in a proposed order, feel free to revise.

Sarsczek inspects the door, for traps or for heavy breathing on the other side...
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28 +3 for traps

Noting the tense situation, Sarsczek keeps his mouth shut (for once), and uses hand motions to indicate what he's found.

The palarcher stands before the doors and gives a try at hearing anything that comes from the other side.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Zinkyudo gives the door a quick look, but nothing thorough enough to arouse suspicions. Passing through the door, the party arrives in a room quite unlike what they suspected.

A flourishing mass of purple fungus separates the western portion of this room. Two cages lined with straw and fungal spores sit ajar against the north wall. To the east, smooth stone covered in scorched images of screaming faces gives way to rough stone.

Inside the room is a strange trio of creatures. Two sleek, weasel-like rodents with exaggerated whiskers and six short but stout legs, but they're covered in strange fungal growths, and a shambling fungus creature which bears a strong resemblance to a rotund human, but with a mushroom cap for a head

The mushroom creature seems to be working. They notice you, but ignore you for the moment.

Sarsczek's bane. Something he shouldn't bite but will anyways.

In a whisper, Sarsczek asks "See if they let us pass or find other way round?

He'll move about the room and check the other doors for traps as well before returning to his post in front of the party.

Southeast: 1d20 + 11 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 3 = 27
South: 1d20 + 11 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 3 = 17

Nixkamich shrugs.

"It's not what we are looking for, and it doesn't seem hostile. Let's find another way around."

The mushroom creature stares, but doesn't make a move against you...yet.

There are 2 doors in this room (other than the one you entered from.)

"It has a... hoss tile stare. I think its waiting like we're prey."

Sarsczek studies the closest rodent and the disturbing looking mass carefully and looks for aggressive cues.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 2 = 16

"This doesn't seem like what we're looking for," Zinkyudo offers, distaste evident on his face, "so let's find another way around, like Nix says. How about we go back to the last room, and try the next door?"

That would be the one to the southeast.

He casts a quick glance at the wizard and adds, "Unless Valandil can tell us something useful about these things that would change that plan?"

Valandil has been looking at the creatures with interest.
Takes ten, for results in the 20s

"It may be best to avoid here. I have read about these creatures but not seen either in the...flesh, well body anyway. The creature is a Kirrix, a strange beast kept by ratfolk. They typically carry lots of diseases and are used often to clean disease-ridden areas. The mushroom is a Mylecoid. It's an evil plant like creature that can expel poisonous clouds if threatened.

"If the Kirrix is here it may mean the area is contaminated. I recommend avoiding it if possible, maybe trying the middle door?"

"That works for me."

After checking the door for traps, Nixkamich does exactly that.

Perception 'Take 10' = 27.

Sarsczek puts the Crown of Swords on his head, then fishes an antiplague out of his pack and keeps it held in his tail. "If they are cleaning, it's because they want something here. I can take 'em if you hold the back. Checked both doors, safe to go through I think."

The mushroom man is hard to read, but you get the impression that he just wants to leave. There are two doors out of this room other than the one you entered from. Which one do you want to go through?

Most of us seem to be saying we go back to the previous room and go out the door to the southeast, leaving the mushroom-man and rat-things alone.

When you go back the guards eye you with a LOT of suspicion. "What the hell are you doing back here?"

Okay, I'm comfused. I thought the guards were beyond the first door - where I put the yellow circle on the map - and that they closed that door behind us when we came in, since you described the door being closed while we were still deciding which door to go through.

My apologies. Since the issue is my description, I have no problem letting you guys rewind. If you check the map now, I put the guards and some notes. I hope that helps. Sorry!

Ah, much clearer, DMS. Thanks for that, and your flexibility. Slight retcon then:

"If the guards are any good at their job, they'll surely wonder what we're doing if we come right back out, so it might be good to figure out how we can keep going this way," Zinkyudo offers. Pointing at the mass of fungus separating them from the creatures on the other side of the room, he asks, "Valandil, do you know anything about this stuff? I know mushrooms are often poisonous, and that's a lot of mushroom right there. Is it a danger to us if we try to pass through it?"

Any chance we can make a Knowledge check on the purple fungus?