Dungeon Master S's Devil We Know Part III (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

The guards at the Swift are surprised to see you, but you're let in without a problem. You're escorted to the mad-painter shortly.

sense motive: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20 Why are the guards surprised? Did they have some foreknowledge of the fight?

I don't think these guards would react because of the fight... that was blocks away right? These guards are probably just surprised that we came back to the prison.

That would be my guess too — they're surprised that we returned: "weren't you guys just here...?"

They are just surprised that you returned so quickly. Your previous guide leads you to the painter.

If the paintings are still out, Evan starts looking at each of them closely. He also casts detect magic (can't recall if we already looked at his painting this way, and apparently too lazy to look back at earlier posts) to see if the paintings have any magic to them.

I guess a Perception roll makes sense...
perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

I'm not sure if it can work this way... but to interpret art... Evan is looking to see if he can understand the meaning of the paintings with Sense Motive...
sense motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Though untrained Sumac studies the paintings lookijg for some sort of clues to the crypt of fools

perception
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

raw intelligence
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

though at times wise and perceptive, Sumac has never been known for his brains...

Actually, a clever use of the skill Evan. Yes, you see some of the abstract paintings and wonder if the shapes are more than just...shapes...

Sumac, you don't get what the artist's Raison d'etre is, but you sure notice that each painting with a person in it shows a strong family resemblance.

Fel using the info Evan and Sumac found studying the paintings, talks to the madman and tries to get further information.

diplomacy 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29

Azdak studies the paintings to see if there are any maps or hidden messages in the pictures.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Holy crap your diplomacy mod is huge Phil.

Holy crap your diplomacy mod is huge Phil.

You mean Fel, (Adams character), I was posting for him. Yeah, Fel's damage with a dagger is 1d4-2 but he is pretty awesome with his words.

Sumac's gentle demeanor goes far. There are three in particular that you manage to get. He's sell them to you for a pittance. 5 Silver each. Azdak, you're not as sure as Sumac, but you think these are....locations? Places?

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3

Kn: geography or local, anyone?

Posting for Fel

The bard studies the paintings and tries to find some clues as to the location.

Knowledge local 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Knowledge geography 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Orryn prompts, Sumac nudges, and Fel answers.... Look at the map of Cassomir with the pictures. Then you tell me where you would like to go.

Is there a link to the map of Cassomir? I remember seeing one. I just can't find it.

"I believe these pictures all correspond to places in the city. Look here at this Map of Cassomir. This first picture could be a depiction of this square in northwest Cassomir where streets intersect (See #8). The road from the northwest to the southeast is straight. The one going from southwest to northeast curves around. Now look at the second picture. These circles could be the towers on the citadel (See #7). The third painting definitely depicts the breaker that juts out into the bay (See #6). The circles are the towers located on either side. The question is which of the three locations do we start with? I am inclined to go where the first picture describes." Azdak points to location #8 on the map. "Let's start by investigating here in this square."

"Do you remember how Queck Majet mentioned that he overheard the other leader talking to the cultist who led the kidnapped engineers away? He overheard her say that she was staying behind to find out if we knew anything else about the Crypt of Fools and the tunnels. She then said, ‘Tell Dalirio he can have these.’ I have been thinking about this and the name Dalirio and it finally hit me. I now remember hearing about a previous team of Pathfinders who located and "defeated" a cult. This started when a fallen member of Taldor's elite, one Dalirio Teppish was murdered by rivals and the city didn't bother investigating. I also remember that Ambrus Valsin told us that Dalirio Teppish was the name of an enemy long believed to be dead. It was feared that he was brought back as an undead servant to Cassomir's derro infestation. If we find him, we have orders to return with his head."

Sumac looks very impressed by Azdaks deductions. Okay, lets get going to the square (#8).

Aye! Right on, Azdak! Time fr'action!! let's go liberate that monster's head from his neck.

Remarkable deduction, good Azdak! Orryn heartily claps the Sorcerer on the back. Well done! Let's go.

Sorry guys, AFK til 1400. EST

Oops, massive mistake in execution. Serves me right for playing in 6 games at once. Easy fix, but it violates the "run as written rule." Shhhhh. We'll be back on track in no time.

you find yourself in an open square in Cassomir. There's plenty of activity here, but nothing jumps out at you with clues. A lone statue in the center of the square is what gives it the name. It's a statue of Aroden using divine magic. Most people simply walk by without a care. No one looks twice at you gawking.

I never saw anything. ;-)

I wonder if the points on the map refer to what's underneath... are there sewers? Sunken levels of this city? I wonder if the paintings are above ground markers for what's beneath. If all the above ground locations are like this one where people come through here regularly... it just seems like there's more to it.

And I just had a thought... I wonder if there's magic at work here...

Evan casts detect magic and scans the square. If that doesn't reveal anything, he tries very hard to see past what might be false images.

In case he notices anything just looking around...
perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

In his concentrated effort to through off the bonds of illusion...
will save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Nothing seems to be magically hidden. You notice a variety of loiterers, but nothing landmark based. Cassomir's sewers are EXTREMELY famous for being...busy. In passing through you do catch that the statue in the center of the square bears an "I" on the base.

Azdak inspects the statue carefully. He touches the symbol "I". He looks for any special levers, secret portals, hidden messages, codes, or anything that might give some indication to the Crypt of Fools. Does Aroden look or point in the direction of one of the other landmarks from the paintings?

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Sumac reminds the others that the statue just outside of the prison also was marked with an "I". The halfling asks the bard if he knows anything about an artist with the initial "I".

Azdak, you manage to find a hollow in the base as you tap and prod, but you are currently at a loss for how to open it.

Sumac attempts to aid Azdak

perception1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

"This section is hollowed out. Listen to this when I tap. Within may be a clue or even a concealed portal. I just cannot seem to find my way in. I do have this wand of detect secret passages,with a few charges, but I was hoping to save it for when we get to section where they are really trying to hide an entrance from us."

Perhaps someone else in the party has a trick to figure it out. But if not it looks like this may be a good use for it. The halfling also tries messing around trying to find some sort of hidden catch. Maybe our dwarf can bash his way in...

Aye, Azdak, use the wand now sir!

Hack also takes out his ffarrrry nice miner's pick, and looks at the statue with a professional eye.

Hmm, I'm fer thinkin' this might not be that hard to get into, but how to do it while sparing the rest of the statue...

Does Harnac think he can dig in, without totally destroying the statue?

Profession (miner): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Aye, Azdak, use the wand now sir!

"As you wish, Master Dwarf!"

Azdak takes out the wand of Detect Secret Doors and activates its arcane magic (4 charges remain). He spends the first round trying to detect the presence of secret doors around the statue and then if he finds one, he spends the second round looking for the mechanism to activate it. If he does not find one around the statue, he will continue scanning the entire square.

On the third round you receive a flash of insight. The statue depicts Divine power in action. You know that ANY divine power used at or on the statue will do it.

Assuming Azdak shares that info...

Orryn casts his detect magic spell at the statue.

My bad, I should not have said ANY divine magic. It needs to be targeted. A channel, lay on hands, or object targetable.

Sumac casts Stabilize and touches the statue.

THAT works, and a drawer opens. Not a moment before there wasn't even the hint of a joint in the metal. Inside is a key. The handle is too thin, flimsy almost. The teeth are intricate in the extreme, but chunks of the pattern is missing, as if broken off.

I wonder if we'll find something like this at each site.

I'd bet good Dwarven spirits that you're right, Evan!

Not a wager Hack takes lightly, to be sure. Let's investigate the other spots in the same way. Keep an eye out for another "I" as we look.

Not a wager Hack takes lightly, to be sure. Let's investigate the other spots in the same way. Keep an eye out for another "I" as we look.

Sumac suggests going back to the golden statue of the hot chick right outside the swift prison. That also bore the "I".

Evan is fine with that.

Sumac takes his sweet old time checking the statue out just outside the prison. 20+11=31. This time he does find something. It's not anything overly complex, but it looks like in her hand there is a piece of the statue that isn't actually attached. It looks like some kind of clamp or a key ring. Hard to discern what it could be from here.

The halfling stands up on Grips back then tries to climb up the statue to get it.

climb 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

You've got it, no problem.

"Nice work, Sumac! That makes two parts to the keys. Let's go and find the next part at the breaker out by the bay. I think we are on to something here."

Let's proceed to #6 and see if we can find a statue.

The remains of the abbey aren't much to look at, and the only thing that remains is the retaining wall. There is no statue in the area, but there are a lot of different paintings and frescoes.

Azdak looks around to see if he notices anything of interest in the paintings and frescoes. He is trying to find clues to the Crypt of Fools.

Are there any messages or maps hidden in the frescoes and paiintings?

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 18