GM BPChocobo's PFS Cult of the Ebon Destroyer (Inactive)

Game Master Black Powder Chocobo

The party finally begins to recover after a long, harrowing battle. All three skulls have been smashed, and Horgrym can finally read the nameplates underneath each of the alcoves, including the three that were occupied by the undead skulls.

Top row (the one with the skulls): Emmraz, Ixialt, Raxxus.
Second row (no skulls in them): Daegros, Vuzhon

Anything you wish to do? Otherwise, there is a single door to the west.

I really want a long rest. Is that still possible? We need to be sure everyone recovers stat damage at the very least.

Don't see why it wouldn't be.

Resting won't be normal here: can't leave and sleep at the inn as a group. You can individually (via the ioun stone), but of course the poor people left here waiting for you... it may not be pretty mwa ha ha ha ha ha.

On that note, this floor is different with how it works with time. I've always interpreted that since time doesn't function normally here, resting doesn't work normally, either. You can rest, but it won't provide any benefits (including getting spells back, healing HP, etc). Similarly, spells with extended durations (more than an hour) are extended indefinitely. On that note, there IS a place to rest and get its benefits, but you haven't found it yet.

Should I attempt to cure my Dex ability damage via Pelkin's lesser restoration wand? Didn't bring one of my own.

Int: 1d20 ⇒ 1

CLW wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
CLW wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

39/50 charges left of Horgrym's CLW wand.

Would be best. It'll take 8 days time otherwise.

Yes, I offered to do so.

Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Is that enough?

That'll fix Horgrym and return his skin to hid youthful halfling elasticity!

-Posted with Wayfinder

Looks like that's as good as we're gonna get. Unless others need healing? Lets get moving, maybe we can find a safe place to hide and rest.

No one else needs healing, assuming you're leaving Pelkin at 41/51. The western door from the skull chamber, then?

Thanks! I'm good to move on if others are.

Hogrym searches the room, especially the now empty alcoves.

@Horgrym: Each of the alcoves is fairly shallow, allowing enough room to place a small, rounded object. This includes the two originally empty slots in the second row, marked as Daegros and Vuzhon.

Whoops, I'm actually at 50/51, which is fine.

Pelkin will try to detect magic again and then will examine the alcoves, trying to determine if there might be two more of these skulls about... or something else.

Take 10 for 25 Perception if needed.

@Pelkin: You do find a pair of magical auras; one is the same malignant evil aura, set near the bottom whose location would be between the two alcoves in the center the ones for Daegros and Vuzhon and below the 2nd alcove from the top row. Design-wise, imagine an upside down triangle with the aura strongest at the point on the bottom and lines forming from there to the alcoves

In front of that aura is an abjuration one; your guess is that it's some sort of protective lock. The aura is concentrated at the focal point for the evil aura, but also links to the two empty alcoves in the second row again, Daegros and Vuzhon.

What do you make of all this? Should we try to open this magical lock somehow? I'd hate to leave some evil festering here.

Pelkin thinks a bit and then wonders aloud, Perhaps we should explore further, a key may be found elsewhere.

Horgrym shrugs at Pelkin and positions himself near the next door.

"Indeed, for I doubt that we have the skills to open it by mundane means," said Amarthecthel.

The party braces itself... and Pelkin opens the next door.

Two stories of tightly packed bookshelves line the western half of this musty chamber, and a massive mural map of what must be the Inner Sea region from eons ago adorns the southern wall. An enormous skeleton of a huge, twelve=legged reptile clutters the center of the room.

However, a pair of bodies rise up on the top part of the bookshelves; one a half-orc wielding a broken greataxe and the other an elf with a damaged scimitar, look at the party with coldness in their eyes. Their hands glow with blue sigils, although the half-orc seems to have a red sigil on his right hand. The animated remains of Ailee and Garuke prepare to strike the party!

Leaping down, the undead Ailee swings her weapon at Horgrym!

Ailee broken scimitar @ Horgrym: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 - 2 = 11
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 - 2 = 2

Luckily, the battle hardened halfling easily ducks under the blade!

Init Order (bold = up)
Ailee
Amarthechtel
Twigg/Mexel
Pelkin
Garuke
Horgrym

Map updated!

The map is unclear, can I 5' step thru the door?

Swift Action : Cast Litany of Sloth on the enemy in front of me.
Standard Action : Cast Communal Protection from Evil
Move : If I can get through the door I'll step around to flank.

Yah, I'm ok with that. The spacing is weird.

OK, done. Everyone should now have +2 AC and +2 to saves due to PfE.

Twigg casts great on the half orc's axe.

Ref dc 16

Mexel,holds.

Garuke Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

The axe now greasy, it falls to the floor, sliding near the perfectly clean behir skeleton.

The undead half-orc howls, staring at Twigg with lethal intent.

Init Order (bold = up)
Ailee
Amarthechtel
Twigg/Mexel
Pelkin
Garuke
Horgrym

Man, I am low on resources. Need a rest.

Knowing that undead tend to be resistant to cold, Amarthecthel touches his second pearl of power and recalls the shocking grasp spell again.

He then advances, slashing his blade before him.

1st attack - +1 cold iron scimitar, power attack and shocking grasp: 1d20 + 11 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 - 2 - 2 = 101d6 + 7 + 4 + 5d6 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 4 + (4, 2, 5, 2, 5) = 32

I assume that misses!

2nd attack - +1 cold iron scimitar, power attack and shocking grasp: 1d20 + 11 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 11 - 2 - 2 = 271d6 + 7 + 4 + 5d6 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 4 + (5, 5, 1, 1, 6) = 35
Critical Hit Confirmation: 1d20 + 11 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 11 - 2 - 2 = 231d6 + 7 + 4 + 5d6 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 4 + (2, 5, 1, 5, 5) = 30

If AC<24, then 67 points of damage, of which 36 is electricity. Else 32 points of damage, of which 18 is electricity.

@Amarthecthel: Don't you have Spell Recall to turn your Arcane Pool points back into spells? May be a good way to regain your other spells, too.

Ailee's body explodes with electrical energy, sending bone and rotten tissue everywhere!

Garuke leaps down from above, then moves to swing at Pelkin!

Garuke slam @ PfE Pelkin: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage on hit: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

The half-elf is protected, though, a shield of positive energy preventing the strike from even getting close to Pelkin.

The rest of the party then dogpiles on the undead abomination, destroying it.

The entire party versus 1 wight will be a very short round.

The party is now alone in the room.

Out of combat!

Sadly, I give up Spell Recall for my archetype.

Ahh, gotcha. Still, nice crit there! And there is a place to rest... just gotta find it!

Horgrym looks over the books and lets out a long whistle.

"These books are amazing. We should take all the books and copy that map. And find someplace to eat and sleep."

Horgrym looks for any book titles that relate to Nhur Athemon or Thornkeep.

@Horgrym: You find the remnants of an old journal written by Raxxus. It details his relationship with his former master, Nhur Athemon's interest into the Dark Tapestry and the mysterious of the forbidden void. Balanced by devotion to Abraxas, the Azlanti wizard realized that he would need more time to continue his studies. Unfortunately, his choice of worship required him to flee and thus the realms of Thornkeep for his apprentices and guests and the Emerald Spire for Athemon's research.

It also mentions that there were six apprentices shortly after arriving, but it ends with a note that Nhur Athemon only wanted the best at his side and they would have to show their dominance to continue their time with the old dark wizard...

While Horgrym reads, Pelkin investigates the rest of the room. First, he makes sure that the behir skeleton doesn't reanimate, and thankfully it doesn't. He then checks out the other door. While devoid of traps, and unlocked, he can tell that there are one, no two creatures on the other side. One sounds humanoid as there is a humming, while the other is the sound of a large creature quadruped creature walking around.

Opening the new door? :)

If we're all healed up, yes.

Should we try back someplace else and look for a rest stop?

As noted up thread, due to the magics of this place, resting won't work normally here. There is a room to do so, though, but you haven't found it yet. Finally, if you are desperate, those with the clear spindle ioun stone can leave the magics of the hall (you have two of them currently). Of course, that'll leave the other 2+Mexel stuck in this place... mwa ha ha ha ha ha

There will be 3 rounds left of Protection from Evil for everyone but 1 person of Pelkin's choosing; that person will have 13 rounds

The party in position, Amarthecthel opens the door, Horgrym's blade ready.

Fresh blood splatters the white tile of this operating laboratory which is lit by mirrored lamps hung from chains suspended in the shadows of the distant ceiling. A sturdy wooden table near the center of the room holds the lightning-charred corpse of a bearded human man. Smaller tables and bookcases nearby hold the gore-splattered spoils of a recent battle. Sitting on a stool sipping a cup of blood red wine, a man dressed in red stands up, smiling at the party.

Speaking in a language everyone understands casters can tell this must be a tongue effect, since it's to in elven and gnomish, at the same time, he greets everyone.

"Ah, I assume you were sent here by Rozimus, yes?"

His greeting is subdued, though, by the carnage on the table, and worse, what appears to be a dire tiger, sitting near the man; the beast, though, has no skin. It's raw, powerful muscles and vicious teeth are visible, although the creature seems to be in no visible pain.

"I am Togarin, and, like you all here, I am trapped in this time lock set up by my former master, Nhur Athemon. I'd like your assistance in changing our fates."

Pelkin will see if the creatures are evil. Then he will use Discern Lies and ask, Changing our fates in what way?

Only getting the detect evil off; Togarin radiates moderate evil, but nothing from the cat.

"Now now, I am offended that you feel the need to try and discern my abilities and intents. I wish you no harm, we are prisoners here after all and I would prefer allies over playthings.", noting Pelkin's action.

If you want to do more, you can... but he is aware and may react accordingly.

He then answer's the half-elf. "Why, being stuck here in this damnable time lock.", the man sipping some more wine before standing up. "My college, Vuzhon, is an otherwise brilliant schemer. She found poor Rozimus and used his body to escape the time lock; she seemed to have even use him to send you here so that myself and my fellow apprentice, Daegros, could escape the same way."

"Vuzhon is clever.", he continues. "but I know more about souls and immortality than she does. So long as her true body remains affected by the time lock and her mind is in normal time, the magic jar allowing her into Rozimus' form will never expire. But should the time lock fail, her body will age thousands of years in a moment and will no longer be a suitable receptacle for her soul. I will not let that happen to me. The only real way out for any of us is to destroy the time lock, and the best way to do that is to create a paradox. Would you be willing to assist me in creating this paradox?", Togarin smiling once again at the party.

"It was Vuzhon we met at the inn," said Amarthecthel.

"I assume you'll tell us we're trapped in here with you? What's involved in the paradox?"

"Creating a paradox? Sounds fun! I'm in!.... What's a paradox?"

"That is correct, elf."

Togarin once again smiles acceptingly at Twigg's interest. "A paradox is creating a situation that cannot happen. In our case, it involves our friend Rozimus. I want you to kill him. See, despite Rozimus escaping from here with Vuzhon in tow, there's still a part of him trapped here upon his first entry. If you slay the man, then he never could have escaped and brought you in here to kill him. That will cause a temporal jarring that should end the spell that binds us to this moment of time we are currently residing."

"I would do so myself, but since I never encountered Rozimus before he escaped, I cannot seem to enter into any of the temporal shifts that he is residing in. But, since you have had contact with the man, I believe you are capable of finding and fixing our problem."

He stands up, setting his cup down and his lithe hand outstretched to the party. "Agree, and we'll all be free from our temporal tomb. I'll also allow you to use my personal bath to soothe your injuries; you must have worn yourselves out besting my... experiments.", Togarin smiling at the party.

"And if we refuse?" asked Amarthecthel.

Whoops, forgot to put something in.

Pelkin would certainly continue to use Discern Lies, no matter what the man says, especially after pinging as evil. I am only scrying for threats in a strange place, he'll explain.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

@Pelkin: So far, everything he's said I'd true. Also note that for a non cleric to have a moderate evil aura, it must have 11-15 HD.

Togarin shakes his head at Pelkin's defiance. "I am hoping that we can be allies and again, I find your need to use such magics insulting. If you do not wish to cooperate, then I do need more bodies to play with; you did destroy several of my specimens after all.", the man looking at the charred remains of Dermot laying in the table. "So what is your choice?"

-Posted with Wayfinder

Very well. Pelkin will drop any of his magic detection auras that are active. However, there is something you are not telling us. We need to know everything.

@Pelkin: Give me a Diplomay check!

Oh geez, the wrong guy is leading the conversation, fellas. BTW, I don't mind you making rolls like this, it saves time.

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1

Yay...

Noted, and one of those 'of course' rolls.

"I've told you what you need to know.", Togarin curtly ending Pelkin's inquiry.

"Very well, it seems like we are in agreement. You will find and dispose of that troublesome Rozimus, thus freeing all of us from this timelock." The Azlanti wizard sits down, sipping some more wine. "It appears that you look exhausted; again, as a token of friendship, you may use my rejuvenation bath in that chamber over there.", Togarin motioning to the northwest door. "An hour in there will refresh your bodies. But do please not let that thing in, I'd rather not have it full of fur.", commenting on Mexel.

Map updated showing the bath.

"Can't we just tattoo his forehead or something? If we kill him, what happens to that jar thing?"

"Oh, Vuzhon will be slain as her body crumbles to dust within an instant: a fitting punishment for failing to properly solve the problem."

Pelkin remains stoic and silent, not wanting to risk the further ire of their new partner. Pelkin will move to examine the "bath".

Hogrym shrugs and follows Pelkin. "No skull for your collection, then."

"Well, if you do happen across Daegros and Vuzhon before Rozimus, I suppose there would be a reward as well. You alright know of Vuzhon's mistake, but Daegros guards the machinery believing that this is the only way to maintain existance... poor fool."

@Pelkin: The bath is filled with water that gives off a soothing warmth. The water is clear, and a detect magic/evil lets you know that it is not evil in nature, but is indeed magical.