GM Batpony's PFS [6-15] Overflow Archive 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Batpony

"That would be most prudent. What does everyone else think?"

"Agreed. We mussst do what we can to halt the flooding." Yesmoro stumps towards the staircase.

"Lets see what's upstairs. I'll go along with the group, for now."

The pathfinders walk through the lazy swirling whirpool with ease as they walk up the stairs. Upstairs, there is not much different in terms of setup, some shelfs, some benches, except it's not that wet save the area near the spiral staircase. And not to forget the giant fish, floating in mid air, it is orange in colour and has four eyes, just wandering about. From under her belly, short spurts of water come out from under her belly.

Big fish picture

I'll update map tonight, in a rush to get to work!

Know(arcana), Know(Planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 271d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Marenalia recognizes the creature from her knowledge of the arcane.

"Looks like we found the big fish. It's a grodair, a fey creature. It can carry large amounts of water in an extradimensional space. It won't speak Common, but I can try to talk to it in Sylvan, unless somebody who's better at this sort of thing speaks Sylvan, or Aquan or Varisian. They are very careless and absent minded and have terrible memories though. Hard to reason with."

"It's beautiful...
I'm afraid I don't speak those languages though," he says with a look of consternation.
"It would be a great sorrow if we had to kill this creature; please Marenalia, do your best. Too much old knowledge has been lost today."

"I agree. Too much has been lost at this point. We should stop this fish before the entire archives is flooded," he mentions as Elris stares at the fish.

Aiden shakes his head. "I don't speak Varisian, and those other languages are out of my grasp." He nods to Marenalia. "Go ahead. At least see if it's willing to talk, share its name, etc. If it seems friendly, then maybe we can ask it to stop flooding the place."

Marnalia walks to within 20 feet or so of the fish creature and waves to get its attention.

The creature turns to Marenalia very very slowly, and speaks to her, in perfectly fluent Sylvan, in a somewhat feminine but deep voice.

Meanwhile, the creature continues excreting water from her belly. Splashing and wetting Marenalia in the process.

"What did it say. Ask it if it can stop soaking everything. It is a beautiful creature, but if we must kill it to accomplish our task-then so be it."

Aiden watches the oversized fish as Marenalia speaks with it. When she delivers the translation, Aiden nods to Naxian. "Uncouth, but not untrue. Let's see if she's willing to stop the water. Perhaps you can say we own this place and all the water is causing a disturbance. And see what it knows about the two birdmen. Something tells me this is all going to get weirder."

Studied Target on Miss Koi

Marenalia bows slightly to Mistress Koi.

[spoiler=Sylvan]""It's a pleasure to meet you, Mistress Koi. I'm sure you noticed this is a library. All the water isn't good for the books. We need you to stop filling the place with water. How did you come to be here anyway? It is not the usual sort of place for your kind."

The creature continues to converse happily to Marenalia, but still continues to nonchalantly excrete water from her underbelly, as if it was natural for her to do so.

Marenalia translates that.

Marenalia translates some more.

Let's do away with the spoilers since we'll converse a bit here.

The groadair confusedly looks at Marenalia. "How about you? Who might you be? Fox? Do you mean him? Hmm i can't remember his name, I'm trying to catch him, have you seen him?"

"Sinister fox, hmm? Ask it if it happens to remember which way the fox went."

"I haven't seen him, but I'll help you look if you'll agree to stop flooding the library. Do you know which way he went?"

"Oh of course, I'll need not to release water anymore if the fox is caught. In fact, if you bring him alive to me, I'll clean up all the water. I don't know where he went though."

FYI, there's no rooms up here, it's just the mezzanine with the giant fish, the spiral staircase also goes downstairs. Perhaps that's a good start?

Assuming Marenalia's willing to translate
To help her remember, Constantin leaves a large note
"Foxes and Fishes, Boxes and Wishes:
Foxes are tricky, clever and cruel,
Fishes are friendly, and wise as a rule,
A fish takes to water, happy and free,
But a fox knows that water shows where fish will be,

So fish? Wish this fox boxed!"

Marenalia translates the note.

"So, I suppose we're going downstairs.".

"Yes, it appears as though downstairs is the way. Who thinks the fox will go without a fight. For my sake, I hope he doesn't. My blades are razor sharp and ready." Naxian grins widely from ear to ear. He also clenches a dagger on his belt firmly. "Shall we go find ourselves a fox?"

"Let we sssee if talking can handle our problem, before we think of resssorting to violence," Yesmoro hisses, but he too draws his axe. "Granted, better sssafe than dead."

The elf smiles at Constantin's notes before looking at everyone else. "Guess we are to go delving into the black waters of the archives. Better than dealing with cultists I say."

That...was.. beautiful...
With enough persuasiveness from the note, Mistress Koi, agrees to stop the flooding for an hour, assuming you can get the job done. Approaching down the stairs, you look into the scary darkness below, wondering what mysteries the archives hide.

Those without darkvision may cast light while going down the stairs. You will definitely need some form of light in the basement.

Flooding from the library above has turned this storage chamber into a treacherous bog. Rising above the black lake, the flat tops of many rows of shelves create a makeshift maze of causeways. A spiral staircase descends from above, a deluge of water cascading down the steps. Four narrow corridors channel rivers of seawater off into the darkness.

Map is updated. The water here is approximately 3 feet in depth, it would require you 20 feet of movement to move in to a water square. Moving from water to shelve requires a climb check of DC5. While you may walk on the shelves, it will require a DC5 acrobatics or you may walk at half speed without any checks. Failing this check will cause you to be prone.

Approching into the darkness, in front of you under the waters, you hear some noises, and a bright light moving about in the water.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Aiden activates his wayfinder as they enter the dark space. He shakes his head at the flooding in the room. "I don't like the look of that! That's not natural." He moves to climb up onto one of the shelves.

Take 10 on climb for a 16

-Posted with Wayfinder

Hoping to avoid getting damp as much as possible, Constantin hoists himself to the top of a shelf after setting his flag aglow.
climb: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Yesmoro causes his ax to glow with a bright light. Not one to tread water unless necessary, he climbs up a shelf.

Climb: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 = 22

"What did you sssee, Aiden?"

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Marenalia casts light upon her staff and clambers up onto a shelf, slowly and carefully (ooc]taking 10[/ooc].

She peers down at the light in the water, "It's certainly strange...".

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

"I wander if that fox is close. I imagine this light isn't a good thing."
Trying to stay out of the water, Naxian climbs onto a shelf.
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Is anyone going to inspect the light? Or is everyone Going to wait by the shelves :P

"I'm not sure, but whatever is making that light seems odd." Aiden moves closer, hopping from shelf to shelf.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Aiden can auto-succeed at the acrobatics checks. Please move him to the shelf NE of the burst icon on the map (I'm assuming thats where the lights are?)

-Posted with Wayfinder

Before moving, Aiden draws a wand of Shield and taps himself with it until it activates.
UMD: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
UMD: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

+4 to AC

-Posted with Wayfinder

Playing catch up, haha.

Elris, finding it quite dark, pulls out his ioun torch. Following everyone else, the elf also climbs the shelves.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

"What is that light over there?"

"Can't tell. Does anyone have a long pole to inspect it with?"

As soon as the party approaches the light, they disappear, a small splash like sound can be heard followed by buzzing. A tiny grey worm is observed in the front the have flied out of the water with it's tiny wings, it's looking like it's sizing up the party!

I will resolve combat in initiative blocks as oppose to initiative order, meaning I will resolve actions in the order actions are posted for convenience sake.

Combat Round 1
Bold may action
Naxian
Constantin
Elris
Yesmoro
Voidworm
Marenalia
Aidan

Granting a +1 morale bonus to hit, damage, and saves v. fear or charm via Flagbearer to allies within 30'
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Constantin stays happily back from the fray, striking a dramatic pose in the light of his flag as he explains his knowledge of this protean creature.

Begin Inspire Courage for +1 Competence bonus to attacks and damage

Elris' eyes seem to glaze over for a split moment as his whole body spasms slightly. The left then draws his bow and readies to shoot the creature once when a clear shot is provided.

"Just need some clean shots on whatever that is."

Move action to know Rapid Shot for 10 Rounds. 3 uses left.

Naxian moves closer to the worm.
"We finally meet. The light was interesting, unfortunately your time has come to and end. We have seen the light, now let's see how you bleed."
Naxian pulls a rapier from his belt. He crouches lower ready to attack.

Seems the initiative dice like me.

Yesmoro takes a running leap across the shelves, nearly falling into the water. He then takes a swipe at the strange worm with his ax.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 - 4 = 5 Phew, that was close...

Ax: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

End Combat!

The creature was immediately ended as soon as it appeared with the quick attack from Elris and the finishing blow from Yesmoro.

You are free to roam around now. Let me know which room you will be going in.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Marenalia spots several scrolls in the water and carefully wades in to fish them out and see if they are salvagable.

Elris looks about, hoping to find any more clues amongst the floating scrolls after putting away his bow.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Yesmoro follows his companions about, ax still drawn.

Constantin scans the room with Detect Magic up, hoping to catch anything more easily apparent than the scrolls his more keen-eyed companions have spotted.

Detecting Magic finds no further objects in the immediate room, the scrolls however do have magical properties.

Marenalia also casts Detect Magic, using her skill at analyzing magic items.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

"One of those scrolls is a spell to slow down an enemy. Potentially useful.".

Forgot a very important bit of information.

Before your descent into the lower levels of the archive, the Grodair also told you that capturing the fox, is not enough to hold him, it is important that you collect fragments of a riddle, titled "In the name of the fox", as it holds the keys to capturing the haughty creature.