GM MattMorris Gallows of Madness Part 3 (Inactive)

Game Master ChesterCopperpot

Dusty pokes his head around the door's frame, waiting for one of the centipedes to emerge into his sights before snapping off a shot.

Miri hops back 5' from her position outside the door and looses a pair of arrows at the remaining goopy centipede!

Longbow attack, rapid shot: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Longbow attack, rapid shot: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

That looks like a pair of misses to me!

Thought sure I updated this game, but I guess not.

The colorful man skips into the building and darts around a corner as his allies' arrows whiz past his shoulders from behind. "Someone ought to be in here, don't you think?"

Double move.

The High Fool's approach draws the second giant centipede out into the hallway, where Dusty's readied shot pierces it and takes it down.

Out of Combat. Should you wish to destroy the demon's bile, simple application of cold iron or positive energy will do the trick.

The rear stalls are coated in demon's bile, but the stables appear otherwise empty.

Where to next?

Fizzlebottom acknowledges the valor of his comrades and inspects the area to be sure they have not missed anything important. Casting both detect magic and detect psychic significance. If he detects nothing he turns towards the door to the manor house and asks his comrades, "Well then, shall we? What could possibly go wrong?"

Dusty tilts his head towards the other shed and the dread gazebo. "Seems to me we might do better t' make sure nothin's comin' up behind us first."

Can I get at least one more person to weigh in? To the manor house, or check the outbuildings?

Miri finishes an application of cold iron to demon's bile and nods to Dusty. "We should secure the area before we move into the structure. At least, that's how I was trained."

Miri sneaks forward Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 and looks for traps or other signs of trouble. Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

The next area of note on the estate is the small outbuilding to the east.

Hidden amid a copse of gnarled trees sits a large mausoleum of polished granite. Statues of weeping angels of green-tinged bronze flank the closed entrance. A tarnished silver doorplate on the black steel door reads, “Sarini.”

As you approach the door, Dusty stops you. He notices that the entrance is clearly trapped, the angels that stand beside it hold hidden blades that might spring out on the unwary.

For the sake of PBP ease, I'll tell you that the door is also locked.

As the group nears the door, Fizzlebottom taps himself with his wand of Heightened Awareness. +2 to Perception and Knowledge and will dismiss for +4 on initiative if within the next 10 minutes

"Well, let's see if I can't ease those angels off their triggers."

Disable Device take-10: 10 + 13 = 23

"You mind givin' me a hand, Miri? That spring looks a mite tricky."

We both have a +13 at Disable Device, so feel free to assume Dusty auto-aids her if she happens to post up first :-)
Though since he's got a couple extra points of AC and HP, he'll ususally be the one on point between 'em

Miri nods, and stalks forward. "Happy to help." she notes.

Disable Device to aid another: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Dusty and Miri manage to neutralize the trap. You can get the lock with a Take 10 as well. The old, rusted door creaks open.

Inside the mausoleum, two stone coffins stand on a dais, and several more coffins lie on shelves built into the walls. The coffins on the dais are empty, though the ones on the shelf appear sealed.

Miri mutters, "Nice work. You would've done well in the Crusade. Could've used more scouts like you."

She quietly Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 studies the area inside the mausoleum! No real mechanical effect yet; she's just studying for her future occupation as a scout. It might earn her an active Perception check though, depending. A just-in-case-it's-relevant Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Dusty doesn't crack a smile. "I had other wars to fight."

Cautiously he pads through the mausoleum, examining the nooks and crannies for anything hidden, boon or bane. He does not, however, tamper with the sealed coffins.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

There does not appear to be anything of interest in the tomb, other than the coffins.

He also looks around. Perception, HA: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 and then, just to be sure, Fizzlebottom casts Detect Magic and Detect Psychic Significance from the entrance of the tombs. If nothing is revealed by this he asks, "Well, should we have a look in the coffins? We are pathfinders, after all... Though I can't do much against the sorts of things that one finds living, I mean, not living in such places..."

Nothing magical, and nothing pings your second sight.

Miri trains her longbow at one of the coffins. "Well. Someone want to open 'er up?"

Think you'd be comfortable standing in front, Fool?

With two votes for opening coffins, we'll proceed in that direction.

Most of the coffins in the crypt just hold moldering old bones. One skeleton, however, if clutching an old journal. The book has a clear inscription--"To Luca"--but the rest has been damaged by age and the damp. You might be able to read it, but it would probably take an hour or two to carefully handle the soggy pages.

The coffin also contains a palm-sized golden disk with a winged eye carved onto it.

Fizzlebottom scratches his head in puzzlement. "Any idea what this might be?"

That's fine. Sorry, for some reason I didn't see your post.

The colorful man shrugs. "Beats me. This book might be important though!"

Dusty grimaces but doesn't object. This is the Pathfinder Society after all.

"Don't rightly know about the medallion. I wouldn't be much surprised if it ended up bein' in our best interest to take a bit of a break at some point durin' our 'nvestigations here. Might could take a gander through the book then."

Miri checks the holy symbol. "Huh. I dunno. I can tell you it's not Ketephys. Abadar, maybe? No, that doesn't look like Abadar exactly..." Miri hasn't put any skill points into Knowledge (religion), apparently!

"I guess we should move on. What's up with that thing over there?" She points to the north.

To the north stretch the gardens of the estate. This wild garden is flush with colors and full of scents both sharp and sweet. A gazebo topped with a weather vane sits in the northeast corner of the garden.

Miri stalks forward through the garden. Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Knowledge (geography or nature) DC.. hmmm.: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Hey, a 21 is pretty darn good for Miri. What's the DC on that check, perchance?

Hey, a 21 is pretty darn good for Miri. What's the DC on that check, perchance?

Whoops! It's a DC 16.

Miri backs out of the bushes. "Whoa, I didn't see that poison oak there. Lots of strange plants here... mostly poisonous. Some imported. Even from Sargava! Don't ask me how I know."

"Nice little garden of deadliness, less I miss my guess."

Anything visible at the gazebo?

Nothing visible in the gazebo. Miri, you realize the herbs in the garden could be useful, or valuable to the right buyer.

Craft (alchemy), Heal, Knowledge (nature), or Survival check to gather the herbs. The higher the check, the more herbs you get.

Dusty does his best to collect some of the more useful ones, avoiding the poison oak. "Back in Nirmathas, something like this could be your only weapon against some of the Molthuni monsters."

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Fizzlebottom tries to help with gathering the herbs, though he's usually not much good at such things.

Survival, aid: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17

Btw, did we check in the coffins in the tomb area? If not, do y'all want to go back and check them?

Yeah, you folks checked the coffins.

Miri tries to help gather some herbs. It looks like Dusty's already doing a pretty good job, so she'll aid another:

Survival to aid another: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Or not!

Miri idly scratches her arm where she's already acquired a poison oak rash. "All my nature training as a scout is really paying off, I think. I'd hate to have accidentally gotten some of this on me. And it's nice to be part of such a well-trained group."

That complete, Miri will... search the area with the gazebo, I guess? Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21... and then look at these side doors. Perception to search the side door, including for traps: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"Do you think we should try this side door, here? Might not be as trapped as the front door might be."

Fizzlebottom agrees with Miri. "Let's go in this way..."

You open the side door of the manor, which is not locked. Inside, you see what appears to be a breakfast room and a small pantry. There are doors to the north, west, and south.

Peering through the door at the breakfast room, Fizzlebottom feels his stomach rumble with hunger. He quickly dismisses it, however, recalling that they have urgent business at hand. From the doorway he looks to see if there appear to be any traps...
Perception, HA: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 = 7
... seeing none, he scans the room for magic or psychic significance.

Dusty gives the door an inspection before giving the High Fool the nod.

Which door do you guys want to do? North, South, West?

Skipping over to the northern door, the colorful man holds his rapier upright behind his back and knocks smartly on the door.

Heading to the north door. If nobody answers, I'll try to open it.

Two large tables flank an oven built into the west wall of this kitchen. Jars of different sizes sit on the two tables in uneven rows. A narrow set of stairs leads down to a dark, musty basement.

Among the disused utensils and rotten supplies, Dusty finds a 5-lb. barrel of salt. It's likely worth some money.

Knowledge (nature) DC 15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Miri notices the salt, all of a sudden. "That barrel might be a pain to carry with us, but if we put it in flasks it'd be easier! And we could even pour it or throw it at certain things. Snails, slugs, even leeches! I'm sure we won't need it for that, though."

That's a little ominous!

Dusty nods with a grim expression on his face. "Never do know what'll come jumpin' out atcha."

Miri digs through cupboards and cabinets and things to find enough containers and flasks and vials to stick salt into.

If the spoiler above is any indication, we get five vials! Pending GM approval of finding empty vials, I guess. :)

Miri takes one and hands the others out. It looks like one each?

Fizzlebottom takes a vial of salt from Miri. "Huh, didn't quite expect to find cooking supplies out in this creepy old mansion. Guess maybe this place isn't as scary as the townsfolk made it sound..."

Where to? Downstairs, or through another door?

"Let's try one of these other doors."

Perception, HA, looking for traps: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 = 6

Dusty nods. "Clear a building like this one floor at a time. Keeps things simple."

Miri gets her bow back out and looks over Fizz's shoulder. "No traps? Let's open it, then!"

She is fully confident in the quality of Fizzlebottom's trapspotting.

Dusty's not as sanguine in Fizzie's work. He'll stick to the normal door procedure :-)