GM Elberion's Gallows of Madness (PFS) (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

I agree for resting here

Since you arrived in the morning, you have spoken to the mayor, spoken to Alcie, spoken to the priest and killed two giant ants.

It is midday and the mayor does not want to spook the populace. Do you really want to set camp in an urban graveyard at lunch time? please note that speak with animal is dependant on the intelligence and disposition of the animal.

You have four craftsmen to talk to about their apprentices and might want to ID magic items. You also discussed talking to Alcie again. The mayor might want an update too. Meanwhile, the moment the bird flies away... (but it won't: let's play!)

We could run another errand or two before we settle in for the night. Maybe we go over to Pricknette's? Perhaps we find something that would allow us to speak to the bird today.

"Sounds like a plan. I am sure that bird will be here later."

Harada gives a smile and a big thumbs up.

Majority rule?

Grel looks to go back to town and ask for directions to the Potion peddler.

I like that idea, why didn't I think of that.

Outside of Pricknettle's Potions and Poultices, a signs shows a neat alembic and a bunch of herbs.
Under the image a scroll bears the motto 'good for what ails you' in flowing script.

Within, the shop is cluttered with materials and tools (there appears to be no disctinction between workshop and shop) but a neat display shelf carries a selection of familiar bottles and jars: some contain everyday helpers at a small cost (piles cream, treatments for corns and warts, etc.) but a few are more potent (potions of healing and restorative properties, typically) and a small selection have destructive application (notably, acid and alchemists fire).

A sign hangs beneath the shelving, "Articles explained; discoveries bought."

A gnome woman with vibrant blue hair flashes a bright grin at your group and approaches, "Well, well, what 'ave we 'ere? Proper adventurers, I'll reckon, or my nose don't drip come winter! It does me old heart good to see you coming here hale and hearty rather than a bedraggled bunch seeking remedies for what already tore a strip off 'em. Well, well, you tell ol' Majara where y're headin', or what y're plannin' t'face an' I'll whip up just what y' need, an' no mistake!"

She pushes a lock of hair out of her face, "So, what'll it be?"

Image of Majara now appears amongst maps: slide 4.

I've got 2 solutions here that need identification. If you please.

Just checking the costs for identifying items and was reminded that you can use perception to smell a potion, look at, have s tiny taste and thus identify it. DC15+ Spell level and if you've got a high perception then you may take ten.

She smiles and approaches but her eyes narrow as you produce the bottles, "Well, normally I would charge you ten gold pieces for each one but seeing as I brewed those potions myself, I'm more interested in how you got them? I've not seen you in my workshop before."

I trust these are not poison, then? Grel will take a sniff and a taste if she doesn't stop me.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

We've been sent by the mayor to investigate some missing citizens. These were missing their owner. You may have sold them to Nolaria but we believe Gellion to be among the party. We would like to help. What can you tell us about their whereabouts and recent activity?

The second bottle contains an Elixir of Vision but Grel cannot identify the first.

She shrugs, "Well, whoever you got them from, you should probably return them. You could probably leave them at the temple if they're Nolaria's."

Diplomacy checks before we go further. You can make diplomacy checks whenever you begin talking with the masters of the apprentices.

That's the thing, lady. They've all gone missing. Your apprentice included. What were they up to?

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Her eyes narrow...

That's an interesting diplomacy score. Maybe someone else can interject?

Kayan rolls her eyes, What my friend Greal here was trying to say is we found these here potions in a peculiar place while on a mission from the mayor trying to locate some apprentices ... we came looking for help after we found these. Kayan attempts to smile politely.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Kayan looks at Grel My friend here gets tongue tied sometimes, but he means well. Kayan pats Grel on the back.

Grel rolls his eyes and moves to look over the potions. He's looking for anything that can aid with animal communication.

lol

She sighs and pulls at her hair, "Look, Gellion's a good kid. He don't deserve no bother if'n he's just playin' the lark. But I ain't seen him for a few days now, which ain't like the lad, and if anyone's marched him into trouble it'll be that Nolaria Wintren. She's always got another bright idea that ain't half as bright as she fancies."
The gnome raps her knuckles sharply on the counter, "You wanna find Gellion: you find Nolaria. That's my advice."

"And you, good master dwarf who likes to lady honest businesswomen: what are you looking for?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Carson steps up and tries to explain.

"We tracked Nolaria to the graveyard. We found some clues that there was some kind of experimentation going on. We found her Raven there. It seemed to be trying to tell us something but we can't understand it. If we had an elixir that would allow us to speak to it we might find out what happened to Gellion."

She rolls her eyes one last time at Grel and mutters to herself, "Lady, some people..."

Then she turns Carson and Kay, "I might have some thing useful, if you've some proof that you're with the mayor?"

Kayan waves her hand in an odd fashion and looks at everyone One of us has a letter from the mayor, but it not be me ... me carrying important messages, hah! as she rolls her eyes.

Assuming Carson produces the document.

The gnome looks it over, "That's Sandra alright: too many words, too many secrets."
Even as she speaks, she rifles through a draw until she finds a small, brown cookie with a glistening, green sheen, "You wanna speak to the bird? Get that biscuit down ya. For friends of Trinelli, 45 gold smackers."

Kayan starts to whistle some and wonder around the room, curious who will pay the 45gold. She definitely is avoiding touching anything as it all must be expensive

Johnny will gladly put down 10 gold of his own money, as he pulls it out. Let's gold pool

In the distance, a dog howls. Outside, two children laugh at their games.

A tall man enters the store and begins discussing herbal ingredients with Majara.

The sound of 1st level PCs without money all trying to avoid looking at their purses... :D Feel free to discuss these things in the discussion thread before you RP. Or play them out in character here. Either way, I'd rather not lose momentum. Please, try to post something, even if it's just "My character scratches his itchy belly."

Here. Grel hands over 10gp.

Harada will add in the final 25 with a bit of a forced smile "Cooperate is one of those tenant thingies, so lets do it and get back to work already."

Carson hands Hadara 10 gold coins.

"I will throw in 10 but make sure we get a receipt so we can get the mayor to reimburse us.

Harada, that makes it 15 for you

We'll take that biscuit, if you please. Anything else you could provide to help in the rescue of your apprentice? advice or accouterments?

The gnome shrugs, "Gellion's a good lad, they all are. You look after them." As she pockets your gold, she hands over the apple with this warning, "It tastes foul: eat it as quick as you can."

Carson raises and eyebrow as she pockets the gold.

"Receipt? We have to track our spending if we are to be taken seriously as a group for hire."

Majara Pricknettle nods, "Of course." and makes out a receipt in flowing longhand, "Whose name should I use?"

We seem to have stalled, so a quick reminder of where things are.

The Society wants you to get copies of some rare books and build the reputation of Pathfinders in the community.
To that end, you visited the mayor, who asked you to find six missing apprentices who she is concerned about.
You have spoken to three of their masters (the town priest, the alchemist and the bar owner) and followed clues to a graveyard where you fought some monstrous ants and found some potions, a wand and a cold-iron Morningstar amidst the strange goop.
There was also a raven squawking frantically, who you have decided to speak with.

You have rooms at the inn and Kay has offered to aid the priest, Ildris, with some healing.

As well as speaking to the mayor, priest, alchemist or bar owner again, you could visit the other masters (Haberdasher, cobbler and baker), ask around town gather information or consider other sources of information.

Also, Grel offended someone by calling her ‘lady’, or maybe it was the way he said it? Rolling 1 on a diplomacy check will do that…

So, what would you like to do next?

"Just make it a receipt for the purchase signed and dated by you. If all goes well, and at least one of us is still alive at the conclusion of this mystery, we will be able to present it to the mayor for reimbursment. If the mayor would like to verify the purchase she will contact you."

Carson takes the receipt and turns to the others.

"Let's get back to the cemetery and find that bird."

Following you, Carson. I've made my mark here, it seems.

When you return to the graveyard the bird is still cawing wildly atop the mausoleum where you found alchemical traces, beside the goop-stained graves.

Harada shrugs "Alright, who's drinking?"

"Well Grel, you or me?"

was hoping Kay would do the honors. Seems I'm only upsetting people of late. Go ahead if you like. Grel offers Carson the morsel.

When you return to the graveyard, the raven is still atop the mausoleum, still cawing on.

When a character eats into the apple it is incredibly sour and brittle, disgusting to taste but devoured in a few big bites.

The raven caws on:

Whoever eats the apple can read the spoiler and ask questions (in raven). Please make a diplomacy check along with your first question.

I'm reminded that in the U.K. We have a tradition of saluting magpies.

Carson chokes down the apple and with every bite the ravens words become clearer. He walks up to the bird and attempts to replay. After a couple of tries he gets his mouth in the right position and says, "Hello Mr. Raven. I can hear that you are telling me about Yellow Boots. Is that who took Nolaria?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Harada anxiously awaits an answer to the question.

The raven's eyes glimmer as it turns to stare at you, momentarily silenced by surprise at your communication.

Then it begins to caw urgently,

Carson caws at the bird, the bird caws back...

Carson reverts back to common, "Blackfeather is telling me that someone named Yellow Boots took Nolaria."

The bird hops agitatedly along the mausoleum roof, you notice that it has been preening so anxiously that a handful of fresh, jet-black feathers litter the stone roof.

Yellow boots 'took' or 'accompanied'?

Grel awkwardly motions with air quotes.

Carson translates for Grel, "Nolaria came here with the bird and it sounds like Yellow Boots show up and bothered her. Yellow boots made Nolaria blank like sleep. Some kind of spell maybe?"

Perception on mausoleum door: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Harada tries his best to repress a chuckle as the sheer absurdity of the current situation.

The bird cocks his head to one side, then the other, "caw caw caw"

You can have fun with the bird, and might have other lines of inquiry with it but as far as what happened here and what's happened to Nolaria since then, you know what he knows.

We should go after them, then? Anything else from our winged friend?