GM Endless Forms' PFS 01-49 Among the Dead (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

"Maybe this whole mission is a trap . . ."

Kraang's sour milk orbs gaze in the direction of Hustavan.

Hmm, indeed. Nivik will suggest the south passage.

There must be something to this Bold Striding (tm). That's two traps that have failed merely by sheer boldness alone.

George will retrieve the magical loot on the way out. He checks for traps as he moves through the first tunnel.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15 Man, I have terrible rolls

George leads the party through the tight tunnels. Eventually he turns a corner and finds three cultists waiting at an intersection! They hold wooden shields and short swords at the ready!

Surprise Round!

1. Nivik and George
2. Cultists
3. Iggy, Kraaang!, and Jake

George is up with a surprise round action!

Perfect, they are all contained by the narrowness of the tunnels. George will use his surprise round action to throw a bomb at the clustered group of cultists.

Bomb(Touch) @ C1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Damage(Fire): 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 3) + 5 = 12
Reflex DC 17 for C2 and C3, Save for Half, 7 Splash Damage
If 11 against FF Touch is a Miss, then Miss Square: 1d8 ⇒ 5

If the bombs misses, then the bomb hits the wall just behind the group of cultists and explodes. All the cultists need to make Reflex saves for splash damage.

George takes five foot step to the left (right on the map).

Jake, one of the cultists broke off from the group down a side tunnel. Do you think that leads back around to us or is he running for help?

EDIT: Wow, my rolls on PbP are the worst I have ever seen. Between George and Ace, I think I have rolled more sub-5s than in my entire time playing Pathfinder.

Ref: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17
Ref: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12

George quickly lobs a bomb when he turns the corner to find the cultists waiting. One of them disappears down the other tunnel while the other two advance on George, somewhat blocked by the narrowness of the tunnel.

Their surprise round: two of them move up to George, the third goes the long way around.

Whenever you are within 10 feet of them, you suffer -4 on all checks and saving throws.

I'll let George retcon in case he wants to do something else now.

Initiative:

1. Nivik and George
2. Cultists
3. Iggy, Kraaang!, and Jake

C1: 12 dmg
C2: 3 dmg
C3: 7 dmg

Nivik and George are up!

Growling in pain, as he feels himself losing focus as if a massive headache is growing inside his temples, George attacks each cultist with a poisoned claw.

Claw Against C1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 141d4 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Giant Wasp Poison: DC 18 (Base) - 1 rd. / 6 rds. - 1d2 Dex damage - 1 save

Claw Against C2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 221d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Shadow Essence: DC 17 (Base) - 1 rd. / 6 rds. - 1 Str Drain / 1d2 Str damage - 1 save

Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Str dmg: 1d2 ⇒ 2

George sinks one of his claws into a cultist, the poison seeping into the wound and drawing strength out of the unfortunate man!

Initiative:

1. Nivik and George
2. Cultists
3. Iggy, Kraaang!, and Jake

C1: 12 dmg
C2: 12 dmg, 1 Str drain, 2 Str dmg, poisoned 5 more rounds
C3: 7 dmg

Nivik is up!

Assuming Nivik does not know the passageway is connected and the third fella is coming around the other side, I will have to delay until a space opens up so I can advance and/or be able to see an enemy.

If a cultist moves into that empty square I'll hit him with Magic Missile (if I can see him). MM: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Nivik readies a spell against any intruding cultists.

Meanwhile, the cultist near George calls out, "Oh, Grim Harvestman, take us in your service!" The walls begin to shake and rocks fall down above the cultist and George!

Don't forget about your -4 to saves while adjacent to them.

damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
DC 12 Ref for half.

his Ref: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

The man then receives his wish and falls unconscious from the falling rocks. The next cultist repeats the process by calling out, "Zyphus! Zyphus, bring us to you and collect our unfortunate souls!" The ground beneath the cultist and the tiefling suddenly swells with water and becomes very slick.

DC 12 Ref or lose your footing and fall prone.

his Ref: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7

He falls on his ass but stabs at George anyways.

mwk short sword: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 3 - 4 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

The third cultist comes seemingly out of nowhere from behind. Nivik fires a missile at him as he goes after Hustavan, once again calling out, "Zyphus, bring us to you!"

More rocks tumble from the ceiling on the two of them!

damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5
cultist's Ref: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
hustavan's Ref: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (2) - 3 = -1

The cultist then stabs at Hustavan!

mwk short sword: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 3 - 4 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Hustavan cries out in pain and horror, "He's killing me! He's killing me! Save me!"

Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 No longer poisoned!

Initiative:

1. Nivik and George
2. Cultists
3. Iggy, Kraaang!, and Jake

C2: 12 dmg, 1 Str drain, 2 Str dmg
C3: 14 dmg
H: 8 dmg

You guys are up!

Save you? Close your eyes and make a wish, Hustavan. Casting Color Spray, DC 15 Will save required by #3 and maybe Hustavan.

Reflex(Rocks): 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 11 - 4 = 21
Reflex(Grease): 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 11 - 4 = 19

George handily dodges the rocks and the swelling water has no effect on his balance.

George laughs at the cultist who is invoking his god. You are hurting yourself more than you are hurting me. Surely that cannot be your god's intention...

George sinks both of his claws into the cultist.

Claw(No Poison): 1d20 + 9 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 4 + 4 = 23 (-4 Aura, +4 Prone)
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 If he falls unconscious, George will not waste his poisoned claw on the man.

Claw(Poison): 1d20 + 9 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 4 + 4 = 27 (-4 Aura, +4 Prone)
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Giant Wasp Poison: DC 18 (Base) - 1 rd. / 6 rds. - 1d2 Dex damage - 1 save

Kraang! steps up the mad cultist and tries to bonk some sense into him.

"Shut it.

Quartstaff vs C3: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 211d6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Sorry, cannot see the map. Iggy will draw his sword and move into a flank, if possible. If not, he moves to the nearest cultist.

@George: the -4 from their aura did not apply to attacks and the prone adjustment is actually a -4 AC to them, not a +4 attack. So they cancel each other out anyways.

Will: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (18) - 3 = 15

The cultist resists Nivik's colorspray. George takes down the prone cultist with a single claw. If Hustavan withdraws Kraang! can take his spot I guess. Kraaang moves in and smacks the other man in the head, knocking the final cultist unconscious.

Out of combat!

They each carried a potion of cure moderate wounds, chain shirts, heavy wooden shields, and mwk short swords. One of them carried the following note:

Baillaset,

Trusted ally, go to Oppara, find that miserable stink hole our brethren call a temple to our lord Zyphus, and instill some fear and carnage in their ranks for Bustrani’s miserable failure. Tell them all that you have been sent by Zyphus. They’re fools, they’ll believe it. And tell them that Zyphus wants them to trap the temple and lure their fellow cultists into accidental death. Tell them the final cultist will replace Bustrani and rebuild the temple. (The last part is true, so don’t dispatch all of them.) Then spend your time watching them destroy one another, feasting on their corpses, and keeping them afraid. Use the Zyphus-granted power I instilled in you to curse every last one of them. That should make things more entertaining.

Your Master,

Harvestman Quint

Quite the request. Make them all kill each other or themselves. Nivik slowly shakes his head. Hustavan, come to us so that we might be able to heal your wounds. Milloy will offer his wand to heal the man.

CLW on Hustavan: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Hustavan falls to his knees in thanks for saving his life.

The party notes that water constantly drips from the ceiling, and a thin trickle of water runs along the side of the tunnels, emptying down the sinkhole in the next rough-hewn chamber at the end of the two tunnels.

So what's down there, Hustavan? Nivel says as he watches the water funnel into the hole. As by habit, Nivik uses Detect Magic to see if he gets a hint of what might be next.

Hustavan shakes his head. "I don't recall ever being down that way. That's where the beast lived, the clawed beast they all followed."

Moving along:

The party eventually drops down the sinkhole, using the supplied rope already in place for that purpose. The room at the bottom is empty and dark. Three tunnels lead off from this chamber.

New map!

I assume we have at least one Light spell going, assuming the dark room isn't unnaturally dark for some reason.

Nivik will stare down each passage, sniffing at the air. This way, pointing at the one that smells the least foul. If no such passage exists he'll try Detect Magic. If that doesn't help he'll simply suggest the west one.

Nivik doesn't smell anything too foul down here and does not detect any magic within range of his spell and so the party takes the western passage.

The tunnel leading into this chamber makes a sharp ninety-degree turn to the north before opening into a twenty-foot-high, thirty-five-foot-long cavern filled with a shallow lake that glitters in the faint greenish light from algae on the ceiling. As you near this, you can smell a strong musky odor from around the bend, which is currently out of sight. The north wall is smooth and slippery but the south wall is jagged and unfinished.

After the DC 25 Perception:

Jake draws his Greatsword, as he admires the area.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Careful, it looks as if the pool is made of either acid or alkali. You definitely do not want to touch it. George looks for a way around the pool of liquid, but sees none...

Perhaps, we should go back and choose a different path...

Can George harvest some of the fluid in some vials for thrown weapons? Craft(Alchemy) check, maybe?

How about Sleight of Hand so you don't touch it and take damage while trying to scoop it up.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

I suppose we should, yes. Nivik will allow George to lead the way.

Nivik suggests trying the next tunnel. Along the way the party notes an old trap: a tripped snare that clearly caught a cultist who still hangs from the snare above you, his head distorted and purple from the weight of all of the blood in his body. A small pool of blood mars the chamber’s floor beneath him.

Further on is a small lake. Two sputtering torches still burn here, casting most of the room in shadowy illumination. At some point recently, a cultist magically froze the lake, killing several cultists who were bathing here. The room has since started to melt and most of the pool is slush—the corpses are frigid and wet. The tunnel and frozen bath house have 20-feet-tall ceilings.

My word. Quite the chilling scene. Nivik casts Detect Magic as the party enters the area. And that poor chap in the trap... how long would you say he's been there? Do you recognize any of these men, Hustavan?

Ignatius pauses at the hanging corpse. He finds himself a bit speechless at the scene of this individual, and then of the frozen corpses in the thawing lake.

His senses return to him. "My word! I knew that we would face some dangers as pathfinders... but I had no idea anyone on Golarion could be this cruel."

Though disturbed, Ignatius takes a deep breath and steels his courage to examine the hanging corpse, trying to determine anything from it.

Heal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Hustavan shakes his head. "I didn't get to know any of them too well. . . none of them lasted long, after all."

Nivik only detects the faint lingering traces of the magic that froze the water.

Jake quickly checks the body in the trap and if there are any belongings in the bathhouse dressing area before they entered the water to meet their fate.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Let's get moving.

Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

George pulls out a few flasks and attempts to fill them with the acidic liquid.

He then tracks back to the group at the frozen lake. Nothing accidental about these deaths... I wonder if we are actually dealing with Zyphans...

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

"It appears somebody has already done our job."

Kraang is ready to examine the final tunnel.

1d20 ⇒ 15

As the party is about to head down the final tunnel, George notes an axe set to swing down if anyone should step on a pressure plate in the floor.

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

This place is a house of horrors. Look at the blood splatters and drag marks down the corridor. Someone may have dragged themselves to safety, or their death in another location.

True, this place keeps getting better and better. Nivik will wait in order to allow someone to disarm the trap in whatever way they decide. He'll use Detect Magic once more while he waits.

George attempts to deactivate the trap.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32

George disables the swinging axe trap, allowing the party to follow the tunnel further.

A stone trench about three feet high runs the length of the west wall. Hanging above it are several human men, their chests flayed open, their blood dripping and pooling in the trench below. A thin stone tube then runs from the middle of the gory container, funneling blood down toward a large basin in the center of the room. Judging from the blood splashed around the outside of the basin, something recently crawled out of it.

An undead creature with glowing red eyes and a pegleg pokes and prods at the bodies but turns its firey gaze on the party as they enter the chamber!

Initiative:

1. George and Nivik
2. Undead
3. Jake, Kraaang, and Iggy

George and Nivik are up!

George throws a bomb at the foul beast knowing that his poisons are useless against the undead.

Bomb(Touch): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Damage(Fire): 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 2) + 5 = 9

Nivik decides this might be a good time to use Scorching Ray, Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 for Fire!: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 2, 4) = 12

George's bomb explodes bits of the undead away! Nivik then hits it with a firey ray and scorches a hole in it!

The undead surely did not seem to like that and moves around the vat of coagulating blood to swipe at George!

slam: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
plus 1 point of Con damage; DC 18 Fort save to negate

Also: 10' aura of misfortune. Within 10' you take -4 on all checks and saving throws. You also must roll twice to confirm a critical hit and if you roll a nat 1 you need to make a DC 14 Ref save or drop your weapon (with a natural weapon, etc, it provokes an AoO)

Initiative:

1. George and Nivik
2. Undead
3. Jake, Kraaang, and Iggy

21 dmg

You guys are up!

George takes a step back (5 ft.), wounded by the infernal beast.
Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 4 = 13 Good thing -1 Con damage does nothing...

Knowing that his poisons are ineffective, George chucks another bomb at the beast.

Bomb(Touch): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Damage(Fire): 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (3, 6) + 5 = 14

Nivik will use a Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 next!

George's bomb and Nivik's missile blast away parts of the beast, leaving the party with more undead slime hitting their faces.

Initiative:

1. George and Nivik
2. Undead
3. Jake, Kraaang, and Iggy

38 dmg

Jake, Kraaang, and Iggy are up!

Round 1, Furious Focus, OH Chop, Power Att

Jake slides five feet forward and lays into the undead creature with his Greatsword.

GS Att: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
GS Dam: 2d6 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (3, 5) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 22

Confirm: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Potential Add'l Dam: 2d6 + 6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (2, 4) + 6 + 4 + 4 = 20

WOW! Total Damage: 42

Ignatius steps up, trying to keep pace with his fellow Pathfinders. "Whatever dark place this thing came from, I hope we send it back soon!"

He swings his sword.

Longsword Attack, Misfortune: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 3 - 4 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Confirm?: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 3 - 4 = 4
Nope.

I think Jake needs to roll another Crit Confirm by the Aura of misfortune. Also Iggy, the -4 is to saves and skills, not attack rolls.

If the creature still stands, Kraang begins to rub his hands in powdered iron as a low rumbling growl begins to reverberate throughout the tunnel.

Enlarge Person, coming at you Jake!

Jake demolishes the undead!

Out of combat!

By the way: the acid hallway leads to an altar at the end. Nothing there except the Andoran mission was to destroy it so they had to find a way over the acid to get to it first.

The four cultists currently hanging above the trench were killed the day before, so the blood is starting to thicken in the gory containers.

Hustavan calls out, "You did it! That was the leader! Whatever it was!"

Defeating the undead and the remainder of Oppara’s Zyphus cultists does what the Society hoped it would—it rids Oppara of a cult that tricked and murdered an esteemed Pathfinder, and it sends a message to other cults not to trifle with the Society.

And that's it! Thanks for playing everyone!

Due to my internet situation I won't be able to get chronicles out until tomorrow at the earliest. If you haven't already please post your PFS number and make a Day Job roll. Thanks!

Thanks, Endless! No Day Job, and you probably already have it, but here is the number. PFS #44418-2