GM Endless Forms' PFS 01-56 The Jester's Fraud (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Darius's poor attitude does not lend itself well to diplomacy, so like Wreck he will take the job of bodyguard..

"Well, I suppose we should introduce ourselves to the local color, hmm?" Maximo strides toward the Lionbanes and introduces himself.

"Greetings, noble centaurs. I am Baron Maximo Interresante." He performs a low bow. "It has been said you are here to bid upon a certain Urn. What have you been led to believe this item does that makes it so valuable? I ask because I have it on good authority that it is indeed a cursed item that can do little good in the world."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (15) + 19 = 34

The auction hasn't started yet, the centaurs don't actually have the urn yet. They just hope to get it and take it back with them as bail.

Gwyndryda bows back to Maximo. "Good to meet you, Baron Maximo." She looks surprised as Maximo tells her the nature of the urn's power. "We knew that it was a valuable artifact but had no idea it was dangerous. If you need any assistance in keeping it out of the wrong hands, you absolutely have our forces behind you. We will do anything to keep it out of the hands of the Blackfists. If they give you any troubles, we will not hesitate to back you."

When speaking of the Blackfists, the centaur points to another grouping in the ruins. What was once a domed structure of red stone has been reduced to roofless wreckage. Columns of polished marble lie scattered like children’s blocks. In front of the structure, a carelessly-built pen holds the torn remains of several dogs and other animals.

A muscled figure in rusty black armor stomps through the camp: Gaunt Blackfist, you are told by the centaurs. While he has brought a stronger bandit force than his rival bidders, he’s sent his men off to catch more animals, hoping to arrange further gruesome animal fights in the afternoon. He’s enjoying the chance to goad the local wildlife into combat with each other.

Gaunt wears a blood-red mace on his belt. "We think he subverted the auction and bought that off of the Jester behind closed doors," Gwyndryda tells you.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21

Sense Motive (on their willingness to help and hand it over): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

"Do you know where we can find this Blackfist or the Jester? We would like to be able to dispose of the urn without a conflict, if that is a possibility. And do you know how much time we have until the auction begins?"

Alie was troubled by the opposing side gathering animals to fight for pleasure. "We could just blow them up before the auction begins. If they torture animals, I'm sure no one would miss them very much," she whispers to the others.

Wreck nods

"I,. . . strangely do not have an issue with this. . .", but wasn't going to suggest it myself. Just sort of nudging it a little that way:)

Ok, internet is fixed and I am back!

Gaunt Blackfist is prowling about his camp with a lion in tow. The centaur leader of the Lionbane group overhears your conversation and says, "We will join you. I have a feeling this will get bloody, but it is deserving for the horrors they have been committing."

As you approach Blackfist laughs and cuts the leash securing one of his lions. The two lions and Blackfist are no match for the combined forces of the Pathfinders and the Lionbanes, however, and are quickly put down. Hope you don't mind skimming past that one but a level 6 fighter and two lions don't stand much of chance against you guys, a centaur fighter, and two of the archers from earlier. It would just be a bloodbath anyways.

Blackfist has a potion of cure moderate wounds, full plate, and the magical mace.

You'd figure they would have bumped him up for higher tier..

Darius eyes the mace warily.. "Didn't they say it thing could control you? I assume that means it's sentient.."

Cleaning his sword and sheathing it away, Maximo looks around at the others. "Well, I suppose you can't always have a friendly chat." Crouching down to examine the mace, he frowns. "You know, I think I've seen this before somewhere... Gwyndryda, did you not say this was somehow obtained from the Jester prior to the official auction? Alie, are you able to determine what what enchantment it bears?"

Darius will have a look as well after casting detect magic..

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (11) + 18 = 29

Alie helps Darius look at the weapon. Autosuccess on Aid a Another Spellcraft.. "What do you see?

I'll add in a Detect Evil on the mace.

Gwyndryda responds, "Yes, he certainly didn't have it when they arrived. He went in to private negotiations with the Jester behind everyone's backs and came out with that mace."

Ignatious detects no evil on the weapon. Darius and Alie recognize it as a +3 heavy mace.

not bad. Im still better with me axe!

Wreck looks at the mace, and laughs
"Wreck not scared of mace, Wreck can use it, but Wreck much better with axe. Wreck kill many things with axe! Birdmen, big furry white monster, ghost man, deamons, Wreck happy with Wreck's axe"

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Darius retrieves the mace and stows it in his haversack.. "Well what now? Wait for the auction or just surprise the Jester and take what we're here for? Im apt to choose the latter.."

Does anyone mind if I use the Mace?

Nope :) As mentioned, he is much better with his great axe

These items are supposed to be cursed, aren't they? Probably isn't a good idea to use them.

Way i understood it, yes they are..

My hope is that it didn't detect as evil, and if it does attempt to mentally control or the like, my permanent immunity from Protect from Evil might help. The original concept for this character was that they "believe" they can purify things by metaphysically consume an item or creature's evil. He also believes that he is literally the son of Sarenrae (the Purifying Flame) and Ragathiel (the other Purifying Flame), that just came into being rather than being born in the traditional sense. If it's actually true or not, is sort of a DM by DM case. Maybe he's just crazy, maybe he's telling the truth? Either way, I can afford an Atonement if needed, and I'm I think out of most of the spells that might cause a party issue.

Unless we rest. Then you are all F'd. . . :P

Nonsense id turn you into split kindling in mere seconds :).. By all means take the mace!

Take that sucker, whoever wants it. Alie wants no part of the possibly cursed items, lol.

"Like I said before, Darius, I don't like that guy one bit. If you want to forget the auction, I'm behind you."

wreck can also quickly make spaghetti out of you if u turn :P go ahead

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As far as I can see the item does not have an alignment. Usually only intelligent items have alignments and it is not intelligent. So Protection from Evil wouldn't apply against it.

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Ignatious picks up the mace but resists its powers. . . for the moment.

It wouldn't mind control but it would certainly mess you up in other ways :)

After Ignatious picks up the mace...

"Hmm.. wasn't that supposed to be cursed?"

Maximo shrugs it off and looks to his companions with sly grin. "Should we find the Jester and attempt to give it back?"

If so, Maximo will take his mutagen.

"We could walk around a bit before the auction starts. If we were to find him, we could punch him a couple times, " Alie giggles.

Wreck like punching, it good way not to get angry. But people say Wreck scary when Wreck punches other people. Should Wreck do that?

Not really trying to use it at the moment, I just figured that if it comes down to it, a +3 weapon might be a lot better than a +1 scimitar. I've bee forced to play down a lot, so pretty under the normal WBL.

Walking around a bit more the party finds several other lone bidders or partners hoping to place a bid on one of the items but none of them know much or put up any trouble. You are able to determine that the Jester has taken up residence in the abandoned citadel and with the auction showing no signs of starting soon, the party moves over to investigate and speak with the Jester mono a Pathfinders.

This once powerful citadel now has massive holes rent in its mighty walls. Half of the top floor has been reduced to tumbled stone and other areas seem to have been burned with acid. The keep’s doors stand in stark contrast to the rest of the structure: they appear to have recently been replaced and freshly painted.

As the party enters the building, you are met with two archers aiming bows from the floor above through a hole in the second-story floor. A man holding a club stands below.

Initiative:

1. Rosham
2. Fighters
3. Wreck, Alie, Darius, Max, and Ignatious
4. Sabas

Rosham is up!

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Heh, Rosham's Sense Motive is only +2, so he can't make that check anyway. :-)

I'll handle the fools upstairs! You lot get this lout!
Rosham five-foots to the wall and drops a web on the two archers. DC 16 Refl save

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

The two archers avoid getting caught in Rosham's webs and instead rain arrows down on the party!

On Rosham:

+1 composite longbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

+1 composite longbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

+1 composite longbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

On Wreck:

+1 composite longbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

+1 composite longbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

+1 composite longbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

The man with the club (who has no armor on) steps up and swings his block of wood at Rosham!

club: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18
damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

club: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Initiative:

1. Rosham
2. Fighters
3. Wreck, Alie, Darius, Max, and Ignatious
4. Sabas

Everyone but Rosham is up!

Alie casts Haste on the party, seeing battle break out around her.

"I'll take him if you guys can handle the archers."

Divine Power up and move to the guy with the club, drawing my scimitar.

Is the guy with the club the Jester (as far as we know)?

Having sipped from his flask of vitality (an alchemical concoction referred to by professional alchemists as a mutagen) Maximo entered the ruined citadel a renewed man. His shoulders stood straight and strong, his hair and mustache now a thick and lustrous color like well-oiled darkwood.

"More archers?" He says, as if insulted by the hail of arrows. "One should never repeat a plot device from a previous act!"

Plucking a flask from his belt he sips the contents (a shield extract) and leaps for the far side of the pit, then turns and leaps again towards the only possible passage leading up to the archers.

Looks like a 10' gap. With boosted speed Maximo has a +19 to jump, which would automatically make a standing jump like that, but I'll roll anyway in case I'm misjudging.

Jump: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38
Jump: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35

Effects: mutagen, shield, and haste
AC 27
Speed 60'

He's turned himself into half a jackrabbit," Alie thinks as she watches Maximo bounce around like a big dark haired bunny.

"More archers?" He says, as if insulted by the hail of arrows. "One should never repeat a plot device from a previous act!"

Brilliant! :-D

Darius casts a fireball up at the 2 archers.. Then moves to jump the gap.. He makes his sword +4 keen as a swift action.. He should auto make the jump..

Fireball: 9d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 1, 2, 3, 3) = 26 DC 17 for half..

Can wreck move up to archers?

Ok, I'm back! Wedding went well, the weather held out long enough for the ceremony, and everyone is thoroughly exhausted now.

---

@Ignatious: You don't know yet.

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Alie hastes the party and Ignatious readies to go after the clubber. Maximo expertly leaps across the hole to move up the stairs. Darius covers the two archers in a fireball!

@Wreck: They are on the second floor. You can go up the stairs (the way Darius and Max are heading) but you'd have to leap over the hole in the floor to get there. Or you could leap straight up the hole to them I guess, but that would be tricky to say the least.

Initiative:

1. Rosham
2. Fighters
3. Wreck, Alie, Darius, Max, and Ignatious
4. Sabas

A1: 13 dmg
A2: 13 dmg

Wreck is up!

---

Maximo Interresante wrote:

"More archers?" He says, as if insulted by the hail of arrows. "One should never repeat a plot device from a previous act!"

Brilliant! :-D

Or a statblock.

Glad to hear everything with off without a hitch, EF!

Glad tear everything went well, and welcome back. :)

On my next turn

I'll 5ft step back, and cast Invisibility Purge (40ft), then revere my scimitar, in a non-lethal stance.

If the hole isnt more than 15 feet deep. Wreck will jump down the hole. Then climb up

Acro: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

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Sorry for the delay; 95% packed and ready to go! Spent almost an hour on the phone trying to set up internet though. . . red flag came up because I was trying to set up service in WI while living in IN. Should have internet there on Friday though, so only two days without.

Wreck jumps across the hole but face-plants inside. He is able quickly to climb out though.

A short man in motley appears out of thin air as the jester Sabas begins to play his raucous hurdy gurdy from the room above and cast a spell at Wreck and Darius!

DC 19 Will save from Wreck and Darius or confused for 10 rounds.

Initiative:

1. Rosham
2. Fighters
3. Wreck, Alie, Darius, Max, and Ignatious
4. Sabas

A1: 13 dmg
A2: 13 dmg

Rosham is up!

Will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Shirt Reroll: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27 If allowed.. If not ill be babbling a while..

Right, the Taldan says, New plan.

The magus five-foots forward and casts defensively...
concentration check: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24
...then drops a grease spell right under the archers. DC 15 Refl

And someone shut that blasted organ grinder up, for the love of any-deity-except-Sarenrae!

I hate these...
WS: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Wreck shakes his head
"Short man tries tricks! Wreck no like magic tricks! Wreck coming for short man!"

He moves to the nearest archers, and swings his axe
unless Wreck can get to him with the benefit of haste?

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@Wreck: you need to move up the stairs and then open the door to the room he's in (opening a door is a move action).

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

One of the archers loses his balance from Rosham's grease!

The second archer crawls out of the grease while the other pelts arrows at Wreck!

+1 composite longbow, rapid shot: 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 13 - 2 + 2 = 22
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 2 = 13

+1 composite longbow, rapid shot: 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 13 - 2 + 2 = 19
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11

+1 composite longbow, rapid shot: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 - 2 + 2 = 12
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 = 9

The man on the main floor keeps swinging his club at Rosham, completely silent though inspired by the Jester's song.

club: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 13 + 2 = 30
damage: 1d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 = 12

club: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 2 = 14
damage: 1d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 = 9

Initiative:

1. Rosham
2. Fighters
3. Wreck, Alie, Darius, Max, and Ignatious
4. Sabas

A1: 13 dmg
A2: 13 dmg, prone

Everyone but Rosham is up!