GM Endless Forms' PFS 04-20 Words of the Ancients (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Tolgarov suggests the door with 19 studs and after walking through the door the party is instantly transported to a new location, this one quite different from the previous room.

The pockmarked walls of this irregularly shaped room shimmer with a sheen of water that weeps from unseen pores, and vibrant ferns and epiphytes grow from natural cavities and imperfections in the walls. The rough hall seems to open to the right into a larger room.

New map coming up!

"Well we picked door nr. 2 and we ended up at 2. So if we pick 19..we pick door nr. 2 again..so we should end up back here? We can at least test it. I agree with Tolgarov...at least for now, let's see where door "19" takes us."

Guess it didn't take us back to the room we are already in, so we either picked right...or wrong ;)

Before we move on Ceric will use his Sihedron Brand (endurance) to gain 16 temp. hp

"Well, this is somewhere else. Look like anything anyone expected?"

Moving around the bend? I'll update more tomorrow morning.

Before the group moves on, Ezrek pauses to look at his extracts. "I have three extracts of shielding in preserving flask. I can also give out a few other extracts, recharging a couple lower extracts. Who can make the most use of them?"

Ez has three preserved Shields and a fresh Shield, True Strike, and Enlarge Person. He can recharge two of those after passing them out. Anyone have a use for any of those. He also has a couple Haste, he could potentially give out.

"I'll take a 10 minute shield extract." Gina quaffs it immediately.

If the party needs a haste, it is easier for Gina or Ceric to cast it on everyone than have individuals drink for it.

"Not what I expected... But only one way to find out what we have found here, explore."

Casting detect magic and taking a look around,.... just because I can. Then before we'll move around the bend I'll take a look at the door(frame)? behind us. It looks like all the other door frames we have seen so far and it has a number of studs? Just trying to figure out if we have a way out of here if we need it.

Ezrek also withdraws a rod from his pack and holds it up. A somewhat sheepish look on his face. "I obtained this rod of magic extending to experiment with. Sadly, I have found it does not work with my extracts. Does any have a use for it?"

Rod of Lesser Extend

The party readies themselves before heading around the bend. The pockmarked walls of this irregularly shaped room shimmer with a sheen of water that weeps from unseen pores, and vibrant ferns and epiphytes grow from natural cavities and imperfections in the walls. The only truly dry area of the room is an extensive bookcase built into the wall. Three passages lead to the room, though each turns sharply, hiding what lies beyond from easy view.

Sitting in the center of the room are two creatures. One is a regal, bird-winged lion with a human's head, clad in the golden raiment of a powerful pharaoh. The other is similarly garbed, although more feminine in nature.

"Hail!" the first creature speaks. "You stand before Glybweote. I care not for your names or purposes, for I can guess at the latter. So I should explain that the two paths beyond lead to two vaults. However, my master has placed the Curse of Xin's Reckoning, a disastrously potent curse, upon of the vaults."

The second creature speaks up in a softer voice, "So long as you agree to a test of riddles, we will point you down the correct path."

Assuming you agree to the challenge:

Glybweote recites, "What virtue acts long after others, yet rules supreme over six jealous brothers?"

KN: arcana: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

Ezrek eyes the creatures for a moment before saying. It is an honor to meet such majestic creatures as you sphinxes. I had not had the opportunity to ever meet one of your kind before now. Gives us a moment to confer."

Virtues of Rule are generosity, love, humility, temperance, charity, kindness, and zeal

Thoughts? Humility?

Know. Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Tolgarov tried to think what were the 7 "virtues" of old Thassilion

Know. History: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

You realize we are invading a Thasalonian runelord conjurer's tower, right?

"Sloth"

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Hearing Tolgarov name some of the "virtues" of old Thassilion Ceric starts to help to name them.

Knowledge History: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

"Well we are in Runelord Krune's tower... If there used to be 7 Runelords and he was the ruler of all of them then I guess it could refer to him. Wasn't each of the 7 schools of magic called different back then? I seem to recall that he was the Runelord of Sloth."

Ceric nods at Gina. "My reasoning as well."

After Gina answers the sphinx simply nods and continues, “He silently sleeps while the world above toils. His slumber stretches countless moons. He awakens to claim Golarion’s spoils. His enemies fear this master of runes.”

Ceric confers with the others before answering "Master of runes...Krune?"

Ezrek nods hesitantly, after his last mistaken guess. "That sounds right."

"Seriously? A test? I'm glad you guys studied."

I agree.

Tolgarov response could apply to both Giovanni comment as well as the Ezrek or Ceric proposal.

His sweating face still holding his toothy smile.

"It seems you know well these answers. This passage here on your left behind us should lead you to the destination you seek."

"Everybody ready to pay the price for being wrong?" He sounds almost pleased at the prospect.

GM, Echolocation spell gives me blindsence to 40'. What do I see in the blocked out regions?

sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 12

I'm always ready to pay the price

said Tolgarov.

1d20 ⇒ 20

Before getting around the first bend of the hall, Ezrek notes that there is a trap that will release something from above. Gina can tell that there is something living up above that will likely drop down if the trap is triggered.

Ezrek studies the trap for a moment. "I suggest everyone gets back while I attempt this." He then tries to disable it.

T10 for 34 on Disable

Ceric glances at Giovanni..

"You wanted to be right?"

"Oh we are moving? I must have nodded off."

Sorry been a busy week at work.

Ezrek disables the trap and prevents a gelatinous cube from falling on everyone's head!

The party then heads around the bend of the hallway into a small room. This octagonal chamber’s finely cut stone walls and floors offer a sharp contrast to the irregular architecture of the sole passage that opens into it. A dark marble pedestal supports a stack of hand-sized iron plates, and a small pile of gemstones glitters in one of the room’s corners.

+5 bonus on this one if you speak Thassilonian:

The gems include eight topazes worth 450 gp each, five diamonds worth 625 gp each, 1,400 gp, and a ring of spell knowledge III.

Appraise DC22: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

can't help for linguistic, the DC is too high...

Tolgarov merchant's eyes saw the inferior nature of the iron plate and said to his comrade.

It's strange, theses iron's plate are of inferior workmanship than the other thing here...

Can you take 20 on linguistics? If so; I get 20+11=31.

Ceric will take the time to study them since Tolgarov finds something off while he appraises their value.

Well, if these arn't the plates, they must be in that other corridor.

What did I see when I was looking down the other hallway? I have blindsight to 40'.

Gina casts darkvision on herself, and then casts Arcane eye, sending it back and towards the other corridor.

"Lets see what is down that other corridor.

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

Ezrek waits to see what Gina sees.

Batty draws his sword and starts to clean and inspect it as this may take a while.

Ceric glances at Giovanni..

"You wanted to be right?"

"Wanted? No. Gotten used to not having things be easy when the monsters say they are?"

He looks around at the things everyone says are not right. "So, should we be looking for a hidden area with the right stuff in it instead of assuming we have to go the other way, or do we just want to risk the great curse?"

"Yeah, right. We want to trust the word of a creature bound by a Thasalonian Runelord." Gina says sarcastically. "Runelords of Sloth bind outsiders to do whatever they want. For all we know, those sphinxes were forced to lie and this room held the curse.

Gina continues casting Arcane Eye.

Ceric will cast detect magic and take a look around the area..just to make sure we didn't miss anything

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Gina did not notice anything living down the other hall with her blindsense.

Gina can see that the other hall also leads to a small chamber laid out like a shrine with a low table bearing a stack of reddish metal plates stacked in a loose pile. There is a carpet with a three-foot-high marble pedestal holding a dark polished stone sphere.

Ceric detects a moderate transmutation aura on the plates.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30

"Hrm..these plates radiate a moderate transmutation aura. Conjuration or Universal magic would be far more likely for rune plates keyed to the refuge tokens.. Combined with the wierd language and the inferior skill used in making them....these are not the plates we are looking for."

Can you open up the map with the vision I gained from the Arcane Eye? I want to see if I can pull a fast one on the sphinxes.

"Looks like there is a shrine with reddish metal plates in the other room. Give me a few moments. I'm doing some mental calculations and measuring distance in my head.

Ceric waits patiently for a few moments, while wondering what Gina is planning.

Tolgarov let the brains calculating and thinking before taking action.

Then ask Ceric

Ceric, my dear friend, I'm interested by the ring of spell knowledge, do you have a spell of third level or lesser to teach it, in this case I could use it for the benefit of all

Can you open up the map with the vision I gained from the Arcane Eye? I want to see if I can pull a fast one on the sphinxes.

Map revealed.

Ceric, my dear friend, I'm interested by the ring of spell knowledge, do you have a spell of third level or lesser to teach it, in this case I could use it for the benefit of all

Ceric ponders the question

If I understand how this ring works is..Tolgarov puts it on and then either looks through my spell book or watches me (or someone else) cast a 3th lvl spell..then makes a spellcraft check DC 20 and he has the spell on his "spell list"?

Ceric pulls out his spell book and opens it to certain pages showing them to Tolgarov.
"Fireball..you already know that one..Fly? Aquas Orb? Haste? Magic circle vs Evil?...Draconic Reservoir? Resist Energy, Communal? Take your pick....I've always been partial to the Orb, but if you want to offer some protection to the rest of the party while you drop fireballs on us the Resist Energy or the Draconic Reservoir might be better choices."

If I understand how this ring works is..Tolgarov puts it on and then either looks through my spell book or watches me (or someone else) cast a 3th lvl spell..then makes a spellcraft check DC 20 and he has the spell on his "spell list"?

That sounds right. But of course since the ring will 'disappear' at the end of the scenario he'll only know the spell for the rest of the scenario.

Good, good... Resist communal seems perfect but if you want support I can pick Haste. As you see fit my friends

"I just remembered..I also have an invisibility sphere in here somewhere,..or you can study one of my easier spells." (it's up to lvl 3..you can take a lvl 1 or 2 if you want).