GM Endless Forms' PFS 08-01 Portent's Peril (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Zeeva moves from one agent to the next, dealing each of you a card.

Hastard is given The Hidden Truth.

Fimfinkle is given The Rakshasa.

Vanya is given The Vision.

Warden is given The Foreign Trader.

Abaal is given The Hidden Truth.

Libertus is given The Rakshasa.

Hmm. I think your deck is stacked. You got two-pair, rakshasas and hidden truthes.

Libertus nods in agreement with Vanya. "We should investigate this..." it seems to pain Libertus to continue, but he resolute voice still speaks in spite of the name. "Frisky Unicorn."

"We should see if these pseudodragons are causing mischief or perhaps they are the target of the calamitous event that she has foreseen." he supposes as there is very little direction on the threat they are facing. "This is likely the least informative mission that I have been commissioned for." he adds.

To the Frisky Unicorn! Now my second favorite tavern/inn in Golarion. (#1 is the Ticklefish Tavern)

"Whoa. Yea, we should go to this awesome place. Excellent."

Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

"Pseudodragons! My, my, my, what a wonderful start! Lovely creatures. And we really don't have any other leads..." Fimfinkle gives Libertus of the Chain two stout raps to the greaves with his staff. "Mr Libertus, my good man. Care to lead the way?.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 To determine if Fimfinkle knows anything about pseudodragons.

Fimfinkle knows that psuedodragons are housecat-sized dragons who are generally playful but often shy. Pseudodragons are carnivores, devouring insects, rodents, small birds, and snakes, though they sometimes eat eggs, and most also enjoy butter, cheese, and fish. They either hunt on the ground like lizards or look for prey on the wing like a raptor. As smart as a typical humanoid, they do not enjoy being treated as pets and prefer being treated as friends. They are wary of evil folk but can bond with sorcerers and wizards as familiars, and some have befriended druids and rangers or partnered with good dragons as scouts. They often only vocalize in chirps, hisses, growls, and purrs, but can communicate telepathically with any intelligent creature. If approached peacefully and offered food, they are usually willing to share information about what they've seen in their territory, but threats or violence make them flee.

---

For wealthy visitors, a stay at the Frisky Unicorn in Citadel Crest is a must, if only to catch a glimpse of the famous pseudodragons who roost in the lodge’s turret.

As you approach the Frisky Unicorn, you hear a cacophony of shrieks and growls from within. Periodically, tiny dragons dart out of windows in the turret before flying into other rooms to wreak havoc. As you get closer you also hear a loud argument coming from within, somewhere near or within the kitchen area.

"Whoa. We should probably see what's going on man." Jax says stating the obvious.

EndlessForms wrote:

Zeeva moves from one agent to the next, dealing each of you a card.

Hastard is given The Hidden Truth.

Fimfinkle is given The Rakshasa.

Vanya is given The Vision.

Warden is given The Foreign Trader.

Abaal is given The Hidden Truth.

Libertus is given The Rakshasa.

Hmm. I think your deck is stacked. You got two-pair, rakshasas and hidden truthes.

So is this right then? If so, this confirms Abaal's suspicions about how Foxgove is not playing with a (standard) full deck.

Cowboy Across the Table: (menacingly) "That's an awful lot of rakshasas you got there pard."

Not waiting nor pointing out that the sign over the entrance has a horse with horn on it too--enchanting really--Abaal rushes in.

Vanya sighs as she observes the mayhem unfolding in front of her eyes:"I think we can safely assume we just found the place the Unicorn Harrowing meant for us to be... Let's check inside, and be careful with the pseudodragons... they don't seem tame at all to me!" so saying the rogue darts towards the inn's door.

Glancing at the card as he pockets it "Thanks ma'am."

K (Nobility): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
K (Nobility): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Eyeing the mayhem about the establishment, he glances to his companions. "Neat, I've never encountered a dragon. Be nice to find out whats going on, eh?"

As Aball rushes in, he sighs. "Guess we'll just find out as we go..." mumbles the mounted man as he follows the impatient companion.

If there's room, he'll ride his boar in. If not, he'll hop off and lead it at a slow pace

He looks about looking for two of anything. (A pair of things, you see, like the card)

Libertus sighs as the group rushes forward. "Do any of us know if this is normal?" he asks as he unsheathes his heavy mace, leaning it against his shoulder.

He follows after them as he chooses to take in his surroundings, not wanting to be surprised by anything.

Perception to detect a trap: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4

"This all seems pretty normal to me. And try to keep up."

Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

Stealth check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Vanya silently slips inside the inn while listening for the source of the commption che just heard from outside.

Libertus looks at the flippant man with disdain. "Canon fodder goes first. Please sacrifice your life for the mission. The Society and mankind in general will be grateful for the offering to Pharasma. " he says to him with a sneer.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Hmm. I think your deck is stacked. You got two-pair, rakshasas and hidden truthes. So is this right then? If so, this confirms Abaal's suspicions about how Foxgove is not playing with a (standard) full deck.

Cowboy Across the Table: (menacingly) "That's an awful lot of rakshasas you got there pard."

Actually for the Choosing you don't use a full deck but only one suit. She chose the suit of Books, since the Yellow Prophet is from that suit.

The scenario says to roll a d10 for each player (rerolling a 0) so I assumed that meant she was reshuffling between each deal but I missed the all-important phrase about rerolling a 0 or any repeated results. Sorry about that! Here's some new cards!

3d9 ⇒ (1, 2, 7) = 10

Hastard is given The Hidden Truth.
Fimfinkle is given The Rakshasa.
Vanya is given The Vision.
Warden is given The Foreign Trader.
Abaal is given The Wanderer.
Libertus is given The Inquisitor.

-----------------

You barge into the lobby, looking quite the strange group but not so improper as to disturb anyone there. The spacious lobby has many
comfortable couches and tables laden with refreshments. Guests lounge on the couches, speculating idly about what could have pseudodragons so upset, while servants look toward the kitchen. The guests’ theories are fanciful, and you overhear a few as head in. "Oh, it must just be the inn’s proprietor, Oliver Cadmion. I heard that he decided to start charging them rent. What a notion! Of course they're upset!" A stack of flyers for the Green Market can be found on one table.

You notice that the dining room door (in the middle of the lobby) peeks open to take a look at the new-comers. It is crowded with guests and servants taking cover from the chaos happening elsewhere in the inn while the bolder guests continue to chat in the lobby with themselves and with you as if nothing strange is happening.

"A problem with rent..." he says, rolling his eyes as he slings the heavy mace back over his shoulder. "I'm glad that you bade me to hurry, Abaal. What next? Should we find a merchant's stall and hurry to bargain over apple prices?"

Libertus takes his time as he moves around the inn, leaving the rest to do as they please. He will keep an eye open for any potential threats, but is mostly searching for something that could have triggered the Harrowing. "We don't even know if this is the right place..." he mutters.

He notices that the dragons are still causing a ruckus and thinks aloud. "I wonder if that is normal..."

Kn. Arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

"Hey buddies, what's going on? We're here to help man." Jax asks of the psuedodragons.

"Excuse me!" says Vanya to one of the servants.

"We'd like to have a word with mr Cadmion. We solve problems and we can see you have got a bg one with these pseudodragons!"

Following his companions through the inn, he notes the flyers for the Green Market and picks one up, looking it over.

'Dragons paying rent? Hmmm...tis a strange place for sure.' considers the gnome. Smiling as Jax tries to engage the flying creatures.

Noting the eye peaking out of the kitchen, he offers "Good sir or madam, seems you've a spot of trouble. We're here to help."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

"A problem with rent..." he says, rolling his eyes as he slings the heavy mace back over his shoulder. "I'm glad that you bade me to hurry, Abaal. What next? Should we find a merchant's stall and hurry to bargain over apple prices?"

"Apples are quite healthy, as is sunlight. You would do well to consider some of both."

Actually for the Choosing you don't use a full deck but only one suit. She chose the suit of Books, since the Yellow Prophet is from that suit.

The scenario says to roll a d10 for each player (rerolling a 0) so I assumed that meant she was reshuffling between each deal but I missed the all-important phrase about rerolling a 0 or any repeated results. Sorry about that! Here's some new cards!

Your Choosings wrote:

Hastard is given The Hidden Truth.

Fimfinkle is given The Rakshasa.
Vanya is given The Vision.
Warden is given The Foreign Trader.
Abaal is given The Wanderer.
Libertus is given The Inquisitor.

I was just worried it may have been a copy, and paste issue the way they came out repeated at the end.

"Well, if these people drive the pseudodragons away that may embolden the local city imps."

Fimfinkle trots over to one of the patrons. "Excuse me, what on earth is going on? Is the inn normally this lively? Quite exciting isn't it? This is my first time here, anything you could recommend?

Libertus bristles as the mouthy Keleshite keeps speaking despite being in front of his superior. "Abaal, if you open your mouth once more, I will shove those apples down your throat." he says with a withering glare at the man sporting a creepy pencil-thin mustache.

"Really man, are they even in season?"

The pseudodragons are not on the ground floor where you are so you can't tell what has them upset but when you ask the servants for Cadmion, one of them says, "Oh good! I think he has been expecting you." They point you towards the kitchen.

The well-appointed kitchen is in disarray. Several nervous cooks and other kitchen workers linger at the sides of the room, watching the loud argument unfolding in front of them as two of the senior cooks fight about how a particular guest, Lady Qualstair, should be served. "Craik, I told you I'm not capable of devoting the number of chefs it would take to design a meal like that just to serve one person." The other responds, "And I've heard you make that excuse a hundred times, Lomen. And I'm telling you that as Lady Qualstair's personal chef, these are her demands on me and now mine on you. And if we don't abide...."

When you enter the kitchen though, the two cooks break off their argument and the one named Lomen says, "Oh good, they've finally arrived. Let me go find the proprietor." He comes back a minute later and introduces Oliver Cadmion.

Cadmion hurriedly shakes your hands and says, "Finally! I was beginning to think the Acadamae did not take my request for a team of experts seriously. Now, my dragons are normally docile but something has agitated them and now they are flying into guests’ rooms and tearing apart their belongings. So far, no one has been hurt, but I'm worried the creatures may become violent—or worse, move out, which would be a disaster for business, as I'm sure you understand."

Cadmion quickly continues, "So if you can get them calmed down without killing them or driving them away, I'll supply you with a substantial reward, as I'm sure the Acadamae already told you. They're just upstairs whenever you're ready."

Taking in the scene as they enter the kitchen, he wonders 'Why would one meal cause so much trouble? No matter how it goes in the body it all ends up coming out the same way...'

"Uh, the Acadamae? I'm with the..." he begins, stopping abruptly.

It would be nice to calm them down. They are such pretty creatures.'

"Certainly, my dear." continues Hastard. "You can count on us!" Looking to his animal friend, he frowns. "I don't suppose there's much room on these stairs. Might I leave my friend down here? I promise he'll be no trouble."

"Nonsense, Hastard! With a nose like that, we would fools to leave him down here." And with that the daring swordsman of Katapesh is away up the stairs, shouting over his shoulder "Libertus, do try to keep up!"

So in another game I play an orc witch-doctor, there are a pair of cavaliers (alright one of them is a samurai--but whatever), they try taking there horses everywhere (and this the Second Darkness AP - you know pirate ships, and dungeons pretty much all the way through), so I know this spell now--anthropomorphic animal--I haven't told them yet. ;)

Now as soon as I figure out which stairs the proprietor meant (maybe there's some under the black bits?), and were on the map everyone is....

Jax is disappointed that there were no dragons to talk to but his spirits are lifted when the group is tasked with talking to them. "Whoa, I've never talked to a dragon before." He follows the group up the stairs.

"Well... ok, we'll deal with your little pseudodragon problem right away..." mutters Vanya following her overeager companions to the upper floors of the mansion.

Fimfinkle looks around the kitchen for a sweet pie, or some fruit. "You don't mind if I borrow this do you?".

Before waiting for a reply he tosses it once in his hand and saunters off after his companions.

I believe we're in the kitchen (area with the fire?)

Smiling at the Keleshite, Hastard replies "Though I'd like nothing more than to bring my companion with me everywhere, experience has taught me confined spaces tend to be detrimental to such strategies."

Hauling himself off the boars back, he hits the ground with a solid Thud. Turning back, he gently pets the boar's head. "Need you to stay here buddy. Guard these stairs for us and keep others from sneaking up behind."

Handle Animal (Guard): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Confident his companion won't let him down, Hastard begins slowly trudging his way up the steps. Each step made with great effort.

The small dust cloud Hastard was speaking to dissipates before he finishes.

In my Reign of Winter game the inquisitor (with the animal domain) had a sloth companion and at a certain level they put permanent anthropomorphic animal on him and gave him a spear. It was pretty awesome, especially as my wife role-played him like the sloths from Zootopia....

The inn staff will allow you to leave any animals downstairs if you do not want to lead them up the stairs.

Before you head upstairs, Craik pulls Vanya aside. "I have an additional request I'm hoping you can help me with. I would be willing to top Cadmion’s reward if you can bring me a single dragon egg, for my mistress’s sake."

Funny you should mention that. Over here I play a Disc World Igor, named Igor, and our party has an incredibly impatient female Slyph fighter. We were looking for information on a suspicious gnome by the name of Fimbrik (I'm sure you know the chap), and well Igor suspected the address we had might be out of date considering the source was about 300 years old, and well....

Meanwhile in the kitchen.

Ulfen Chef (holding a big meat cleaver): "Shern de shern de herf! Der sirloin porka chops! Chop, de chop, de chop!"

Meanwhile on a stairwell somewhere.

*Pant, pant* "How many floors does this accursed place have!?"

"We'll see what can be done..." answers Vanya just before ascending the stairs

Sense Motive check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

...

"Mmmmh... what a trustworthy fellow..."

Unique animal companions/familiars are some of the coolest class features when utilized well. So many wolves and lions though...

Libertus moves with a purpose but does not hurry as he ascends the stairs in the kitchen as Hastard wrangles his hog.

As the group continue up the circular staircae, Hastard tries to keep an eye open for trouble, sap in hand.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"Be ready" he cautions "There's no telling what we'll find at the top of this tower."

Sorry guys! Back in Madison for a few more days.

The doors into the turret room are unlocked and you can let yourselves in. Designed to emulate Castle Korvosa’s Seawatch Tower, this turret is cramped but has a high ceiling, with wooden rafters crisscrossing overhead. Slim windows offer breathtaking views of the city and beyond. The furnishings are covered with drop cloths, which are themselves bedaubed with many seasons’ worth of dragon droppings.

You can see that a clutch of four pseudodragons live here, squalling in the rafters, 20 feet above the center of the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

"Oh hey, an egg just hatched." Jax points out.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Is shattered hatched shattered or smashed shattered?

Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

"Where?" asks Vanya failing to notice the shattered egg's remains.

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 19

"Over there!" Abaal points out the egg, and the strange family group. "Um, err, Salve?"

Is there a map?

Shattered as in dropped.

Map is linked at the top of the campaign page. It's the same link used earlier for the cards. The turret room is the one off to the side.

You move up into the turret and see that the pseudodragons younglings are agitates but when Abaal points out that there is another creature in the room-a young hippogriff-you all note that the hippogriff is digging its feet at the ground, preparing to charge...

Initiative:

1. Abaal, Libertus, Vanya, Warden, Fimfinkle, and Hastard
2. Baby Hippogriff!

You guys are up!

I was hoping to avoid fighting...

Cursing Vanya quickly moves near the winged beast and stabs it before it can react.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 -> Damage roll: 1d4 + 4 + 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + (5, 4) + 1 = 16

Move and attack against flat footed.... I hope it wasn't enough to kill it since it's just a baby

As the hippogriff decides that it wants to tangle with the group, Libertus unsheathes his large mace and steps forward. He declares a single statement with firm intent. "Forgo the folly of this, hippogriff. We will not stay our blade if you dare to strike at us. Cower and save your life. Attack and forfeit it!" he boldly states while brandishing his heavy mace.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Frowning as he sees the Shattered egg, he continues huffing and puffing his way up the stairs.

"I...don’t...like...walking" He gasps as they get to the top.

Wait!" screams the armored man as his companion swings at the animal.

Stepping forward, hold a hand out, he coos "Calm yourself beast. We wish to help. Please don't fight us."

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

posting from phone. Please move me to adjacent to creature. Otherwise I can move myself in a few hours when I get home.

I was hoping to avoid fighting...

So, what happened?

posting from phone. Please move me to adjacent to creature. Otherwise I can move myself in a few hours when I get home.

Moved.

"Hey, buddy. It'll be okay." Jax moves up and tries to grab the creature.

Untrained Grapple: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 I provoke an AOO.

Vanya moves up and puts her balde into the beast's side before it can charge. The young hippogriff lets out a cry and a whimper, lowering its head in submission.

1d4 ⇒ 1

Libertus tries to speak with the beast, although it is clear it does not understand. Hastard is better with animals though and is able to calm the thing despite its wounds. Hastard is quite sure it was just looking for some innocent roughhousing, although that likely would have resulted in several broken bones for the Pathfinders. Now that it is seriously injured though, the hippogriff has lost its appetite for play.

Just as Hastard is resting his hand on the beast's head to calm in, an adult pseudodragon flies through one of the open windows with two other fully-grown psuedodragons behind it. The lead dragon speaks to you telepathically: Get out, friends of egg thieves! And are you hurting my adopted son? How dare you!

Initiative:

1. Abaal, Libertus, Vanya, Warden, Fimfinkle, and Hastard
2. Baby Hippogriff and Psuedodragon guardians

You guys are up! Still technically in rounds for the moment as the pseudodragons are quite hostile to your presence.

'Friends of egg thieve's?' ponders the gnome. Thinking back on the shattered egg they found on the stairs, he gasps.

"Someone stole your young?! No wonder you are going nuts! Do you know the identity of the thief? Perhaps we can help save the little ones." Hastard replies.

A moment later, he exclaims "Shoot! Anyone speak dragon?". Looking around to his companions, he begs "Please translate if you do."