GMF's Shattered Star (Inactive)

Game Master Fanguar

Round 4, Initiative 21
HP: 15/15; AC: 15 (T13/FF12)
F: +3, R: +5, W: +2
Back Row
Opponent: None
MA: none
SA: Longbow: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 = 23 (point blank) damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 1 = 9 (point blank)

”For the glory, let’s drop this rat!”

I am firing silver blunt arrows at her. I think I hit last round too (also silver) and it wasn't counted - but I could be wrong.

I think I need to do a dice queue dump of the next 12->20 rolls just to get rid of my poor rolling.

Round 4, Initiative 23

hp 14/14; AC 16/12T/14FF (+4 w/Mage Armor); CMD 11
+1F/+2R/+4W

Back Row
Opponent: The TG
MA: Taunt Wererat.
SA: (combat): 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 3 - 4 = 9 touch attack; 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 damage (4/7)

'Hey Rat! Do you miss being fully human?"

I had actually forgotten that Bibic was using silver arrows. That being the case, his second one drops the wererat in a heap on the floor.

B22(current Room)A massive pair of double doors dominates the western end of this spearhead-shaped chamber. These doors are made of a silvery metal decorated with images of burning eyes that look inward toward two sets of runes carved onto the face of each door. The walls bear the remains of complex mosaics that once covered much of them, but which has crumbled and collapsed in heaps of coloured tiles and debris around the edges of the room.

B23(B23a is just the sleeping area) Several pieces of furniture decorate this room, the modern furnishings clashing with the ancient carvings of Thassilonian wizards crafting deformed monsters from dead bodies decorating the walls. Luxurious crimson Varisian drapes have been pinned up in an archway to the southeast.

Heaped on a table is an assortment of ancient coins, gems, statues and the like. (1000gp).

Detect Magic/Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Bibic gathers up his one missed silver arrow (1d2 ⇒ 1 - broken) and replenishes his supply from his pack to his quiver. Then he joins the search but does not find anything more. He does take some time to appreciate the beauty that this place must once have shown. It must have been glorious.

"This scarf is magical, but only just. Anyone skilled with a bladed scarf? I've only seen it used once, and the man was a true master at it. Unbelievable in fact!"

"These tower girls sure are dug in deep. I've never seen this many wererats in all my life!"

He helpfully gathers some of the loot to assist in carrying and prepares to move on waiting for the others to also be ready.

In the end, something occurs to him in a rush. "Oh, er, is anyone injured?" He holds out the wand and offers to heal up the party (go ahead and roll for yourself and I'll track charges).

Spasi sinks against the wall as the Rat falls. Despite the victory, Spasi is still pretty jazzed and excited.

"Did you see that, Clem!? I was like *POW* and *ZAP*!!! Did you see that one I did on that girl?" Spasi points to the frozen pieces of Tower Girl on the ground. "That was fun! We should do that again, huh?"

Spasi sits for a moment scratching his chin, reflecting.

"Hey Rhesus, I notice you didn't fall down that fight. That's good. Real good...I should report your progress back to Doctor Toffitt. He'll like that."

Spasi finally rouses to take a gander around for loot and magic, casting Detect Magic and looking for the shard.

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14 Spellcraft

Spasi sorts and rummages around in the room, jabbering a bit.

"Say, Bibic, nice shooting there. Good thing you had them silver arrows, huh? I just knew we shoulda kept that silver dagger. I just knew it," Spasi claims, re-writing history in his own favor. "Not much we can do about it now except to listen to me more often, huh?"

Spasi looks around the place more.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 Perception

After the loot is collected, Spasi will take a look at the double doors and think.

"You know what, guys? And gal? Maybe we should take all our stuff and head back into town...you know, rest up a bit and maybe buy another wand or something? Get some whor-uhm..." Spasi stops talking as he looks at Noya, "...some whole cabbages...to, uh, eat. I love cabbages." Spasi titters to himself and rubs the back of his neck.

"So yeah, let's go cash in and get loaded, huh? It's been a tough day and I'm spent."

Perception DC 27: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

"I'll need some of that magic Bibic."

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Good enough. So Spasi wants to leave huh? Suppose we can do that. Haven't found the thing yet though."

"You know what, guys? And gal? Maybe we should take all our stuff and head back into town...you know, rest up a bit and maybe buy another wand or something? Get some whor-uhm..." Spasi stops talking as he looks at Noya, "...some whole cabbages...to, uh, eat. I love cabbages." Spasi titters to himself and rubs the back of his neck.

"So yeah, let's go cash in and get loaded, huh? It's been a tough day and I'm spent."

Bibic is surprised, "Leave? In our moment of triumph?! I think you overestimate their chances. Sure, we are low on resources, and it may be wise to leave, but who knows what reinforcements they'll be able to bring to bear. We might have to start all over again."

Bibic shrugs, "I'd rather press on. We've killed so many, how many can be left? Right?"

Bibic takes out the shard and checks that we're still on the right track.

If not pressed, I'm ok with you guys taking 20 on room searches. Also, you've effectively cleared this area of the dungeon, so it is safe to return to town and rest. There's no way you could clear this whole place in one go.

Noya will take 20 to search the room.
(Result 28)

Spasi looks again at Bibic and Rhesus, holding up handfuls of loot.

"Ah c'mon guys! This place is still going to be here tomorrow! We can go live it up tonight. Look at this money. Let's go down to the temple of Calist--" Spasi's voice cuts off as he looks at Noya. "Uh...down to the temple to pray. Yeah..."

Spasi looks at the money and thinks of all the good stuff they could buy.

"To quote a bard I know, "When man was created, he was given two heads, but only enough blood to use one at a time." Robin Williams
And I know which one you plan on using Mr Gaten."

"Eh, let him relax a little Noya, he's had a hard day of shooting walls and chairs while the rest of us crush wererats. Maybe if he takes care of some tension he'll start shooting straight."

Assuming Noya tells us what she finds with her Perception roll, Rhesus will open the door.

"See, look at this guy. That's what happens."

Clement stays mostly absent from the conversation about leaving early and the free spending of the money, simply keeping his eyes trained on the fallen bodies of the Tower Girls and the wererat.

"I wonder why these girls work with the wererat. Are they charmed? And why did they fight to their deaths? It's kind of sad, really..."

After kneeling for a long while next to one of them, a girl who reminds him of another he used to work with at the Golemworks, he stands again next to Rhesus and nods that he's ready to continue in search of the artifact for their curious benefactor.

Spasi waits to see what's what behind the green door.

Noya opens the door,
which leads to a storage room, with a desiccated skeleton of an adventurer.

A search of the corpse finds a masterwork chain shirt, a masterwork rapier, a pendant of a bronze bird, 50 feet of silk rope, and a leather pouch containing 250 gp.

In the main area, investigating the intricately carved door, reveals it to be covered in carved tiles that appear to be moveable. You are strongly reminded of the the puzzle box that you had to open back at the manor.

If anyone speaks Thassilonian, you know the runes, otherwise you have to take the info back for a translation.

Clement tends to the corpse with care, handing the items to his fellow companions for their examination.

"He looks like was an adventurer, like us. I wonder how long he's been here, and why the rat-woman and her allies didn't strip the body before we arrived?"

As the party makes their return and stands before the door, Clement scratches his head, clearly puzzled at the carvings and the tiles.

"I.. don't know what it means, and if we should be randomly moving pieces. Looks like Spasi might get his wish if none of you can decipher them, since we may want to get a book or something so we don't set off some sort of ancient trap that disintegrates us."

Just in case it was unclear, Clement decides to add, "Disintegrating is bad."

"Probably couldn't find the door Clem, you saw how tricky it was for Noya to find it. Good thing we had her with, none of the rest of us would've noticed I bet. I can't speak that jibber jabber, we should have Spasi rub it out and take it back for translation."

Bibic, nodding in agreement with the others, takes a look at the gear as it comes out of the small chamber.

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 2 = 27

Wow.

"The pendant appears to be the pendant of the souk. The badge of office of the first Prince of the Market in Magnimar's Bazaar of Sails. If that is the case, then this corpse could very well be that of Nazir Kalmeralm, who went missing 28 years ago. Informing his daughter Sabriyya, the current Princess of the Market, of this discovery, might fetch a reward."

He turns to the others, "This could also grants us some credibility in the bazaar. A boon no matter how you see it - good catch Noya!"

Detect Magic: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 = 19

"This pendant is clearly magical as well. It will aid the wearer in appraisals considerably and help to identify other magics once daily. Further, as if that weren't enough, it aids in the avoidance of illusion."

"I'm already carrying a shard, does someone else want to wear this for the time being?"

"Sadly I am no linguist. I agree though, we should take rubbings and return with this information to study. There is yet some daylight left - perhaps we can plumb the depths of this riddle and return tomorrow to open it!"

While Bibic explains the magic items and the discovery of the adventurer (and Spasi will confirm with his own research later on...Doctor Toffitt appreciates double-checked work), Spasi spends time in front of the doors looking at the Thassolonian runes.

Spasi rubs his chin, spits, and paces back and forth while looking at the language, trying to recall what different runes mean. It is, after all, one of the reasons Doctor Toffitt recruited him...he knows Thassolonian.

Spasi breaks out some paper and sketches down some notes.

"Yeah, uh huh..." Spasi says to himself before reaching a conclusion and turns to the explain it to the party.

'I think I got what I need here. Gunna need more time to puzzle it all out...you guys know I do my best thinking over a few drinks. Maybe I'll hit the bar and work on this while you guys go sell the loot, huh?" Spasi says.

"I'm sure I'll figure this out pretty quickly once I get going...but, like I said, we need to go back and all. Funny how all that worked out,huh?"

Going to get me some drink. Then sneak down to the Temple for a quick rubbing of my own, if you know what I mean.
Dude, I'm your brain. I *always* know what you mean.

GM Fangaur, what knowledge checks for the runes?

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Know Local
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 Spellcraft

Noya sees Mr Gaten's face hinting at pervy thoughts and thinks
Mr Gaten is thinking something pervy again, I swear most of his blood is near his pelvis.

Noya replies to bibics words.
"Thank you Bibic, as I was known to be alert, where I come from.
You'd be surprised at the number of people, I've caught doing things that they should not have."

"Let's take the body and stuff back to the Market Princess, maybe Spasi can get a discount on his thinking food."

How he eats that stuff? Papa always said you are what you eat. Must be why Spasi's a runner.

Rhesus begins to strap the spoils of battle together before carrying it out.

"And that's why you eat steak Clem!"

Clement observes as Rhesus straps the various items onto his person, his eyes lingering on the body that Bibic has informed them may actually be that of Sabriyya's father.

"We should bring the body. So that Sabriyya doesn't need to come all the way out here herself."

With a prayer to his empyreal lord, Clement kneels beside the corpse and tries to carefully arrange it for travel, rolling it up in an old blanket.

After tying his hair back, with a grunt, he heaves it up and over his shoulder, stumbling slightly under the weight, which is not overbearing as the body has had most of its weight evaporate over the decades.

"A steak's exactly what we need, and it seems we have the coin for it tonight. Let's celebrate a successful sortie by our company. The doctor would be proud of us!"

Oh dear Noya, please don't read my mind. Gimme a sense motive roll and bluff about my true intentions, but mind reading?

Spasi cheers up as the team rallies to his excellently perfect idea of cashing in and gearing up.

He even volunteers to help carry and manage the loot down to the boats, helping use the pulley and wench that he thinks he remembers seeing.

"Yeah, I'm going to need some time with these runes. Uh huh. I figure we can sell the stuff, go talk to the lady about her dad, go shopping and still have time for some fun, huh?"

We'll see if we need to visit the VC before we go back. Hopefully Spasi can figure things out.

@Spasi: You don't need to roll, I was just too lazy to check everyone's profile. Also, you don't need to return to the pathfinder hall, but it can't hurt to report in and you do get to rest there for free.

Spasi reads the runes on the doors. There is a different set of runes on each door. The left set spells "LISTEN" while the right spells "THE EYES." The individual runes can be shifted around to rearrange them.

To confirm, each rune is a letter, yeah? So we can arrange them differently to get different words? Interesting...accepting contributions from all.

On the boat ride back to town, Spasi will explain what he knows about the runes and he suspects the door might work.

"...so yeah, all we gotta do is figure out how to shift them around to get the door open, I think. LISTEN, on one side. THE EYES, on the other. Yep, it's a mystery. Anyone have any bright ideas?" Spasi says while dangling a hand in the water, watching others row.

* * *

Has anyone done an inventory/sales thing yet? I forget, do we have one of them sheets going?

I've got an idea but I doubt Rhesus would come up with it.

"LISTEN and THE EYES? Don't make no sense to me Spasi. Maybe the Doctor would know? Maybe it's opposites? Silent but deadly? Hah, wait until we've had too much steak Clem, then you'll see that! Oooh, how about Silent But Seen? Yeah, that works. Spasi, let's try that one when we get back."

Clement gives Spasi a look of appreciation as he relates the words from the door, but still leans forward squinting as if a closer look will somehow train him a long dead language.

"But... eyes don't listen. Ears listen. Are you sure you aren't misreading that? Maybe it says ears? Or the left side says 'see' instead of 'listen'? Thassilonian is a long dead language, right? I assume even modern scholars may have mixed up some words?"

Clement looks nervously about, allowing his hands to run along some of his scarred flesh, a souvenir from the disaster at the Golemworks when the last arcanist he knew mixed up a couple ancient runes.

As he realizes that Rhesus has puzzled out a rearrangement of to "listen" to "silent", he leans in, with more enthusiasm.

"Of course! Rhesus, you're a genius. You're onto something!"

"The Eyes... The Eyes... They See?"

Bibic trips over his feet a little as he concentrates.

Eyeless Hen Tit... no that's not it.

Nils Yet Seethe... no, no what's a Nil?

Teeniest He Sly... what ARE you thinking?

His Eyelet Nest... now you're just making stuff up.

"Are we sure it's not already done for us? Maybe the tiles are supposed to be in the form The Eyes Listen? Maybe someone has already solved it for us and we just need to open the door?"

I know of no treasure sheet as yet. I thought you you had one going Spasi? Or am I thinking of another time?

Spasi nods along as if he already had the answer.

"Yeah, yeah, of course. That's exactly what I was thinking."

Yhetees? YHETEES?! What does that even mean?

Spasi looks at Magnimar as the boat is propelled back to the city. "How much money do you think we can get for returning this old guy? He can't be worth that much, can he?"

"Silent they see" is the correct answer to the anagram puzzle. I gather you are making a trip back to town. Let me know if there are any particular stops you plan on making.

Spasi jumps out of the boat to help tie it to the dock.

"C'mon youse guys. We got some selling to do...then we return this guy back home and we get to relaxin'. Been a long day," Spasi grins excitedly as he helps unload the boat.

Firstly, sell the crap. See discussion thread.
Secondly, return the body. Will need help, y'all.
Thirdly, get sloshed because we're alive. Don't need your help for that.

"So yeah, let's sell this stuff and get to finding Sabriyya, the current Princess of the Market. It's probably near the where we're going anyway."

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Know (Local)
1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11 Diplomacy (Gather Info)

Bibic does his best to help Spasi with the boat.

"Sabriyya, really?" he looks over the items they have in their posession, "I dunno that anything here really rises to her attention does it?"

Knowledge, local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

"I'm not even sure she's in town right now."

Bibic carefully catalogues his arrow collection and thinks about what he might need in the near future. Good arrows are expensive, but it's a road I must travel down if I'm to be effective I think.

Bibic looks at the ready-to-party Spasi, "Uh, do you mind if I join you in your revelry? It's not really my thing normally, but we've had a few close calls, and I need a release!" he shakes his head sadly, "Wouldn't really know where to start that wouldn't get me shanghaied or worse!"

He looks hopefully at his party-mate.

"Yeah, let's go find her and then get ready for another go at the Tower Girls."

Rhesus looks ready for some quality sleep.

"Sabriyya, really?" he looks over the items they have in their posession, "I dunno that anything here really rises to her attention does it?"

Spasi gives one look to Bibic then another to the carpet-wrapped corpse in the boat.

"You don't think she wants the chance to bury her father? And a chance to get her badge of office?" Spasi asks.

"Uh, do you mind if I join you in your revelry? It's not really my thing normally, but we've had a few close calls, and I need a release!"

Spasi smiles and nods.

"Oh yeah, sure. We'll get you some of the finest wom--, uh..uhm..." Spasi looks at Noya, "Yeah, I'll introduce you to this one priestess I know. She'll help you get on your knees, if you know what I mean."

Spasi gives a wink to Bibic.

with a face of some contempt and exasperation
"Sure, you are Mr Gaten, Sure you are....
I just don't like it when people use religious people or positions as cover their basic instincts."

"I just don't like it when people use religious people or positions as cover their basic instincts."

Spasi looks at Noya and chuckles softly.

"Huh? Never heard of Calistria's Church, eh? I'm quite sure there a few priests in the Church who would love to discuss their positions with you, Noya. You might learn a bit. You should come too," Spasi responds with a smile.

"I'm quite sure the Calistrians would disagree with you...even if you don't like it. They provide a good service, let me tell you...and get paid for the salvation they offer. I ain't one to judge their tenets of faith..."

...especially not spending the last few years in the jungle. Glad to back in civilization, I tells ya.

Noya replies
"I know of it, and I view that religion as being closer to that of demons. Calistria, if I recall is the Goddess of Vengence, Lust and Trickery. Sounds, like the sins of Wrath, Lust, and Deception and aren't those the tools of demons?"

And Ironically this speech is coming from me, one with Demon blood.

I'm jus going to zip through some NPC encounters for the sake of brevity.
@Bibic: That's how I would interpret it. Probably not really worth.

Bazaar of Sails

It takes sometime to arrange to see Sabriyya Kalmeralm. The Princess of the Market is a busy woman, but eventually you are able to speak to her. She listens with growing disbelief as you recount your tale, but with the amulet in your possession, there is little reason to doubt that the desiccated remains that you have are those of her long missing father. With great sadness, she thanks you. She lets you keep the pendant, they had a replacement made years ago, but she asks that you do not sell it in the city, since it serves as a badge of office in Magnimar. She also rewards you with 1000gp in small gems.

Reporting in at the Manor

Sheila Heidmarch receives you in the lodge's study and she is joined by her husband Sir Canayven Heidmarch, lord of the manor. They listen to your update with interest and Sir Canayven becomes quite excited when you mention that you've found a way into the piling. When a description of the statue of the glaive wielding woman comes up, he exclaims, "The runelord Alaznist!! Did you make an sketch or take notes?" When none are forth coming, he deflates a little, "Well if you come across any more Thassilon wonders or descriptions of the runelords, I'll pay handsomely for a thorough description and directions to reach it. I really think we will have to mount a proper archeological expedition in there once you've finished your exploration."

Sheila smiles at her husbands enthusiasm. "Actually, if you wouldn't mind I would have you keep an eye out for any sinspawn during your delve. Our resident alchemist has some interesting theories that we would like to test out, so if you could bring back the heads of any that you find, you will be well paid for the effort."

That's the important bits. Feel free to RP in return, or just let me know when you are ready to return to the dungeon.

"Alaznist, never heard of her, as I admit, I focused more on religion that history when I studied."

Spasi counts out the small gems as they leave the Princess of the Market's home, making 5 equal piles.

"You see that? You guys stick with me and listen to me and we'll get paid. Paid good," Spasi says, doling out monies to each.

+200 gp each, plus what you see in the discussion thread. Might want to check that out, *cough*Rhesus*cough*Clem*cough*.

"Now, let's sell the rest of the crap and buy new crap." Shopping list in discussion to come.

* * *

"The runelord Alaznist!! Did you make a sketch or take notes?"

"Wait a minute...we're going back there. We can get them notes good. We still haven't found the shard and we have to go back anyway. What kind of notes did you want? Written? A rubbing? An etching?" Spasi looks around at the rest of the team.

"Any of you guys good at clay sculptures? Or waxen images? Soap carving?"

"sinspawn"

What is a sinspawn?

What Knowledge roll?

".. mount a proper archeological expedition in there once you've finished your exploration."

Clement stands, hands behind his back, an awkward smile on his face as the Heidmarchs thank them on their current efforts.

Exploration? We're just a glorified team that's clearing out the "rabble" for the Heidmarchs, aren't we?

Clement's eyes drift across the others assembled, but he knows better than to bite the hand that's currently feeding him. He will certainly need to carry himself better if he's going to protect the others from whatever evil dangers lurk beyond the puzzle-door.

"We're happy to be of service, as always. Besides these sin-spawn, what else do you know of Thassilonian vaults? Are we likely to encounter other guardians. Constructs? Like golems?"

Clement nods with some self-assurance, knowing well about the dangers of golems.

"Or more wererats? Don't like them. We gotta sit down and talk tactics too, yeah?"

SINSPAWN. If Spasi knows how to speak Thassilon, then he should know about sinspawn.

"Mechanical golems are entirely possible and who knows what else might have squirmed it's way into there during the intervening millennia. So there conceivably be more wererats in there. If any of you were bit, you might want to visit one of the local temples. Lycanthropy can be quite infectious."

There nothing else to glean here, unless you have specific questions/requests.

As Rhesus was bit by one of the wererats, he will also head to the temple of Calistria with the others. Rather than seek out the ladies of negotiable affection he will look for a priest to check the bite for infection.

"Don't wanna be a rat. Bear now, that's something. Or a werebaboon. Ever hear of those Clem?"

Having picked up what he needed from the market and after a pretty nice evening of relaxing, drinking, and praying with Calistria's finest most affordable, Spasi is ready to return to work.

"...so the way I see it, the first stop is back to that statue of Azalnist. Or whatever his name is."

"I am curious, what do you know of Alaznist?"

Clement excuses himself from the trip to visit Calistria's finest, instead detouring into a little known section of Magnimar known for its opulent gardens.

Winding his way through narrow streets and finally permitting himself entrance through a small latched gate into a sun-touched garden, he steps forward slowly and kneels before a small shrine.

"Oh, Wah-Lah-Nee..."

Clement bows to the ground, as leaves rustle and plants sway, focusing his eyes on a small stone mountain in the center of the garden.

Now closing his eyes, he concentrates on his breathing, taking long deep breathes.

A quiet woman's voice interrupts his meditation.

"My child. You were... recently injured. Are you changing?"

Mid-bow, Clem's eyes open.

"Yes."

Let me know when you are ready to return to the dungeon.