GM Fuzzfoot's S01-41 The Devil We Know, Part III - Crypt of Fools (Standard PFS) Tier 1-7/Subtier 1-2 (Inactive)

Game Master PJP

With a final audible click the tumblers lock into place. Suddenly, the fountain begins to rotate and its stale waters drain rapidly. The grinding of the gears echoes off the stone walls, causing the ground to shake. As the fountain rotates, a spiral staircase appears where the fountain’s solid basin once sat. A slick staircase slopes down into Cassomir’s bowels, twisting its way down and around a deep cistern.

Masa sighs as he realizes that they must progress further into the bowels of the city. He leads the group of Pathfinders down the slick staircase, taking his time to pick out each step before continuing. "Let us be careful here, but make haste when possible." he says.

An enormous room lies ahead, filled with dozens of family crypts decorated with family names, heraldic crests, and a variety of death-themed statuary. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of smooth, polished stone, and the crypts are made of thick, square blocks of granite. A handful of statues stand throughout the room, though they don’t seem to be placed with any plan—some face the wall, some lie on their sides, and others are damaged beyond repair. The northwest quarter of the room is dominated almost entirely by a single large crypt. The name “Ismacco” is displayed across the front of the crypt.

As you enter, you see three skeletons animate, wielding broken scimitars as they look your way.

Round 1: (Bold may act)
Alaneo(2 dmg), Masa (2 dmg), Bernard(2 dmg), Sheela,
Skeletons: Red, Green, Blue
Nikolai(2 dmg)

Alaneo goes down the stairs and, when he pops into the room, sees the skeletons packed in a small area. Shrugging, he freezes the floor under their feet, trying to make them fall.

Slick utility wild talent. Ref DC 15 or fall.

Assuming Sheela's Mage Armor is still up.

Sheela frowns. "They don't have minds. I'll use my backup strategy."

She points at the nearest skeleton (red) and a ray shoots from her finger.
Disrupt Undead, Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Damage to Undead: 1d6 ⇒ 6

"Back to sleep. Bother us never again."

@GM Fuzzfoot Bernard killed the derro in the previous encounter?

Bernard enters in the room and shoots against one of the skeletons.

+1 light crossbow: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 191d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Masa strides 20' forward, bottlenecking the skeletons as Alaneo tried to drop one to the ground.

"More undead... When will I receive a proper enemy?" he asks rhetorically as he draws his katana and swipes at the off balance creature.

Katana @ Green: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Can someone move me north 20'?

Also, add +4 to hit if the skeleton falls prone.

-Posted with Wayfinder

@Bernard - yes, you got your grit point back.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

The skeletons all fall down. Sheela and Masa each blast one into dust. Bernard's bolt lodges into the remaining one's skull, but fails to destroy it - it was a solid hit, but due to the nature of the skeleton, it just couldn't do enough damage.

The skeleton tries to crawl towards you, but the ice slick makes it difficult.

You can take another round if you like, but I think we can call this combat over. He only has 1 hp left.

After defeat the skeletons, Bernard inspects the entire chamber, even looking for hidden traps.

May I take '10 in this Perception check? If not, here it is:

Perception + Adaptable Luck: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

EDIT: if yes, the total is 22 for Perception.

"Brother Sigurd would be proud. He loves fighting undead." Sheela pouts. "Not me though, they are pretty annoying."

Nikolai steps over to the fallen skeleton and crushes its crumbling skull with a powerful stomp, which causes it to cease its animated status. "Hmmmph, if the cult of Groetus plans on throwing skeletons like these at Cassomir, they're more doomed than they think. These are the crappiest twice-born I've ever encountered."

The Ismacco crypt stretches toward the room’s ceiling and two large, copper braziers flank its impressive floor-to-ceiling doors. The flames light the entire room.

At the building’s base, a faceless statue holds a gibbous moon aloft. Three stairs ascend to the crypt’s entrance.

Alaneo shukles at the thought of skeletons fighting something way too big for them. He walks around looking at the statue. "Anyone knows anything about it? Looks like some more moon."

Sheela shrugs and makes sure her magical armor is refreshed and ready. "Hopefully the mastermind is up here. I'll turn his brain into melted butter!"

None of us have Kn. Religion... >.>

Masa looks over the crypt and shrugs. "It doesn't matter who resides here. We will either cut them down or share a drink. Either way, I am fine with the outcome." he says as he opens the door and pushes forward into the crypt.

The inside of the crypt is well lit. Ornate carvings decorate the walls inside the Ismacco crypt, creating several stylized burial niches. Tall, marbled pillars stretch to the 20-foot-high ceiling, creating three alcoves that hold massive oak sarcophagi. At the rear of the chamber, stairs ascend into a basilica-like dome. A musty smell permeates the chamber, and several dozen torches burn brightly in wall sconces throughout the crypt.

At the other end of the crypt are three Nature's Cataclysm cult members, taunting two Cassomirite slaves are bound inside a small cage.

Round 1: (Bold may act)
Alaneo(2 dmg), Masa (2 dmg), Bernard(2 dmg), Sheela, Nikolai(2 dmg)
Cult Members: Red, Green, Blue

Masa moves around the pillar and walks 20' into the crypt, leaving his weapon sheathed. "Hold your meaningless torture and begone from this place. I will only ask once." he states, his eyes staring them down.

Despite leaving his sword sheathed, he does not expect them to leave quietly and leaves himself ready to dodge an attack.

Total Defense: AC 20

Alaneo double moves in Masa's back, ready to see what happens.

Sheela breathes a sigh of relief. "Phew, they're alive. That means I can bend 'em." And begins casting sleep.

It's a 1 round casting time, so it goes off next round. Will Save DC 17 to resist.

@GM Fuzzfoot, gravity bow is still up? If not, Bernard spent a charge before explore beyond the stairs.

Bernard moves into the chamber and fires a bolt against the green cultist.

+1 light crossbow: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 121d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Masa and Alaneo calmly move into the room towards the cult members, but then Sheela starts chanting, and it is clear that they will not decide to parley.

Bernard (who cast Gravity Bow just before entering the room) sends a bolt at a cultist, but it skims off his armor harmlessly. Misses even flatfooted.

Round 1: (Bold may act)
Alaneo(2 dmg), Masa (2 dmg), Bernard(2 dmg), Sheela, Nikolai(2 dmg)
Cult Members: Red, Green, Blue

Nikolai enters the crypt, mentally preparing himself for the coming conflict.

Enter the room and use Martial Flexibility to gain Improved Grapple. >:)

Raising their clubs in the air, the half-orc cultists come to put you own. Blue and read both make for Masa, while green directs his ire at Bernard.

Red Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18 miss.
Blue Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Blue Crit?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 no.

Damage to Masa: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Green Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Round 2: (Bold may act)
Alaneo(2 dmg), Masa (10 dmg), Bernard(2 dmg), Sheela, Nikolai(2 dmg)
Cult Members: Red, Green, Blue

Masa takes the brunt of the attack and stares into the blue eyes of the man who assaulted him. "That is the last time you will raise your weapon to me or anyone else." he states coldly as his steel flashes from its scabbard.

Katana @ Blue: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 = 13

Masa @ 3 HP

Alaneo bends ice and sends an icicle at the greenish cultist.

Kinetic Cold Blast (Ranged Touch), PBS: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 4 = 13 for Cold: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Sheela finishes drawing arcane energy about herself and directs it near the red and green clothed slavers. Finished casting Sleep. Will Save DC 17.

"Shhh...sleepy time now."

Noticing Masa's injuries, she directs a daze spell at the blue thug (or green if blue is down). "What he said!"

Casting Daze. Will Save DC 15

Alaneo just misses his target, but Masa manages to stab his opponent in the belly, putting him down.

Sheela finishes her spell, causing the green cultist to falter and fall, fast asleep.

Red Will Save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
Green Will Save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12

Round 2: (Bold may act)
Alaneo(2 dmg), Masa (10 dmg), Bernard(2 dmg), Sheela, Nikolai(2 dmg)
Cult Members: Red, Green (asleep), Blue (13 dmg, unconscious, bleeding)

GM, after sleep completed, I casted Daze. Did Red make his will save?

Will Save for Red: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15 He barely succeeds.

Bernard fires a bolt against the red cultist.

+1 light crossbow: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 221d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

For the shot on the previous round:
+50% the bolt is broken: 1d100 ⇒ 9

Nikolai grins as the cultist in front of Bernard falls, advancing into the room. "Hey there, ugly," he says, reaching out for the cultist. "You and me have some things to talk about." His reach exceeds his grasp, however, and the cultist shoves the warrior backwards, causing the smile to fade from his face.

Initiate grapple.

CMB, Improved Grapple: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10

"Mister Green can tell us all we need to know! No need to be mister tough guy yet!"

Sorry for the confusion - I was trying to attack Miss Scarlet, not Mister Green.

Red takes a bolt to the leg, but continues on, fanatically.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Round 3: (Bold may act)
Alaneo(2 dmg), Masa (10 dmg), Bernard(2 dmg), Sheela, Nikolai(2 dmg)
Cult Members: Red (3dmg), Green (asleep), Blue (13 dmg, unconscious, bleeding)

Sheela tries again to daze the Red-clad cultist. Will Save DC 15 to resist

And Bernard fires another bolt against the red cultist.

+1 light crossbow: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 171d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

The remaining cultist offends the very existence of Masa as he brings his bloodied blade to bear against the blasphemer. "Your friend will perish here and so will you. Say your last words to your god." he states coldly as his steel flashes.

Katana @ Red: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 3 = 17

Based of Masa's last attack, this will drop the man.

As blood sprays from the man's body, Masa flicks the gore from his blade before sheathing it amongst the rest of his katanas. He turns to the group as they look over the sleeping lunatic and the man states calmly. "No quarter."

He moves to the man and draws his wakizashi, lifts up the sleeping man's head and slices his throat to let the man bleed out over the crypt.

"Let's move."

Alaneo bends ice and water once more trying to get his target, this time. However, surprised by the bleeding of the cultist in front of Masa, he misses.

"Eww, I got blood all over myself..."

Kinetic Cold Blast (Ranged Touch), PBS: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 5 - 4 = 4 for Cold: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Sheela wonders how many times Masa must clean his armor daily to get the blood out. Instead of commenting on this, Sheela turns her attention to the tortured victims.

"Yes. Um. Hi! We're here to rescue you. Do you know why they kidnapped you in the first place?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

She puts on her best face, hoping they'll ignore the killing.

Don't wanna mess with your way to do, but diplomacy takes 1 minute. It is not usable in fight, unless you take 10 rounds to do it.

I had assumed Masa's actions would end the battle...

Oh, indeed, sorry! I didn't see that there was one asleep and one unconscious.

"Thank you! That grotesque creature is turning us into skeletons for an army or something. You have saved us - we are eternally grateful!"

The Cassomirite slaves wish to return to Cassomir but are lost and need someone to lead them back to the surface.

How long have we been down here? If it's not more than an hour Sheela will help them back.

I would say you have been down here about 20-30 minutes.

Masa will escort the group back to the surface before ushering the group to return back to the crypt and the set of stairs at the rear of the Crypt of Fools. "Quickly, let's keep moving." he says as he ventures down into the dark.

"Yes, let's get you back to the surface. Remember the Pathfinders who saved your lives!" Sheela helps escort them back to the surface.

Bernard was still perplexed how Masa killed an unconscious man in cold blood. He didn't had enough time to intercept, but it was being tiring, and he feared to become a kind of sociopath like some members of the party.

"I just have to finish this. Fast.", he thought while help to organize the people to lead them out of that macabre chamber.

"Stay in alert. We don't know what to expect from the outside, they may have called reinforcements.", Bernard warns everybody in the way back.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

You manage to escort them back and return in about 20 minutes.

Sheela sees Bernard's face as he recalls Masa's actions. She had expected capture and interrogation, but she shakes her head. "I think this whole mystery is weighing down on us. I still remember burying Davith..." She grows quiet. "We must defeat this cult, quickly."

As they return, Sheela perks up. "Alright. What's next?"