GM Kyshkumen's Carrion Hill

Game Master Kyshkumen

Going to do Miko's action as she is the first one in init after Crove.

Miko takes off after Crove and has him trapped at a dead.

Vyk makes an annoyed sound in his voice, when he hears about Crove running away.

I really don't want to meta-game the secret passage. Any chance I could make a check to realize it might have been there? Sense motive maybe?

This is why stone cunning is a much better ability than folks give it credit for.

Careful with that axe, Eugene knife, Miko!

As the demon thing vanishes thanks to the ghost scarf's attention, Tuich looks up to see where to send it next... and realizes Crove isn't there.

Must've run off while she was blinded. Am I reading it right that he zipped through a secret door, so those who didn't see it have no idea (per Vyk's comment)? Delay if so, I suppose, since she's mostly worthless for spotting such things.

Nobody has found any sort of secret door at this point. Vincent has a theory, but that is about it right now.

Vincent is just assuming that there's some other passage that we skipped, since we haven't mapped the whole place, nor does he have a perfect memory for maps. For all he really cares, cutting Crove off at the stairway would be sufficient.

Not knowing any better, Jeffrey double moves after Crove and those following him.

Nobody has found any sort of secret door at this point. Vincent has a theory, but that is about it right now.

Well I'm confused (which means all is right with the world because that's my normal condition). We were in D36/D37. Crove took off running. Miko, Vincent, and Jeffrey took off after him. And the map shows them all in a corridor on the other side of an "S"... yet "Nobody has found any sort of secret door at this point?"

I'm not trying to be argumentative or snarky (it probably reads that way but after several rewrites I couldn't seem to dilute that). I'm honestly just trying to understand the situation and reconcile what's in my head with the map.

"The next room!" Tuich calls out as she points to the door across the room.

Having been blinded while he took off, the obvious conclusion for Tuich is that he ducked through the only other obvious door. (Into, I suppose, what will be D38 or D39).

I see your confusion. The passage that Crove ran down was open to the room all of you confronted him in. So Tuich can clearly see the passage that everyone has run down. You can proceed down it if you like instead of going into the next room Tuich. I have also added a marker on the map to indicate the open door. Also still waiting on Vyk and I think he may have had the same hang up.

Ah okay, thank you very much! That helps a lot. When I roll percentiles I designate high = good, so low means she goes for the other room. Tuich hasn't taken her turn yet, so...

"... or the other hallway..." she amends, now unsure as to which way Crove went while she was blinded.

Decisions, decisions: 1d100 ⇒ 12 Crud!

Making up her mind, she rushes to the door and opens ("tries to open?") it.

She won't go in; the intent is to send the ghost scarf after Crove, but it doesn't do doorknobs (or windows), so she's opening the door for it. If she doesn't see Crove (which of course she won't) and there's no other threat, she'll take another MA down the hallway (if there's enough time for that -- probably not, depending on how long it takes to open a door). If there's something not-nice in the room, she'll try closing the door on it, then take a few steps back. If that doesn't work (i.e. the baddie comes after her), she'll have the ghost scarf attack the new threat.

Vyk will hang back this turn. I'll prepare a ready action to attack any baddies that come at him.

Yup, this sounds about right. Who are we waiting on now?

Khismia, but it's looking like we lost a player. I sent a PM yesterday and I am hoping to hear back. I'll move thing forward later today.

Gosh I hope not, I really like the way her spirit curse plays, as if there's an active separate entity involved.

Crove attempts to cast another spell.

Concentration: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Streams of bright colors fly from Croves hands, washing over Miko and Vincent.

Miko appears to be stunned as Crove opens a door behind him.

Everyone is back up.

"Oh no you don't!" Vincent spins around and runs the other way, reappearing moments later on the other side of the now obvious and open secret door.

Double move with Expeditious Retreat still on. 65 ft. is well within double move distance. Swift action since I didn't use an immediate action last round to switch my Judgment to Purity (+2 sacred bonus to saving throws).

I also hope Khismia comes back. I enjoy their writing.

That's fine Miko

Jeffrey worms his way past Miko, careful to not sandwich her between his armor and the wall, and takes a swing at Crove.

Cold Iron Longsword, Tower Shield Penalty, Flanking: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 22 Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Tuich curses under her breath as she turns from the now-opened door and rushes for the other hallway, the spirit scarf right behind her.

"Vyk! This way!"

Technically, I think Kishmia would be in front of Tuich. But overlooking that for the moment, she's clear to make it to the hallway corner. GM, would she be able to stick her head around the corner and see Crove? If so, she'll send the scarf after him.

2 rounds remaining.

Vyk moves with the others.

Sorry for the holdup. And sadly there's not much I can do here. But it seems everyone else has this well in hand.

Miko steps in and manages to cut Crove on the arm. She steps back to make room for Jeffrey who lands a heavier blow. Vincent uses his speed to run back around and cut off Crove's retreat. While Tuich, Vincent and Khismia rush into the hallway behind Miko. Tuich even managing to get her spectral scarf into the melee, but it fails to connect with Crove this time.

Cut off and surrounded Crove raises a foul looking token carved to look like some sort of strange writhing tentacle creature and a wave of dark energy washes through the hallway.

Channel Negative DC 11 Will save for 1/2: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3

That will hit everyone but Vyk and Khismia. Everyone is back up.

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Jeffrey frowns when the negative energy saps his health. "I think he actually hurt me. Slightly."

He shrugs and swings his longsword again.

Cold Iron Longsword, Tower Shield Penalty, Flanking: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 19 Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Is the guy still on fire, or did he manage to douse the flames?

As the magic fades, Miko holds the starknife clumsily, and shouts at the keeper:

And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear.

Ear-piercing scream, DC 15 Fort to halve damage and negate 1 round of dazing

Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 4) = 14

HP 36/39

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Tuich gasps as the wave of dark energy hits her, feeling slightly weaker after it passes. She glares at Crove and flicks her hand in response, directing her ghostly scarf through another attack.

Spiritual Weapon: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Force Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Critical Confirm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Critical Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

1 round remaining.

Thank you for the reminder Miko

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Still on fire, but not dazed

Fire: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Current damage 33

Correction that is enough to drop Crove

Will Save: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 1 = 18

hp 33/34... It's not quite worth spending a resource on healing that.

Vincent places his blade on Crove's neck after he slumps to the ground. "Do we have questions for him that we think he'd answer? I'm not really a fan of interrogations, and I prefer my enemies to die in combat than from torture."

I'm thinking coup de grace and then looking around for written clues if no one objects. Also:
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14 to search the body for loot
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24 to search the room for clues
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 to find traps while doing so

Damage is actually 44 I forgot Jeffrey's hit.

He's probably dead in that case, not just unconscious. Solves that issue.

"Well, that's good to hear. Kinda wish we could have interrogated him, but I'm not exactly going to lose any sleep over this guy. Let's look around."

Returning to room D37 and looking around.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Miko lets outs a silent whisper when Crove finally falls ...I'll see you on the dark side of the moonscar

Confused, she looks at the starknife in her hand, which is only slightly tainted by the pinprick she delivered. Staring at the floor, avoiding eye-contact, she moves to Tuich and hands the blade back, then proceeds to search the fallen man.

Not sure where you are getting his HP total from, but maybe give me a heal check someone?

Heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Jeffrey sheaths his sword, puts his shield on his back, and looks Crove over with the skill of an experienced medic, which isn't something even Jeffrey expected he knew how to do.

Let's put it this way until the GM confirms it:
"He is (not) dead," Jeffrey concludes.

Tuich accepts her returned starknife and, as Miko turns away, reaches out to touch her and opens her mouth to say something. But then the oracle thinks better of it. Tuich watches her for a few moments with concern in her eyes, then turns and silently pads after Vyk.

Me help Vyk look.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

I was just guessing that with 11 more damage than necessary to drop him as per your previous statement, he's either dead dead or about to bleed out in a matter of rounds. You're right though and that's kinda meta-y.

Heal check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

"I can confirm this diagnosis. Definitely (not) dead," Vincent intones gravely.

Wasn't cracking down on meta gaming. Just pointing out you might not know as much as you think. Going to say you put out the flames in order to search his body.

Searching Crove the following items are found

-A dagger
-Pearl of power (first level)
-Potion of fly
-Scroll of binding
-Wand of lesser resoration
-Amulet of natural armor +1
-Cloak of resist +1
-Bracers of armor +1
-Signet ring
-Iron holy symbol of unknown tentacle creature

Jeffrey checks the man's vitals and he is in fact still alive. Ploog suggests binding and gaging Crove if you're intent was to question him.

Back in the other room Vyk and Tuich notice a pile of notes that upon reading look similar to a section of the strange book they found in the cavern beneath the city. They go over a ritual to open a portal to contact “spawn of the Dark Tapestry” and further enhance their knowledge of forbidden magic and arcane secrets. Though the notes seem to focus on a warning that forcing open such portals draws forth the spiritual essence of the casters, and that any entity contacted by the portal can make “hideous use of this essence by consuming it, growing more powerful in the bargain, such that only the end of such essence can challenge the intruder’s rights upon your world.”

Vyk shows the notes to Tuich.

"How creepy is this?"

Gonna leave the interrogation to our more intimidating characters. Which now that I think about it might be Miko--and won't that be awesome. :-)

Tuich tapped the top sheet Vyk was holding. "Very. Is this what caused the trouble earlier, you think?"

Miko douses the flames, but make no move to heal the man until she spots the holy symbol.

K(Religion) on the holy symbol: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
K(nobility) on the signet ring: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Happy to intimidate, but I'd rather not cast Cure Light before crove is bound and gagged, so I'm depending on a stabilize from someone else

Oh right, we didn't actually stabilize him.

Vincent stabilizes Crove without magic, instead just binding the worst of his wounds to avoid him bleeding out before beginning work on tying him up.

Heal check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Even with her impressive knowledge of the religions of Golarion Miko is unable to identify the holy symbol used by Crove. What ever it's tied to it is definitely beyond Miko's knowledge. The signet ring just bears Crove's family crest, based on the magical auras around the items you believe this to be his arcane casting focus.

Vincent manages to stop the bleeding, binding and gaging him to keep him from causing any more trouble.

Crove is bound and gagged and you've found some mysterious notes. What would you like to do now?

I want to make an arcana check on the notes and see what else I get from it.

K. Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

"So what have you guys figured out?" Vincent asks while keeping an eye on the prisoner.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 to assist Miko's earlier check if that's something that can be done.

Jeffrey takes Crove's arcane focus ring and pockets it, to ensure it's out of Crove's reach after he awakes.

"Soooo... who's going to wake him up?"

"I can, once we figure out what we want to ask him," Vincent suggests.

Sorry for the delay. Busy weekend.

Vyk spends a long time reading, and then rereading the same text over and over. Finally he sighs, rubs his temple and then turns to the others.

"We, uh, have a -- a situation. It turns out that the creature terrorizing Carrion Hill is bound to the life essence of those who summoned it. And for every each keeper it kills it grows stronger. And with its link it can find them easily."

"The only way to keep the creature from getting stronger is to stop it from reaching the surviving keepers or, um, killing them before it does."

"We really need to find those other Keepers. We need to ask him that."

"How long does this... thing last if we keep it away from the Keepers?"

Vyk hadn't really considered that since the plan was to eliminate the creature at some point, but his guess would be as long was the creature exists on this plane.