GM Tektite's PFS Black Waters (Inactive)

Game Master Hawkwen Agricola

Bart will slash at the zombie two more times.

attack: 1d20 ⇒ 8

damage: 1d3 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (2) = 6

attack: 1d20 ⇒ 19

damage: 1d3 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (2) = 5

Rolling to confirm on second attack:

attack: 1d20 ⇒ 10

damage: 1d3 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (6) = 9

Suros and Smoggin go wild...

Attack:
Bite 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Claw 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Claw 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Acid splash 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (14) - 2 = 12 Damage 1d3 ⇒ 3

Llathander once again hacks at the zombie, attempting to give it a lobotomoy through the top of the skull.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
1d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Tod targets one of the zombie's weak points with a well-aimed slash.

Atk, Damg: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 2 = 241d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Llathander hacks the zombie, slashing the arm holding the shield.

Bart presses the attack, once again one of his daggers succeeds in slashing open the zombie.

Smoggin's saurian companion bites the zombie's arm, while holding the arm in it's maw, it brings up a clawed leg and opens a gash down the side of the zombie.

Smoggin sends another glob of acid, once again missing in the fury of the melee.

Tod likts his longsword high and bring it down squarely on the zombie.

With Tod's final blow, the zombie stops moving and crumples to the ground.

Out of Combat

Since there is an opening, forget the wand...

"Sally forth!" Maximo cries as he brings his greatsword to bear, the blade glowing blue.

Attack with power attack and arcane strike with flanking: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (6, 5) + 7 = 18

That the creature is already defeated is unknown to him as his weapon lodges firmly into the corpse.

"Victory!!"

After Maximo extracts his sword from the zombie, Tod rolls it over with his foot, searching for anything that would tell him what it was doing here, or perhaps something that could be used against others of its kind. Taking 10 for 16 Perception. He'll take other loot as well, if any.

Smoggin will heal Suros first (Wand of Infernal Healing) then starts searching.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Tod searches the zombie, but finds nothing of interest. Its possessions consist only of the shield and morningstar it carried.

As Smoggin searches the room, in the east recess across from the one Maximo searched, the gnome discovers on the floor of the east recess, the perfectly preserved body of a young boy lies in a puddle and stares silently upward.

... on the floor of the east recess, the perfectly preserved body of a young boy lies in a puddle and stares silently upward.

That can't be normal. Tod takes 10 for 16 Knowledge (Religion) to recall info about local funerary customs.

Tod, you can think of no funerary customs that resemble this, not to mention he appears perfectly preserved and untouched by the ravages of time.

"Wake up boy. This is no place for children!" Maximo attempts to shake the boy back to his senses.

"He looks dead to me," Smoggin comments, checking him (search take 20).

Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Does he look undead? Taking 10 for 18 Kn (Religion) to verify there aren't any undead that resemble this.

If he doesn't suddenly spring to life or unlife, Tod closes the boy's eyes, then assists Smoggin in searching the body for clues to who he was. Not certain if it should be an Aid Another or a separate Take 20, but it comes to 26 either way.

While searching the room, Smoggin discovers a ring amid the rubble that must have been washed in when the pool was drained. The ring is wrought in gold and has a feather pattern all around it. While Tod searches around the boy, he becomes sure, with Smoggins help, that the boy in not undead and believes he recognizes the boy as Grishan Maldris, the younger brother of Colson Maldris. Underneath the boy, Tod discovers a diary.

Tod pockets the book without a second glance, then gestures toward the corpse and says, "Grishan Maldris, a student at the school. He should be returned to his grieving family." How many more lie in strange death in these caverns?

Smoggin nods, "best when we return."

Ready to move on ?

Bart looks a little disgusted by the corpse at his feet as he wipes his blades off on some spare cloth.

"Done messing around? I'm thinking we should have gone to that party instead. . . ."

Werz looks at the body before moving on to see if he can discern what may be keeping him in whatever stasis he is in.

Take 10 Know. Arcane = 18

"A student?" Maximo looks to Tod. "Poor child. I wonder how he came to this place.."

Closing the boy's eyes, he recites a prayer to Shelyn.

"I agree with both your words." He says to Smoggin and Bart. "Let us finish our business here quickly. I feel a sudden desire for strong drink."

Onward!

The party recommences their exploration, moving through the door to the south. Upon entering this door they see the passage makes a sharp right with another open door. Looking through the door they see a set of stairs going up. The stairway passage looks to be about 25' long before the rest is shrouded in darkness.

Maximo recovers shield and hammer, then takes the lead, heading up the stairs.

Llathander offers a short prayer for the boy, Woe to you child, may you now the glory and serenity of just battles in the heavens, for we are merely your meager servants. You have passed the trials and tribulations of this life and ascended as we all shall someday.

He takes his place behind Maximo, making the best of his racial ability to see in the darkness.

Bart trots along behind the leaders, keeping his daggers in hand, flipping them into the air occassionally to draw off any sense of his nervousness.

Werz follows contemplating his discovery.

After finishing the shortest of the Prayers for the Dead, Tod shoulders his shield again and follows after everyone else. Ten years have passed. She would almost certainly have judged his soul by now. It is therefore for the sake of the living, not the dead, that we pray.

The party climbs the stairs and reaches the landing. Ahead you see an arched doorway that leads into a room straight ahead. To your right, you see a short set of steps that go down into a small chamber.

Smoggin will listen if he can make out anything Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Smoggin hears the sound of water dripping from different places in the ceiling and the scrapes, coughs and other noises from his companions, amplified and echoing in the narrow hall.

"So," Bart whispers, "which way? I vote for the room, then we can go downstairs. But this is my first assignment, so I defer to someone with more experience if they have another suggestion."

As he is speaking, Bart will take 20 for a 26 to examine the archway in front of him and any of the room that he can see. If all looks well he will creep forward quietly (Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17) and try to peek into the room, his daggers at the ready and his fingers twitching after that last fight.

"Always secure the high ground first." Maximo agrees with Bart, then steps through the archway, taking little care towards stealth.

Used to more subtlety, Bart gives Maximo a queer look as the man strides past him but quickly follows the Shelynite into the room.

Bart and Maximo moves forward into the chamber directly ahead of them. Water drips from the double-vaulted ceiling and trickles down the walls to pool on the floor. Bone shards of a hundred skulls litter the room like shattered seashells. Wide stairs climb to the west. Narrow stairs dive to the north. On the south wall, an open doorway gapes, a carved relief depicting a massive battle filling the archway over the door. The rest of the walls are filled floor to ceiling with nooks that house ancient, but drenched, skeletal remains. In the center of the room sit twelve school children in a circle on the floor. One child seems to be silently telling a story, her arms moving rapidly as she makes scary faces. Deris Marlincher, whom the party the party practically forgot was tagging along. Comes rushing into the room. “See! Alive! I knew it!” he say pointing to the child telling the story. Oh my sweet Cassiel

I wonder if these children are like their counterparts above. Bart moves in closer and watches the children as the girl tells her story (Perception 26). "So Deris. . . do you mind explaining a little more what is going on here? I mean, the children above. . . that was odd. But these children down here. . . it's not safe. That thing out there could have killed them. What are they doing down here? How'd they get here?" Something's not right with this guy. Or these kids.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

"By Shelyn's perfect bosoms, what is going on here?" Maximo nudges the bones with his hammer. "Deris, explain yourself!"

Tod stands aghast for a moment as he sees the children sitting amongst shattered, desecrated bones. Neither Deris's ramblings nor Maximo's oath help his state of mind, but he finally pulls himself together enough to tap Werz and Smoggin on the shoulder when Deris isn't looking and gesture towards the leather sap hanging from his belt, a questioning look on his face.

Deris continues to kneel next to the the girl telling the story. Alive, alive, see it is as I told you. I knew it was true. My dear sweet Cassiel is alive. They have been unable to come out since the...accident. he says, words spilling out in a rush, tears in his eyes.

Werz shrugs at Tod then speaks a harsh sounding phrase in Infernal as his eyes glow slightly and he takes in the scene. Casting Detect Magic. Also taking 10 on Know. Arcana (18) to see if these children are some way inflicted like the other.

"Didi you here that?" Smoggin asks, "something or someone is shuffling."

"I heard it too." Bart says nervously as he draws his daggers.

Llathander looks at Smoggin, Perhaps, they want to play cards?

Everybody's shuffling.

Tod glances at Llathander. Did he just say that? Are we all going mad?

"Cards?" Maximo scratches his salt-and-pepper beard. "If it is a Harrowing, then worry not, for it is a relatively harmless parlor trick. If it is a game of Towers, then that is another matter, for gambling is quite inappropriate for children."

As the group discusses card and the sanity of Deris, suddenly sounds of scraping and shuffling get loud enough for you all to hear. This followed up by a low moaning sounds that seem to come from all directions. Bursting through multiple entrances, the party first smell an overwhelming decay odor before they see human-like figures approaching, fangs bared and grey skin hanging slackly on theirs bodies.

COMBAT!

Initiative:
Smoggin
Suros
Creatures
Werz
Tod
Llathander
Bart
Maximo

MAP!
Tactical Map

"Get behind them, Max." Bart whispers. "Distract them. I'll hit them where it hurts."

"Aha!" Maximo exclaims as the creatures shuffly in. "Towers it is! And here, the players of the game arrive!"

Reacting to Bart's suggestion, he looks aghast. "I am not the sort who would stab an enemy in the back, my little friend." He then points to the far door. "So I declare that side the front."

On his turn he will attempt to move to 3F

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 Eh.. ignore this, just notice you rolled Initiative for us :)
Knowledge Religion to identify Undead: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23