GM Thrawn's PBP Gameday VI - Tome of Righteous Repose (Inactive)

Game Master Thrawn007

A second time

kinetic healer(1pt. of burn): 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 6) + 1 = 10

Lucita looks around: "No one wounded?", before staring at the shattered 'statue': "The desecration never ends!".

@Glorne: I do not mind asking the GM for a little retcon, and have Lucita heal you. Because, if I am correct, you just took 6 non-lethal damage you cannot heal until next rest time, is that it? (not a master at Kineticists) - in any case, no problem if you want to avoid the burn

It's ok. I'm up to a total of 3 burn (9 non-lethal). I should not have gone in first like I did. I am supposed to be ranged first, melee second. My bad, my pain

The east path leads around to a broken staircase that has caved in. It would take weeks if not months to make much progress in that direction. This leaves the hall to the southwest or backtracking back through the latrine room where there were other passage options.

"Southwest passage is already here, might as well try that first. What do you guys think?"

"To the Southwest it is, then! Onward valiant explorers!"

Raynor leads the way and detects evil down the southwest passage.

A rectangular basin of clear, warm water fills most of this room, leaving only a five-foot walkway around the edge. The humid air rising from the pool keeps plants, including forms of moss and fungi, alive along the room’s walls and ceiling.

no evil, but it looks VERY slippery in this room.

Lucita steps up to the entrance of the room, looks around, and casts Detect Magic, sighing, and wondering what desecration might be in that pool...
"It seems quite slippery, dangerously so, here. Would you all agree to join me in a communal prayer? Holding hands and asking for Sun Wukong's guidance?".

Put icon just beside the square, since it "disappears" under, and did not want to tamper w. the map
@allOffering to do a Caravan Bond (from Varisian Pilglrim archetype - I can thus give my Cleric domain powers to all who partake: in this case: Freedom of Movement or avoiding all difficult terrain

"I will join you in your prayer, Lucita"

Xukong stands beside Lucita to indicate the same; it seems reluctant to hold hands with anyone, but will do so if necessary.

"I will gladly accept the divine assistance of your god, Lady Lucita. Can you extend it to Mozza as well? if you are limited in your offering, please target my noble steed instead, as he's doing all the walking!"

Barl joins the others. "Your blessing would be most welcome, my lady." He bows grandly then clutches Xukong's waiting hand.

Lucita leads a quick prayer to Zun Wukong, the Monkey King, sadly, it seems that Mozza cannot pray to his deity...
"My God's trickery can help us with the slippery floor I think... let us move in?"

Grag is happy to accept assistance. Gorum supports those who can increase strength. When the prayer is done he moves in ready for a fight. perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Raynor detects evil throughout the entire pool room then detects evil again facing the north passage.

Glorne moves into the room a little, lending his light to the room, and searches

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

You are able to move slowly through the room without any issues. 5' stepping has no issues. Moving half speed would require rolls. So not a problem moving through. It could pose a problem if any combats happen to cross through this room. Map of north room pending.

Atop a stepped dais is a gargantuan humanoid skull that glows with an eerie blue light. A wagon with a broken axle leans against the southern wall. Damaged wooden crates spill out from the cart onto the floor.

Unlike the most of the dungeon where the ceilings are 10 feet high, this room towers at 30 feet high in the center, with a ceiling sloping down to the edges of the room.

Scary! Just wanted to say I am enjoying your story very much, Thrawn

Lucita calls out to Raynor: "Does the slippery floor cease after exiting the room? If so, maybe you can wait till we carefully all come to you before entering too far into this new place?"
She wonders what the heck a wagon - a wagon! - is doing in here.

Raynor raises his right fist to signal a halt, "Stop everyone. This giant skull contains evil energies."

I thought this was a tomb of holy crusaders. Barl, are you sure you remembered that right?

The slippery stones only extend for 5 feet from the edge pool, where the humidity of the pool creates a slippery moist film, and the various molds and fungus are growing on the walls, ceiling, and floor.

Lucita will then move carefully, step by step, and enter the very start of the corridor, first casting the Guidance of Sun Wukong on Raynor, and then will hold her hand out and concentrate to see if there is magic on the skull.

"Unless our casters can identify this evil magic and deal with it from a distance, it would be better to continue our exploration and save this room for later. What say you?"

"I would rather deal with what's here, now, than let it affect us from behind while we are dealing with something else."

Glorne moves into the room

Xukong also quietly enters, studying the thing.

detect magic/Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

"Ha! It seems this room has been desecrated by evil, like all the others here. Someday I will see it all restored!"

Barl enters the room with the others and looks around.

perception+free inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 9 + (5) = 22

The there is magic inside of the skull.

Lucita enters the room too.

Grag too shall enter. Hands holding his great axe. How long has it been since the last fight?

It's been a few minutes of searching since the last fight. (we'll say 3 min) Post pending with start of encounter

Raynor appears surprised at the agents just walking into the room.

Carefully and slowly, he takes up the rear and enters, maintaining his detect evil spell.

The stone steps are very steep, ascending 2 feet for every one foot they cover, going up a total of 10 feet. The skull at the top is gigantic, and although it is humanoid, it seems strange. Anyone ascending can make a knowledge local check to identify the creature type.

The spilled goods from the crates seems to have rotted and are no longer of value.

Barl climbs the steps to investigate the huge skull.

knowledge (local)+free inspiration: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 7 + (1) = 11
knowledge (religion)+free inspiration: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 7 + (5) = 22

Raynor and Mozza climb up the ceiling. Raynor readies his lance in the direction of the skull, charge path clear, in case it decides to start moving.

The cackling suddenly becomes louder, echoing through the room so that everyone can hear it. The cackle turns to a booming ethereal voice, "Go! Go and find more to worship Absalom's next god, Tar-Baphon."

Will save DC 15 for everyone.

Barl shouts, "It's a haunt! Careful!" but its too late.

I'm spending 2 inspiration to help my save.

will+inspiration: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + (2) = 15

Will save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 +2 if it counts as mind-affecting, -1 if it counts as sonic, +1 if it's a creature with the [Earth] descriptor

Will Save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

"This magic device is seriously out of date, since we all know how that ended for that undead tyrant!" comments Raynor upon hearing the propaganda about the 'new god' Tar-Baphon.

will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Grag snorts, laughing at the skull's imperative.

Cant beat Barl's knowledge religion.

Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 +2 if mind affecting

"Bar-Taphon? Who? Where?", Lucita looks around to see if any are interested in worshipping this new deity.

Glorne moves to his left along the wall

What is a Haunt, Master Barl, and how do we stop it?

The voice and laughing dissipate as quickly as it started.

RE spoiler: Ha! Cool.

Xukong's eyes narrow, as it looks back and forth between the skull and somewhere back where the party came from.

"The great Tar-Baphon..."

"..."

"...No. Walking the blade's edge, there is only room for ONE."

LOL! awesome haunt! wow!

I typically hate haunts as a player, although I've certainly seen some well written ones. I find his format is much more forgiving to haunts, since you get to embellish them a bit more without running into time constraints.

The light in the skull looks to be an everburning torch spell, and the skull seems to require some time before trying to command you again. Nothing else seems to be of value in this room.

So, long term, do we need to destroy the skull and have Grag memorize consecrate on the next day in order to destroy the haunt permanently? should I destroy the skull now while it's powered down? I know channel energy gives haunts hit points damage, but in this case, it doesn't look like channeling would work... Barl's borrowed hammer could potentially work if I understand this one correctly?

Looking at the map, is there a staircase going down in the south-east corner of the room with the pool of water and moss?

Does Grag have access to the spell? Resting is needed since several party members have reduced strength still from the shadow's attacks.