GM Xynen's PFS Group (Inactive)

Game Master Xynen

Talon sets down yet another 400 year old report that doesn't give them much more than they already had. He wipes his eyes from the time spent reading. "Interesting stuff, but nothing new. They were all real Pathfinders. And the Shrine, Fimbrik, and Arkath's tomb are our leads."

He stands up from his research bench, stretching his back as he picks up his massive blade. "I still say we check out Fimbrik's place. He's the only lead that may be an actual, living person."

"How about information pertaining to the three names on the memorial. Is there any information on these three? Specifically, I would like to know if these were real people at one time, or are the names pertaining to something else?"

"Doulgonlir Caskmail"
"Mollis 'Evil Grin' Throne"
"Karina Clamp"

At Aarions questioning the Pathfinders working the archives try to look up any information on those names, but can find nothing. They even try to find the reports that include their deaths based on the dates from the Wall of Names but turn up empty handed.

One of the younger archivists is even sent to the Wall to make sure you have the correct information. Despite Narika's assistance the scribes in the archive only end up more and more perplexed.

"Maybe..." Ai crosses her eyes and sticks out her tongue, obviously deep in illogical thought. "Maybe we should attend Sir Reinhart's attempt at the Starstone, we could learn something there. I mean, this isn't working for me." She suppresses a yawn and continues.

"I don't think we can bring this up with one of the officers until we have something more than a 400-year-old note, and we can't visit the Shrine of the Failed. It's a chance to learn something, maybe from a guard or one of the shrine's keepers."

Just puttin' on my GM hat here, and giving a nudge, your handouts gave you three leads and you've only followed up on one them.

"I find it interesting that the names do not reflect any known living or dead person. I am thinking they are a code. If the mason, Arkath, has been buried with an important clue, which is clearly obvious in the note, then I conclude that it is possible that this bit of information may be needed to gain access to that clue. I would like to visit the tome of Arkath, in the Ivy District, next."

Talon nods, ready to head out.

OK

Ollo, his nose smudged from ink and his forehead creased in dust agrees with the need to move on. "Aye, this be a dead ended tunnel.. The grave is fine with me, or the gnome.. but these ancient notes and chronicles are bothersome to me eyes and making me nose itch.."

Narika launches into a little bit of a lecture about the importance of preserving legacies on paper, especially with the tendency of tyrants like Queen Abby to try to rewrite history. Then she breaks off and chuckles. Sorry, I guess you don't want to be lectured to. I've had my fun, now I'll come with you guys to someplace different. The grave sounds like a good idea.

"Grave-digging?" Ai shivers dramatically, looking apprehensively at the others. "If you insist..."

Tao-Shan offered as much of a reassuring smile as she could toward Ai. "The tomb of a mason is likely to hold some secrets that will not require disturbing the body." Almost as an aside, she did find some of her dry humor. "...I cannot say the same for the stones." She was covered in her oiled cloak again, her form amorphous under the almost ankle-length cloth.

Following the leads from their notes, the party once again leaves the Grand Lodge behind them and head for Eastgate, where the Tomb of Arkath the Stonemason awaits. Arriving at the necropolis you see that the gates are open. Visitors are free to travel the grounds and pay their respects to the fallen.

A few priests and clerics of Pharasma wander the grounds each keeping am almost perfunctory eye on the mausoleums. Each of the mausoleums have two large stone slabs keeping them closed from public view. A quick walk among the grounds informs you all that Arkath's tome in in the northeast, like the others, it is closed, a female cleric is wandering nearby but seems not to be actively watching the party.

"Just...Just one moment."

Ai quickly separates herself from the party. Grinning, she waves to the female cleric good-naturedly. "Greetings, Sister. I was wondering...my great-uncle, Jian-Wei Tam, was buried here years ago, and I was hoping for help finding his tomb. It's just such a large graveyard, and I've been searching for hours. I don't suppose you could show me at least the general area it might be in. He was a poor man, lived in, um, the Puddles. I think. I'm not from around here." As she rambles on, she takes the cleric's arm in hers, trying to lead her directly away from the Tomb of Arkath the Stonemason. "I'm certain he didn't have enough money for these tombs, but maybe something smaller? Oh! Ai. Jian-Wi Ai." She offers a quick bow. "I'm a cleric too. Of Picoperi. Do you have a moment to hear the glorious word of Picoperi? Great! The great Lord of Laughter said 'ill people tend to have a problem in cemeteries. They suffer from coffin fits!'"

As she talks, she begins suppressing the cleric's will before attempting to charm her into leaving the area so her fellow Pathfinders can check the tomb.

Charm Person, DC 16. Cleric gets -2 on its Will Saves due to Hypnotic Stare (no save, is not aware).

Forgot to roll bluff, if it's needed. Sorry.

Bluff: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Aarion furrows his brow. "What in Hell's inferno is that girl doing?"

"Buying us time, I think," Talon mutters in response as he watches the strange girl spin her tale. "Here's to hoping it works."

Ollo chuckles as he watches the gregarious kitsune entangle the Pharasmic cleric and lead her off. "That one has some stones, that be sure!!"

Once and only if the cleric is well and truly distracted, Ollo will inspect the tomb, looking for a way in.
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

"I see...Jian-Wei Tam you say? He was poor? I don't believe anyone who is buried here was ever poor. Perhaps you have the wrong place? Perhaps you can go back to the gate and have the guards direct you. I-" Now that her attention has been called, she notices the rest of the party and nods apologetically at Ai. "It is my job to over see this tomb here and I can not leave it, but good luck in your search, it is good to pay respects to your those who walk with the Lady of the Graves."

The cleric approaches the remaining five members of the party and makes a gesture of greeting. "Hello, my name is Hadriana, is there anything I can assist you with today? What brings you to the burial site of Arkath the Stonemason?"

Ollo, you can tell that the stone slabs can easily be moved to allow entrance to the tomb. It seems to be the only way inside.

Talon frowns as Ai's ploy seems to fall short of its mark, and he stands uncomfortably and awkwardly ... clearly hoping one of his teammates still has a plan.

"We could always tell the truth," he mutters, at a level that doesn't carry to the Pharasmin, "I mean, we have evidence."

We are investigating the history of several early pathfinders, and our research has led us to this tomb. We have not yet been able to examine the tomb carefully for any writings, is there anything you think we should see? And what is so special about this one tomb that is has a cleric of Pharasma just to keep watch over it?

I'm telling only truth here, and trying to get the cleric to help us look carefully over the outside of the tomb, or at least not be suspicious if we do.

edit: I did not see Talon's post before posting this, but I think if this partial truth doesn't help, we can naturally move into discussing the interior of the tomb and why we are investigating the past pathfinders.

Nope, you've got this. I just wanted to suggest what Talon would think the right approach was ... ya know, the rules-following approach. :)

"Ah, Pathfinders, I see. As it is Pharasma's duty to guide the dead, it is my duty as her cleric to guard their mortal remains. Each of the tombs here are watched under any number of my fellow clerics. This Tomb holds no significance, as far as I know, outside of belonging to a devout follower. Are, are you requesting access to the tomb? I don't believe we've ever opened them for anyone other than the family of the deceased."

"We may need to request such access, but for now we just want to look carefully at the outside. It may be that the information we need is outside. We would not disturb the dead if we do not need to. And even if we had to open the tomb, we would do so with as much respect for the dead as possible."

Diplomacy roll, if needed at any point in this conversation:
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Yuck! Any help here??

The woman looks thoughtful at the request.

"As far as looking around the grounds, all visitors have complete access to the area. Within the tombs is, understandably restricted. Take your look around, if it turns out you would still like to enter, well, let me think about that."

A search outside the tomb reveals nothing out of the ordinary. It is a mausoleum. An ornate one, probably much nicer when Arkath was originally buried, but now it is nothing special.
Feel free to roll any aid another's or individual Diplomacy rolls to convince Hadriana to allow you inside.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Ollo shakes his head as he finishes his examination of the mausoleum.
"Lady Priestess, it seems our answers be inside the tomb. As a paladin of Torag, I give you me solumn word we will not disturb the peaceful sleep o' Tha dead. Please allow us to enter. This issue be one of great importance to all Pathfinders."

-Posted with Wayfinder

"We have evidence that he was buried with some kind of key that was not his to take to his grave. I can't imagine that will be favorable to Pharasma, and we don't take this task lightly."

Diplomacy, Aid Another, DC10: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1; sheesh

At Ollo's promise the woman bows her head and wordlessly opens the tomb. As the party enters she follows behind. "Thank you for being respectful, it is no small favor to let you in here, but I do not see the harm I suppose."

The sarcophagus, now that you're inside it, contains nothing but the remains of the stonemason, at least, that's all you can tell at a quick glance.

Ollo begins carefully searching the room
22 regular perception, 24 for stonework

-Posted with Wayfinder

-Posted with Wayfinder

Talon helps, searching the room, the sarcophagus, and the body. Though he's careful to do the search on the latter two without touching them, if at all possible.

Taking 20 for a ... wait for it ... 20.

Aarion attempts to aid Ollo in his search.

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

"If searching the room doesn't disclose anything, we will need to search him."

Narika casts light on her dagger and holds it out to help everyone see. She looks around, concentrating on what she can see of the area around and under the body without disturbing it. Take 20 for a total of 21.

Ai frowns at her ploy's failure, disengaging from both the party and the female priest before mussing her hair and shoving it into her robes. She giggles as it tickles her back, but then rejoins the group at the tomb.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

For the most part, the party turns up empty handed. There are no secret compartments, or hidden messaged.

However when Narika begins looking around the body with her lighted dagger, she notices something shining back in the mouth of the corpse.

Having also noticed it, the cleric steps forward eyeing the party as if to say 'You wouldn't!'.

If you wish to retrieve the item you will need to convince Hadriana to let you.

When the object is pointed out, Talon leans in close, but cannot tell what it is.

Standing back up, Talon looks over at the cleric. ”What is that? In his mouth? Is this some kind of custom in Absolom? Or among half-orcs? Or masons?”

Looking back down, he mutters a few arcane syllables, trying to detect if the thing is magic or mundane.

Cast Detect Magic on the thing in Arkath's mouth.

"It seems to me that someone has dishonored this dead body by hiding something in its mouth. This hidden item may very well be the clue to the past that we have come here searching for. If you allow, we can gently remove the item, disturbing the body as little as possible. By doing so, we will restore the honor to this body that whoever hid the item took away."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"I don't know what the item is, but it is not the custom of my religion, I know that much."

Talon can sense a faint aura of divination coming from the item in Arkath's mouth.

"Divination magic," Talon interjects. Then he follows onto Narika's attempt. "Or you could get the item out, if that would make you more comfortable."

Diplomacy, Aid Another: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1

.. sheesh, Talon's just gonna go wait in the car.

"And I had expected to find what we were looking for in the stones of this mausoleum." Tao-Shan had a slightly disappointed tone to her voice. "I suppose that would be expected..."

Stepping forward, Tao-Shan moved the cloak back to free up her hands, looking at the cleric. "Hello, my name is Tao-Shan. I am a healer. If you are hesitant in retrieving the item, I can do so if you wish. My knowledge of bodies is quite fair and I could retrieve the item without disturbing the body too much, if that makes you feel better."

To be honest, she never really got the whole 'respect for the bodies' thing. Admittedly, she would not desecrate a body for any reason, but she had also seen people act the same way about a fragile piece of glassware.
_________________________
Go Charisma, Go!: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 Glancing down at Arkath's mouth.

“It would seem there is a very important clue in this man’s mouth, to which the society has no small interest. This clue will likely lead us to a wealth of historical knowledge, which will be highly prized by the society. In life, Arkath devoted himself, in behalf of the society, to the pursuit of knowledge.”

“I know that it is within the scope of your duties to preserve this man’s remains. I also know that it is within the scope of your church to embrace new life. I ask you now, to allow us to retrieve this clue from this man’s tome, so that we can preserve the knowledge of his work and hand it down to the generations to come. Somewhere between this man’s birth and his death is the embellishment of his life. I ask you to consider the history of his life and the necessity of preserving that history. After all, that history could also be considered his remains.”

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Diplomacy (aid another): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

"Is this someone's idea of a joke?" Ai looks at the body, then at the priestess, with a twinkle in her eye. "Actually, this does remind me of a bunch of jokes about skeletons, bars, beer, and mops, but this isn't really the time for it. Look, Sister Hadriana, we're not asking to take the body with us, and really, we don't even have to touch it. You can do that part. We just want to solve this riddle."

"It seems I gave me oath before I knew what it would be. My great pardon, me lady. Please, so's not to disturb this man, would you help us? Pharasma is the god of death, but not of earthly secrets. You can set his shade at ease by letting his secret out."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

"I...alright, fine, retrieve this thing, whatever it is! I cant believe I'm letting you do this."

Hadriana caves under the onslaught of arguments from the party and waves her hand at the corpse. She's agitated, but also curious.

Who is retrieving the object?

"I'll do it, if no one else is willing, but perhaps Aarion or Tao-Shan would be best, since they are most likely to be able to not disturb the body more than needed?"

Narika moves her lit up dagger nearby to provide light for whoever retrieves the mystery object.

Talon turns to Tao expectantly, hoping her skills at healing would give her an advantage ... or at least help her avoid needlessly damaging the body.

A polite nod was given to the cleric as Tao-Shan turned her attention to the body. A flip of the cloak turned it further out of the way of her bare arms as she idly commented, her working focus coming easily. "The difficulty often lies in that the flesh of an individual dries out quickly and becomes fairly difficult to handle once they are dead", One hand dipped under her cloak to her back and a couple of 'click' sounds were heard as she unhooked her healers kit.

The book-sized kit was set on the edge of the bier, rather than set on the chest of the remains. "Without moisture", she continued, "there is no flexibility. Hence the saying of supple versus strong." A delicate knife was taken out of the healer's kit, along with a small vial. "However- and this is not something that can be done in battlefield conditions, mind you- oil makes a good substitute, and can, in fact, keep a wound clean."

The knife was dipped into the vial a generous amount of oil clinging to it as Tao set to work on carefully cutting a line big enough to pull the item out, going in through the underside of the jaw. "Not as good as honey, believe it or not..." There, she trailed off, as she was going to have to use a small pair of tongs, more often reserved for pulling spines and such, and that was careful work.
__________________________________
Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Using as much tact as possible, Aarion attempts to help Tao extract the object.

Heal (Aid): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Heal (aid another): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Ai puts her hands on the tongs, handing them over quickly to Tao-Shan. "This all reminds me of a joke. An elf walks into a healer's shop. He's got a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his right ear, and a grape in his left ear. 'What's the matter with me?', he says, and the healer takes a look and says 'You're not eating properly.' Except, of course, this poor soul does seem to have been eating, or at least fed, properly."