[Game Day 6-PFC]GM Z..D.. 8-15 Hrethnar' Throne (Inactive)

Game Master Z...D...

Dunkel's eyes continue bulging, one part suffocation, one part shock at seeing Jair use her blade.

Waraxe 2H, Power, Heroism, Arcane Strike, Prayer, Inspire: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25 for 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

8/38rds drowning.

Should the mummy still stand, Imrana will strike with another bolt of magic from her wand.

Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

With the final mummy brought down. Dunkel can finally take a deep breath of air.

Now with a chance to explore you all notice the throne and a brass plaque is affixed to the base of the throne inscribed with the following words in the Common tongue: “Behold, Hrethnar’s throne. Cold and empty, befitting a traitor.” Above this plaque is an empty compartment with a shallow key-shaped storage cavity.

These two long chambers on either side of the throne room are nearly identical. Each contains a long, 10-foot-deep trough carved into the stone floor that runs the length of one wall. Each trough is filled with a vile bubbling black sludge that reeks of salt water and rotten meat and radiates strong necromancy to spells such as detect magic. Though icy cold to the touch, the sludge is harmless to living creatures.

The eastern trough there are several corpses in the liquid. Several destroyed swamp mummies lay on the floor.

The western trough contains two bloodstained corpses that still look freshly dead. A female that appears varisian and a male that appears to be keleshite. They have not yet been submerged.

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The group moves down a long hall, which its dimensions would not seem to physically fit inside the spires, but ends at a set of unlocked double doors.

Read through, and cure if needed. Bog Rot will not affect Dunkel, But it is both a curse and disease, so they both have to be removed.

"Well, those were annoying," Forlorn notes, ceasing his song. The little Pathfinder then produces a flask of what appears to be liquid chalk. "Here, Dunkel, drink up. Tastes like...well, I can't even articulate that can of worms, but it should help with the bog rot."

I have antiplague off of a Chronicle sheet, should it help at all.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

"Don't leave dead people in that muck, they'll come back as mummies by the time you've forgotten about 'em. Th' stuff's harmless to us, but someone stronger in frame and stomach should get those two out. Where to next?"

There is a passage there pointed Jair on the other of the room.

Quite interesting! This Sevenfinger had a sense of style and humour it seems. says humourlessly the cleric before adding while looking at the two fresh corpses.

Our ennemies have also encountered these undead creatures as it appears. But unfortunthey all of them don't find their demise here. Let's find the rest.

The drowning effect ends with the stopping of the aura? That's good...

Dunkel gasps a few times, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees for a moment.

"Ach! Felt like me lungs were full o' silt, ah did!"

He clasps Doubtful on the shoulder.

"Tha's why ye never take out a 6x8 support post when yer tunnelin' under ah lake.."

Standing again, Dunkel passes his wand to Forlorn.

Cure Light: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

As they proceed, Dunkel narrows his eyes at the sludge.

"Ah don't suppose there's some way t' turn off the mummy-makin' sludge? Ah holy blessing? Con-see-creation?"

"In this place?" Doubtful replies, scowling. "Probably won't work anyway."

He looks at the various bodies, all in various stages of decay and frowns even more.

"Will probably get up and try to eat us anyway." He adds, when Forlorn suggests removing them form the sludge. "This will just make 'em mad about it."

Still, he makes a point of hauling each one out, and dragging them out into the throne room.

He points at the small alcove over the throne. "What do you think was in there?"

He will take a moment to look around, including studying the empty compartment to see if it can be determined not only what was in there, but when it was accessed.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 2 = 22

Eventually, they move on, coming to the locked doorway.

"Whatever's behind that is likely to be worse." He mutters. "Anyone know how to pick a lock?

A side passage widens into a dead end flanked by two alcoves. Carved into the wall of the western alcove is a bas-relief of a humanoid face with bulging eyes, two small holes for a nose, and a wide mouth filled with roiling black and violet mist. Hovering a few feet from the floor in the eastern alcove is a two-foot diameter black sphere, its glass-like surface reflecting a vast cityscape of ruined buildings beneath a dark, alien sky.

In front of the carved face stands a female human, she wears the robes of a devotee of Asmodeus. She stands rooted to the spot, staring into the eyes of the carved face.

Image of the carved face and the smiley face is the female

"That's not good at all." Doubtful mutters, upon seeing the woman seemingly trapped staring at the face-like carving.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

Has she been turned to stone? Flesh and paralyzed?

Dunkel pauses, certain that necromancy or transmutation magicks are at work here.

Detect magic.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Forlorn repeats Dunkel's idea, scanning the area for magic while his eyes rove about to less effect.

Also casting Detect Magic.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Spellcraft/Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Jair studies the woman trying to know if she's dead or alive.

Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Imrana finishes taking notes on the previous battle, noting the abilities of the creatures and how they responded to her magic. She finally notices everyone is off studying a statue and joins in.

Imrana will be terribly original and also detect magic

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Both forlorn and Imrana both detect overwhelming magic from both the sphere and the carved face. Blinding them both for a moment.

The female does not seem paralyzed, but you feel she has been drained off all intelligence. She turns to stare in your direction with a blank expression, then smile at the newcomers. "Hi" She says somewhat emotionless.

Hearing that something in this area appears to drain intelligence, and that there are overwhelming magical auras in the area, Wyatt decides discretion is the better part of valor.

"Let's not mess around with these things, alright? I don't want any of us ending up like her," he says, gesturing in the direction of the imbecile.

May be we can take her with us on our way back. She seems like one of the Captain's goon and she could have a lot of informations to give us about how Faroon was able to get there without the Orb.

Says Jair.

"I don't think she would remember what she had for breakfast, much less have useful information." Doubtful says, with a small frown.

"She's probably carrying some evil entity in her head now, just waiting for us to help it out of here."

You may be right... says Jair looking at the woman
Anyway, we could ask ourself this question again once we finish with Faroon!

"Gah!" Forlorn yells as he staggers back a few paces. After a bit, he regains his senses and sidles back up. "Well, th' orb an' th' statue're both very magical. First instinct says we should bring th' orb back, but it'll probably kill us if we touch it or something. Can anyone summon a critter to try it first?"

"Should we pull her outta there?" Doubtful asks hesitantly, clearly not thinking it a great idea to get too close to all the magic in the end of the alcove.

"Alas, ah 'ave none o' th' restorative magicks we'd need ta' bring 'er back t' 'er senses."

Dunkel glances to Forlorn for a moment, wondering if the halfling perhaps came so prepared.

"But ah figure she's safe t' move. If any demon comes pourin' outta 'er ears, Doubtful ah'm sure can wrestle 't back inta' ah knot real fast."

We'll see if removing her from the orb's presence does anything? Dunkel will hoist her over her shoulder as needed. He has bog rot already, what else could go wrong?

Oh... you had to say it, didn't you?!

And that, friends, is the story of how Dunkel died a terrible death that likely led his friends in the same direction. I'm game, let's give it a try!

"I don't have much in that regard either," Forlorn professes under Dunkel's look.

I'm not yet able to master such powerful power.

Says Jair who joins Imrana and says I think it will be good to report those two strange powerful magic "items" to the Venture-Captain. I have no idea of what they are but one of them seems to have some effect of this woman.

"By all means, report them; let's not just go messing around with them... we don't want to end up like her!"

However, ever practical, Wyatt checks to see if the woman has any useful equipment upon her.

The female comes willingly, but nothing seems to change about her attitude or state of mind.

Only powerful healing magic can reverse it at this point. What are you going to do with her. Bring he along or leave her be for now.

Moving on, just advise what you would want to do with her.

This large, oddly shaped chamber has a high ceiling and a floor completely covered with a thin layer of oily green goo. An enormous machine squats in the northeastern corner, leaking the strange green goo. The machine resembles a massive rotting tangle of fleshy, metal banded tentacles of green and mauve flesh studded with strange blinking gauges, crystal levers, and crackling metal wires. The undulating mass constantly emits a bizarre chorus of high-pitched wails, hooting whistles, and low throaty growls.

The machine shudders and forms a lifelike image made of its own tendrils and vile fluids. The image depicts an elven woman inserting an obsidian key into the machine’s flesh, a glowing spatial rift opening, and the elven woman walking through the rift accompanied by a halfling and a troll. The machine absorbs the image back into its body and a hand-shaped depression appears in its place.

Who is going to be brave enough to activate the machine?

Not Wyatt :-P

Wyatt looks dubiously at the machine.

"Who wants to stick their hand into that depression?"

Doubtful stares at the strange machine with a dubious glare.

"What in the hells..." He mutters, looking back towards the others, hoping one of them has a better idea what they're looking at.

Any knowledges might be appropriate here?

"Shakin' hands with some otherwordly creature from the void, that!" He growls. "Can't be anything good!"

"And that elf wench took the key with her, if we're to believe that thing." He adds, clearly not believing it.

Assuming no one else has a better idea, he will eventually stick his hand himself... knowing he's about to lose it, somehow!

Unfortunately no knowledge listed on this thing.

This machine too alien to even begin how to comprehend it.

Well considering that this is the only way forward.

Dunkel approaches the strange machine and place his hand in the depression. It suddenly closes and assaults the monks mind with inhuman images.

Dunkel takes 1d6 ⇒ 3 charisma damage, DC 20 will save reduces it to 1 point

Once it releases Dunkels hand, a shimmering portal opens in front of him.

Rail roading the PC's along

The PC's enter the portal.

The trip through the shimmering portal is instantaneous and leads to the sterncastle of a black-hulled ghost ship. Though an icy wind blows the tattered remains of the ship’s useless black sails, some other force seems to push the vessel through a churning gray sea. Overhead, the sky is full of unrecognizable stars and an enormous white moon. To starboard, the gray sea is vast and endless. Several hundred yards to port, a single bleak rock, studded with strangely proportioned architecture, rises from the sea. A brass plaque mounted on the mast behind the ship’s wheel is inscribed with the name Voracious.

The portal remains open behind them. The main deck is void of all crew. What few boats that remain on deck are unusable.

The windowless captain’s cabin at the rear of the main deck is devoid of any furnishings and its floor, ceiling, and walls are all painted pitch black.

PCs near the stairs to the hold hear the strange, hollow piping of an alien wind instrument emanating from below.

I'll let you all catch up here

It was Doubtful (not Dunkel) that was willing to do it, if no one else had a better idea!

Assuming you meant me: Will Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

And charisma damage?! Ouch... that's all he needs =)

As the strange machine clasps his hand steady, and starts trying to warp his brain, Doubtful gasps, and starts beating on it futilely with his free hand until it lets him go.

"What the hell!?" He grumbles, gasping as he tries to get his head back in order.

Yeah, I meant doubtful. Damn dwarves all look alike ;P

Dunkel rubs his eyes as he sets them upon the strange alien scene of the ghost ship.

"Ach, ah kinnae believe ye put yer hand 'n tha' thing, Doubtful! Just when ah was about t' do it me'self!"

Sighing, Dunkel tilts his head as he approaches the stairs and glances downward.

"Do ye 'ear tha'? Sounds like some sorta strange pipe?"

Certain that there is something dangerous below deck, Dunkel prepares himself for that inevitible.

Let's go with shield and see invisibility on himself. The shield spell will last 6 minutes, so he'll cast that just prior to descending.

As for the woman, it appears she's not going anywhere on her own, so I'd vote to leave her beyond - on the original side of the portal until we return, versus having taken her into the unknown.

Although now we see the portal is bidirectional and the ship's deck appears (relatively) safe, maybe one of us returns through the portal to grab her just in case this is a one-way trip after we do something else.. (break some sort of curse?)

Nodding, Wyatt casts See Invisibility and Shield, as well.

Let her in the strange machine room we will take her back when we return

Jair her wand of bless in hand follows her comrade.

Lets see what's below. I don't think Faroon play music, but who knows?

The group heads down the stairs. Doubtful if you wish to buff before hand, you may

Feeble gray light shines through narrow rectangular apertures above corroded metal cannon-like structures, illuminating this surprisingly spacious ship’s hold.

The ceiling in the ship’s hold is 10 feet high. The cannons that Sempet Sevenfingers once used on the Voracious have been altered and corroded by the alien environment of Leng; they are now no more than cannon-shaped lumps of useless iron. The cabins to the fore and aft of this deck once held slaves, but only iron rings remain.

The creature turns around when it notices the PC's in its domain and stops playing its pipes immediately. It yells out in common, "GET OUT!"

Knowledge Planes

Initiative(Round 1)
Wyatt, Jair, Imrana, Dunkel, Forlorn
GM
Doubtful

Know. (planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Jair is unable to recognize the creature, but having her wand in hand uses it to help her comrades fighting the thing.

May Secret Knowledge help you fight!

Bless: +1 moral bonus to attack and to will save against fear.

Then she calls for her god, to protect her.

May Knowledge help me see twice

Move action : copycat (illusory double working like mirror image)

Know Planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Alas, waraxe crit eaten by a knowledge check!

Dunkel, hesitating for the briefest moment to allow his allies to share insight, shares what he knows.

"Don't let 'em touch 'ye - they'll sap yer ability t' move!"

He them mirrors Jair's mirrors, knowing he will need them should the otherworldly creature decide to focus on him.

Move action to pull a scroll; standard to read it.
Mirror Image: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

Special Attacks and Immunities/Weaknesses, please.

Forlorn tries to remember what he can about this creature even as he draws his whip and launches into a strange song of his own.

Inspire Courage, Round 6.

@forlorn, they have the sneak attack, and the abillity to drain dex with its bite. It is also immune to poison, no weaknesses.

How long has it been since we came entered the spire (or conversely the fight on the ship)? If its been close to or more then 5 hours, Doubtful would reapply his mage armor from the wand... otherwise, no buffs to give!

His brain still a mess from the machine's machinations, Doubtful seems to be in some sort of fog, unable to react in time to the new threat!

first in line, last in initiative... vs a sneak attacking thing?
Not the most optimal of positions =)

No it has not been close to five hours.

Oops, just realized Imrana used her wand... so it was only an hour. going to guess its been an hour since the ship, so will renew that. Otherwise, good to get beat on!

Topside, and unable to see the foe, Wyatt simply delays.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

@Doubtful do you need me to refresh your mage armor now, or are we going with that we did that when it expired?

I just want to make sure you have it, since you are gonna be tanking this thing for the moment

I think he's good. I used my own wand when we entered the Spire tunnel... and if its close to an hour, he'll use another once we hit the deck of the ship.
Its the flat-footed and last bit that will be an issue =)

Yeah, hence why I wanted to make sure your flat-footed AC was as good as possible

Imrana reaches out and taps Doubtful, imparting some of her prescience onto him.

Diviner's Fortune on Doubtful: +2 insight bonus on all of its attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws for 1 round

The Denizen of Leng waves its hands and a vibrant pattern emerges and tries to grasp the the PC's attention. Imrana and Dunkel needs to give a DC 17 will save or be fascinated

Initiative
Round 1
Dunkel

Round 2
Wyatt, Jair, Imrana, Dunkel, Forlorn
GM

one of those Dunkel's in the init order is supposed to be a Doubtful! (the slow one) =)
Though he did cast mirror image... perhaps that's why there's more then one!

Doubtful leaps to the fore, moving surprisingly quickly, as he circles around towards the back of the strange creature. He's not sure what it just cast, but knows its nothing good!

What does this thing look like, anyway?

He aims one booted foot at his best guess at a sensitive spot on the way in, trying really hard to stomp on it.

Move up and around (think I can get there in a single 40' move without provoking... if not move him back a bit). Then single unarmed strike with Stunning Fist.

Unarmed strike, bless, PA, fortune, bard: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 30, for 2d6 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 20 damage and stunned (DC 17 fortitude negates)

If the stun fails to land, he will then spend one ki point for +4 to ac... if the stun does work, he will not!