Granta's Long Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Granta

@Forvenniel: Norril currently has the wand, so healing Zevryn this round would use up a spell.

@Zevryn: I resolve actions in initiative order, so you actually get a full turn in round 5.

Sejiri pelts the vermin with another pellet, then Forvenniel climbs up on the desk and revives Zevryn, and Norril picks up his tale where he left off a second ago.

Something in the story rings true for Kembe, and that little rush of adrenaline is just enough for him to knockout the scorpion with a quick combination

Combat over! And the bardic performance made all the difference. Kembe needed to hit AC 12 and do 12 damage.

After the combat subsides, Heryn peeks into the room, ”Is it safe now? Are you sure? Did you check all of those tunnels?”

And once she has been reassured, the bartender’s curiosity gets the best of her, ”This is amazing! I never knew there were secret passages beneath the Wisp. I wonder who built them, and what they were hiding.

"What do those papers talk about?”

The files on the desk chronicle the personal exploits of Selmius Foster, a famous Pathfinder whose name you all recognize from your training. Most of his more infamous adventures are referenced here, but it is obvious there’s also another investigation that he had been pursuing before he died: the lost records of a Pathfinder named Eylysia.

Two handouts on the map slides.

Do you want to return to Dreng or follow up on one of the leads, and if so, which one?

"I certainly hope there aren't any more of those things!" Zev says as he pulls Bevole out of his lap and stands up from the ground. "I honestly was wondering if Dreng knew about this, but how would he if even Heryn doesn't?" He questions as he bands over the papers and reads what they have to say before passing them onto the next Pathfinder.

"Hmm, Selmius Foster, why does that sounds familiar..." Zev says outloud as he considers what he might know about the person who signed the bottom page and the other Pathfinder in question.

K. History on Selmius Foster: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
K. History on Eylysia: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

"I think that most of you would agree, that if we return this information to Dreng he'll probably just send us back out again, yes? Though, I am still curious as to whether or not he knew about this hidden room in the cellar."

He looks at his fellow agents and shrugs. "Following up on this Stonemason may be a good idea. Oh, and Forvenniel, before I forget thanks for saving my hide."

"Dreng seems like a crazed hermit the two-some times I've seen him, but according to other agents, he generally knows what's going on, has a good command of the situation," Sejiri mutters in reply, strapping his staff to his back and retrieving his wand. "I suppose I wouldn't put it past him, given that, although it's academic at this point. Here, Brother, this should make you feel better."

CLW on Kembe: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Sounds like a plan, Zev. Unless anyone else has objections?"

The dreamy elf saunters through the room, avoiding the dead scorpions.

"I hope there are no more.." she says, eyeing up the dark passages.

She offers a shy smile to Zevryn "I'd be upset if you hide got too many more marks on it.." she offers.

Her eyes flit from paper to paper "Maybe we should look up this Elysia in the grand lodge. OR ask Janira if she is still in the lodge above. She was helpful during our confirmation." is her best suggestion.

"What? We came all this way for a bottle of wine, we might as well bring him something to drink while he stands around!" The tense battle over, he slumps to the ground for a moment and runs his eyes. Woo, time for some real work now.

"I agree with For, a little research wouldn't hurt. We can swing by Dreng on the way to the lodge!" he suggests, unsteadily rising to his feet.

________
Any knowledge checks to make?

Kembe sits and tries to catch his breath That was close... I swear I was doomed... After a few moments he rises and thanks Sejiri for his healing. "I must apologize for my ineptitude. I should have seen them prowling the ceiling before they attacked. I will do better."

He nods along to the other's suggestions about where to go next. Obviously his mind is on other things at present, he also looks a bit slumped over and weak from the poison. "Take your pick, Janira may be good, or Dreng, I'll lead the way." He takes a vigilant pose, eyes darting down the other tunnels regularly.

Zevryn laughs. "Alright, well I guess most of you wouldn't agree then!" With a smile he picks up Bevole and starts heading back up to the tavern.

"Since we have to go back upstairs before we get to the Lodge anyway, there's no reason we can't ask Janira and Dreng, assuming she's still up there. Maybe she'll actually talk to me this time!"

He trots back through the cellar.
"And Kembe, you don't need to apologize, I don't think any of us expected a welcome quite like that."

@Norril: None written in to the scenario, but I'll make something up if you want to roll anything :-)

Upstairs, you find all of your new friends still sitting around the common room, except for Aram Bin Kaleel. Janira instantly begins fussing over your injuries, insisting on healing both Forvenniel and Zevryn. "By Desna, what happened down there? Is everybody okay?"

Forvenniel spends a moment to retrieve the light source.

"It will remind me of the moon's light, when I cannot see the sky above." she sighs.

To the happy Halfling she replies "The moon led us to a cache of old documents. Have you ever heard of a pathfinder called Elysia ?"

"We found a hidden room that was occupied. There were some close calls, but we managed!" Noril explains with a smile. "I don't suppose you would know what sort of wine Drandle prefers, eh? Society business, you see."

He sits heavily in a chair. Man, I could really use a drink right now... After work though, things are getting serious. He lounges in the chair, soaking up any chance to relax after that ordeal.
________

"Elysia is somehow connected with Selmius Foster, if you can believe it!" Zev adds nodding to Forvenniel. "One of the most famous original Pathfinders apparently had some misgivings about his colleague. While we're asking, do you know anything about his student Adolphus?"

Zev hands Janira the papers they found downstairs so she can read them over. "It's quite the mystery so far."

Kembe takes a seat near Janira and listens on to the others speak of the documents. To be honest he never even took the time to read through them, his head still spinning from the events. "Miss Janira. Do you know anything that counteracts scorpion venom? My muscles are far weaker, they cramp and seize if pushed too far."

"Of course I have!" Janira answers Forvenniel, "She was one of the first Pathfinders, along with Durvin Gest and Selmius Foster. I don't know much about her though, just that she disagreed with publishing everything in the Chronicles for all to see."

Unfortunately, she hasn't heard anything about this Adolphus or Dreng's preferred beverage. "I don't know about scorpion venom particularly, but most clerics can heal such injuries, for a fee. Of course, you'll probably be fine in a few days anyhow!"

Then the halfling takes a look at the papers that Zev hands her, and gets incredibly excited, "This is amazing! You have to find out more right away! What are you going to do with all of this information?"

Where shall we go first: Wall of Names, Arkath's tomb or Fimbrik's home?

"Anyone know which of these is closest? If we go to the wall of names, maybe we can update Dreg as we go past?" she says, her eyes shining at the thought.

"We must get to the bottom of this mess, it may be a sham, but if there is any truth to this, it could be worth our while!" We may also learn a bit of valuable knowledge from such a find, quite the potential here...

Sejiri says little, having little more to contribute regarding which landmark is closest or the information that has been recovered, He instead reserves himself to fretting over his brother. "No need to apologize, nor beat yourself up. Besides, we can only expect more such fights in the future of our careers, thusly our sole form of preparation is further accumulation of knowledge and combat prowess."

"That's a great way to look at it Sejiri!" Zev says, over hearing the halfling console his brother. "We're all pretty new to this Pathfinder stuff, right? And you weren't the only that was taken out by the scorpions, we'll all just have to watch each others backs more closely!"

Zev smiles at Kembe before turning back to Forvenniel.

"Wall of names sounds good to me. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak, you'd think I'd know this city pretty well by now, let me see if I can recall what might actually be the closest place to look."

K. Local (Untrained): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Kembe nods at both of them and stands, a bit wobbly at first but he quickly straightens with a wince. "I am ready. Thanks for the kind words. Let's finish these errands." He thinks a moment. "No, no longer are these merely errands, this has now gotten serious. Dreng has placed us on a path he knew was merely hidden by a shadow."

Ready to go where ever people want to next.

@Norril: You aren't aware of any time pressure in character, but there are always risks to delaying action.

The journey back to the Grand Lodge is quick, if wet. Though the rain has stopped, every street in the city is paved with muddy puddles.

Created in 4330 AR, the Wall of Names is a curving wall of black glass that stands atop a small hill at the western edge of the Grand Lodge. Trees surround the hill, providing ample shade and privacy for those remembering fallen comrades.

Carved into the wall are the name and date of death of every Pathfinder killed in the course of duty since the wall's construction, and most entries also include a sentence or two summarizing either the agent's greatest accomplishments or the cause of her death.

Adolphus' information leads you to the beginning of the wall. See maps

Let's give it another day for everybody to realize I'm back, but then I'll push the action.

K. History: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

"Sacrifice, fish and the bountiful sea....rot...I know these stories." Zev says, tracing his fingers along the engravings on the wall. "They relate to failed aspirants of the Starstone challenge. That must be some sort of clue, right?"

He looks towards the rest of the group, hoping he's not just seeing connections that aren't actually there.

oopse, post must have been eaten

"I didn't realise any pathfinders had taken the test." muses Forvenniel.

"Perhaps we should visit the shrine of the Fallen? Didn't someone say something in the inn about someone taking the test today?"

She has a think for a moment, trying to work out if either the stonemason or the Arcanum were on the way to the cathedral.

That can't be right. "Sev, I've heard the same thing, but... If they were really failed aspirants, wouldn't their causes of death be related to it? Or perhaps similar to each other. The author could be utilizing some sort of metaphor I suppose," he suggests, starting to ramble a little.

"The Shrine of the Fallen could confirm the truth to their deaths, but we do have other clues to investigate. The Arcanamirium would be closest from here," he explains, letting his words sink in.

I hope I never make it on this wall. Or at least have it say, "Dies peacefully after the best night of his life."

________

"Well, we know from the notes Adolphus left behind that none of these were real Pathfinders, so the 'truth' of their death is likely just another fabrication. I think this is more likely another clue than anything else. Forvenniel might be on to something here, we should definitely add the Shrine to our list of stops."

Zev takes another look at the wall and takes out his journal and ink pen. "I'm just going to jot this all down incase we need it later. I don't know about you guys, but they really pressured us to take notes during my Confirmation. Before we leave we should update Dreng, right?"

Sejiri is about to wonder how many Pathfinders have sacrificed themselves in pursuit of godhood, before Zev reminds everyone these examples are likely false and he keeps quiet about it. "If the Arcanamirium is closest, seems the best option," the halfling says instead. "And we have plenty of time to check other leads later. But why would making false Pathfinder obituaries help this Eylysia?"

Kembe follows along, eyes vigilant even if his muscles aren't cooperating as they should. He seems determined to not be made the fool again this day. Take 10 on Perceptions and Sense Motives

He looks at the engraved names but they don't ring any bells. "It sounds like we have another piece of the puzzle. Lets hope these puzzles start to fit together once we visit this Gnome and the graveyard." Hrmm.. is that person watching us.. I better keep on eye on him..

maps

Kembe alternately stares and glares at people all the way to the Wise Quarter, but everyone gets to the Arcanamirium without incident. Once on the campus, you have no trouble finding Fimbrik’s address. His house is rather large, with numerous newspapers piled around the door and crammed into a thin slot at its base. Each rounded corner of the building has a large window, but the front door is the only entrance.

Your tokens are just off the bottom of the screen, so you'll need to scroll down to get them.

"I love this place. I hope to one day study here with the best of them. It is one of the few institutions who encourage the focus of magic in combination with other disciplines. Not to mention THE premier academy for the arcane arts," Norril lectures with pride.

As they approach the Professor's door, he pauses. Doesn't look like anyone lives here anymore... Nevertheless, he knocks on the door anyways. "Professor Fimbrik?!"

________

K. Local (Untrained): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"Really? Never heard of this place." Zev says looking at Norril, "Sounds pretty interesting, maybe I'll come back after we're done with the mission."

While they wait for Fimbrik to answer Zev looks around the property. "Do you think he hates newspapers, or maybe he hasn't been home in awhile?"

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Forvenniel advances up to the door and knocks on it.

"I wonder what the moon has seen here?"

Sure they aren't being followed (at least mostly sure..) Kembe turns his attention to the small house and its overflowing stack of newspapers. He picks up a couple, one from the bottom of the pile and another from the top to see how long they may have been gathering. Afterwards if the knocks on the door aren't responded to he'll scout out and around the home from any signs of trouble or danger. "I wonder what's going on here. Sejiri come with me."

Sejiri waits for a response to Forvenniel's knock, then follows his brother. "I'm not sure," he replies to both the elf and Kembe. "The notes pointing here were from some time ago, but gnomes are rather long-lived. We should refrain from breaking in unless necessary."

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Nobody answers Norril's or Forvenniel's knocks, so Kembe begins exploring the perimeter.

@Kembe: Which window(s) are you looking in?

@Sejiri: I consider breaking in a violation of the paladin code, so we'll need some role-playing to make the situation work.

Kembe moves clockwise around the home until he reaches the front door again. Looking around outside and peeking into any open windows while trying to keep Sejiri within reach. "Keep your eyes and ears open brother." Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

I was worried about that too, I might simply stay outside unless invited in or anyone was endangered. Still, I'm not sure how bad it would be to sit idly by and let my teammates do it. Such are the difficulties of the paladin, I suppose we might see more avenues as the situation develops.

As the others circle the house and admire the windows, Forvenniel stands back a bit and looks up. "I wonder if there is a second floor that has an open window?"

She tries knocking on the door again, peering through any window there may be.

Maybe... Norril tries the door handle, to see if it is locked. "See anything through that window Kembe?"

He inspects the entry way to the house, searching for recent signs of use.

________

@Kembe: Top-right room, by the "buff" box.

@Norril: "Unseen servant can't perform any task that requires a skill check with a DC higher than 10 or that requires a check using a skill that can't be used untrained." Picking a lock with Disable Device is both.

Kembe finds the grounds well taken care of, and all of the rooms lit by a bluish glow. Two are empty, but in the third he sees Fimbrik walk in with a newspaper and sit down to read it.

Norril confirms that the door is locked and hasn't been used recently, but is unsure how to bypass it.

Kembe perks up as he sees the Gnome head into the room and take a seat. "There he is Brother! Lets get his attention so we can ask our questions." He then proceeds to tap on the glass gently to gain the man's attention. If that fails he raps a bit harder and waves his hand to try catching his attention. "Hello Sir? Fimbrik? We've got some questions?"

Forvenniel skips around the side of the building to peer over the rather large shoulder of Kembe.

"Hello!" she says, knocking on the window.

How is that possible? Norril looks through windows himself to confirm what the others are seeing. "The door clearly hasn't been used in ages, how is he in there? A secret door? Magic?"

"Perhaps he's a recluse or something, stopped going out and taking his papers at some point. Hello there! Can we come in? We'd like to discuss an old friend of yours, that's all," the halfling calls through the closed window.

"The moon looks down on all... and on his roof. I wonder if there is a trap door there that he uses? " muses the priest.

"Boost me up! I'll look!"

@Forvenniel: Climb check please, and roll a d100 also.

You quickly confirm that the old gnome must be deafer than the Decemvirate is to complaints; no matter how hard you tap on the window or how loud you yell, he just continues reading his newspaper.

climb: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 = 9
stuff: 1d100 ⇒ 13
"Boost me higher..."

Kembe looks at Forvenniel oddly as she tries to climb on the roof Not something you see often, a lady climbing a roof and wanting a boost... He nods his head and helps the woman up. Which he seems to be a sturdy climbing aid...

Climb Aid, DC10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 +4 thanks to helpful trait

"What do you and your moon see up there?" He does his best to be a gentleman and not linger on her posterior from this beneficial angle.

"Oh, you found him!" Zev says, peering around the side of the door while also eyeing Forvenniel carefully to make sure she doesn't fall.

"It's a big house, do you think he lives here alone? Surely someone must hear us knocking." Zevryn begins peaking through the windows at the opposite end of the house, hoping to find anyone else that might alert the deaf gnome that they've arrived.

Just as Kembe is lifting up Forvenniel, several students walk by and shout at your group, "Hey, what're you doing with the professor's house!"

"Get down from there!"

"Yeah, or we'll call the guard!"

"Well what do you expect us to do?" Zevryn shouts back to the students. He nods at Kembe as if to say Don't stop what you're doing as he walks over to the group.

"Don't you see all those newspapers crammed into his mail slot and around the door?" He shakes his head as though admonishing the newcomers. "You know as well as I do that the professor is an elderly gnome, and with his door stuck, how is he supposed to leave? We're attempting to assist him, but if you keep shouting my friend over there might startle and fall. Please, do your best to pass by quietly. Thank you."

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18