MUMMY'S MASK ADVENTURE PATH - GM Spazmodeus

Game Master Spazmodeus

There do not appear to be any windows that could be observing you. And everyone else can make a perception check to notice the shriek otherwise it is assumed you did not hear it.

I move up to the corner of the house.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

I thought that a Minotaur stubbed his toe somewhere.

Unless I am preforming an action that keeps me from concentrating such as combat, banter,skill checks, etc, I will be scanning with detect magic as often as I can when I enter a new area. Jokes about the walls coming to life and attacking us aside, I feel like one of us should be on the look-out.

Any knowledges which might identify the source of the sound?

bam is oblivious

I'll just roll knowledge Religion, if the creature isn't identifiable by its sound then disregard.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Moving forward assuming that the material in the discussion thread has been communicated "in game."

Did I discover any traps on the set of doors going in to the house?

Chui is currently adjacent to the doors, just having carefully (Take 20) checked for traps.

Yes, let's move forward. No traps and we all know what we are facing to some degree.

When the gods close a door, they open a window. Unless there aren't windows, in which case you just open the door again.

That bug was pretty good. Better finish off these legs sooner rather than later so they don't turn.

Chui whispers back ...

[b]And off we go, I'll slip in and then you guys follow me like the Heavy Brigade.

Chui opens the door just enough to slide in.

I'll roll my stealth instead of just Taking 10 for being in careful mode, if that's OK.

Chui slides into the house as quiet as the wind.

EDIT: Chui please give me a perception check.

That was smooth. Reminds of my nickname back in school, "Silent but deadly." Still not sure why so many thought it was funny.

But the shriek seemed to come from the 2nd floor? And what sort of "decay" - rotting plants, rotting flesh, rotting other?

Yes, the shriek came from the second floor. The decay seems more like rotting flesh smell.

Oh, oh, let me take a look.

I poke myself in and look around, after that I start scanning with detect magic.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Chui whispers to Alex ...

Keep an eye on the area to the north. I'm going to head over to the foot of the stairs. The shriek came from up there, and I'd like to kill this thing sooner rather than later, plus high ground is better than being down below.

Get the other two inside the building and be ready to follow me when I start up the stairs.

Chui moves south to the foot of the stairs at half-speed.

Dropping out of careful mode, but trying not to take any stealth penalties for movement as I don't have Fast Stealth.

I whisper back.

Oh yeah, take the high ground. Good idea.

I motion for everyone to come inside. Bambara, still obvious to what is going on around him stands in the sun happily. I clasp my hands over my mouth to cover my up my giggle.

Oh Bambara, the mighty warrior. I hope you never change.

Åh älskling, kan du komma in ett ögonblick? Det finns en dålig flygande fladdermus här inne och vi vill smyga på honom. Var så tyst som den Krypande Vinstocken.

Chui heads to the south and Alex moves to the steps to take a look around. After Chui is out of sight, a voice like blowing sand can be heard from further into the house.

Araa alduyuf qad han lirwiyti. Raye!

if that was a yelling noise bam may come charging in otherwise upon hearing the sylvan i duck in

I turn back inside after talking after speaking to Bambara and am surprised by the talking sand that doesn't immediately attack me.

Umm, Harmini...the sand is talking. Help!

I attempt to establish basic communication while waiting for backup.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

أهلا من الجيد التعرف إليك.

I'm assuming that I know that the sand is speaking Osirion since it is pretty common around here, and maybe I picked up how to say a few phrases. Next round hopefully someone can take over or I might have to ask him where the bathroom is

Harmini moves up next to Alex to get a clear view of the creature speaking before saying anything.

Talking sand, eh? There was a sand creature in Akhentepi's tomb also. This doesn't bode well.

Attempting to identify the creature. Apply the following bonuses to the roll accordingly. Knowledge (Arcana) +7, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Local) +7, Knowledge (Nobility) +7, Knowledge (Planes) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +7.

It is knowledge (planes).

This creature appears to be a Sandman (woman, see description). It is a medium outsider (earth, elemental, extraplanar). They tend to be evil.

You man gain one of the following:

The sand soon takes the form of what seems to be the statue of a beautiful woman. The movements are graceful and produce a slight rasping sound.

Great galloping Bastet! What are those people up to?

Hearing the commotion back from whence he came, Chui retraces his steps until he is 5 ft. SE of Bambara.

I think the position to which I've moved my avatar keeps me out of the line of sight of both the skeletons and the sand woman, and I can move to this position without ever entering the sand woman's line of sight.

Chai whispers to Bambara ...

Skeletons to the south east of us. I'll keep an eye open in that direction, if you can watch Alex and Harmini chat with sand lady

Selecting the Aura bit of info to “remember”. How many rounds of prehensile hair do I have left? I activated it for 1 minute in the previous combat.

This could be bad...

Harmini whispers to Alex (in Common) before advancing a few steps to converse with the creature (in Osiriani).

Tahiat sadiyqa. aismi harmyny eazir. aladhin qad yakun min diwaei saruri altahaduth me?

I nod as i hear chui and presume to watch over the ladies

Selecting the Aura bit of info to “remember”. How many rounds of prehensile hair do I have left? I activated it for 1 minute in the previous combat.

I would say 4 rounds.

Everyone give me a sense motive check.

Glad to have you on board Harmini. The only other thing I knew how to say was "Where is the library?". What do you think this sand woman's deal is?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

So, I don't know Osiriani or Sylvan, so I haven't looked at the spoiler boxes for people talking in these languages.

The sand statue bows it's head slightly and changes to the common tongue while it addressed both Harmini and Alex.

I am Heshsharu, the spirit of this house. It has been so long since someone has come in and spoken with me. Please tell me, what has become of this place. I hear noises sometime but cannot identify what they mean.

Relieved a seeing a friendly face I return the bow and proceed to pour on the charm.

Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Salutations Heshsharu, Great Spirit of House Pentheru. My name is Alexandra and this is our scholar, Harmini. Our botanical bodyguard goes by Bambara, and I see that you've already noticed our acquisitionist, Chui. We have been tasked by the local authorities to discover what has transpired here. It has been many centuries since this house has been lived in by its proper owners so we are also to catalog what we see and find, so that their proper owners can be found. As for the noises, it could be the large bug that was outside or the demon that is currently upstairs. We could take care of that if you wish, those things make a terrible mess.

[dice=Bluff on "proper owners found"]1d20+7[/dice]

Diplomacy to Schmooze It Up: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

My bluff check gets an additional +5 trait bonus from Innocent if the lie is believable or unlikely.

Harmini slowly backs out of the room. She tries again to signal Alex, Bam & Chui.

Sure, let's negotiate with an evil Sandman in the shape of a statue. I'm surprised we're not all asleep yet... Twenty feet? Yes. Twenty.

The statue smiles and some of it's sandy hair begins to move in a similar way to Harmini's. It doesn't mirror the movements but they seem to be inspired by seeing her.

I am most pleased to meet you here. You say there is a demon living above, perhaps you speak of Imanish. He is a most interesting creature, has an obsession with collecting heads. Not mine of course.

The sand statue begins to pace a little while it continues talking.

As for the rightful owners, I cannot say who would still live from House Pentheru. If there are any that live though, I would say that this whole place would belong to them. It is so nice that gallant people like you with pure hearts care so much.

Sense Motive on Harmini: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Hmm, time to change tactics.

I put my hands on my hips and frown slightly, my brow raises in miner annoyance.

Gallant people with pure hearts? Oh come on Heshsharu there is no need for that. Of course we are getting paid by the authorities to do this. Who would fight a giant insect and brave the undead for fun? Psychopaths, that's who. This doesn't exclude our genuine interest in this place from an intellectual standpoint, and I for one would love to learn about this place from your perspective. You speak as if you have seen much history and that is what we are in the business of recording.

Diplomacy for a smooth Recovery: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

I slowly and non-threateningly take out a small book with ink and a quill. A smile returns to my face as I sit down and open to a blank page.

Please Heshsharu, tell me about yourself and of this place. And also of this fellow Imanish. Is his head collection in any way connected to you not getting many visiters?

**Edit** That last sentence is supposed to come across as a light-hearted joke to get on her good side since I still don't know what Harmini is trying to tell me.

My friend Alex, I can't honestly say where he gets the heads. Though I guess maybe they come from people nearby. That may require some thought. Now, please tell me your story. How does a heavenly creature such as yourself come to spend her time with a walking tree, a cat, and this interesting creature?

At the last part the statue motions to Harmini and it smiles. As it does so,the sand the makes up its hair animates more and it slowly comes a little closer.

I've not used the Bluff convey secret message thing before, so I'm not sure exactly how it works. Harmini got a 12 on a DC 15 attempt, so she didn't successfully deliver the message so that we could automatically understand it.

However, she didn't fail by 5 or more, so she didn't deliver an incorrect message. I got a 17 on my Sense Motive, 5 more than Harmini's result. Since I beat her by 5 or more, I "intercept and understand the message." So, do I know what she was trying to communicate at this point?

I've not used the Bluff convey secret message thing before, so I'm not sure exactly how it works. Harmini got a 12 on a DC 15 attempt, so she didn't successfully deliver the message so that we could automatically understand it.

However, she didn't fail by 5 or more, so she didn't deliver an incorrect message. I got a 17 on my Sense Motive, 5 more than Harmini's result. Since I beat her by 5 or more, I "intercept and understand the message." So, do I know what she was trying to communicate at this point?

I've been bouncing this back and forth all day. Never really dealt with it much either. After rereading it, I do think this is the actual meaning of it. So, I guess Chui and Bam could make the check. And Chui does succeed.

In the future this is how I am going to rule it. You can declare who you are sending it to, and if you fail the bluff the message is either not clear or wrong (I encourage interesting RP to say what is wrong). Characters other than the targets can make a sense motive check regardless of the bluff check success or failure to figure it out.

Seeing the sand move closer I start to get the feeling something is up.

OK, time to bump it up.

Oh me? Well I was born in Cheliax, that's where my mom's estate is. Dad was a Taldan noble and was...well, something else. Didn't like the Cheliaxian nobility, they were a bunch of stuck up condescending jerks who looked down on everyone and treated the creatures around them like garbage. There was this one time when I was a kid and my mom's friend had enslaved a creature of living sand for her child's amusement. It drove the thing insane.

I close my book and stand up, starting right into it's eyes.

They eventually had to put it down. You want to know what they said when they killed it? They said "Gör dig redo att döda sanddamen. Sanddame kan vara dålig."

So much for civility. And I'm getting hungry again.

Well, since that was about as subtle as a brick to the head, I think I will need initiatives from everyone.

I was planning on attacking as soon as I understood Harmini’s message if that makes any difference

if i had time to react to thesylvan message i would like to eat my barbarian chew

Both of those actions would have resulted in the same initiative. Unless there some reason it should not know of your action.

i was told to prepare for battle dont care if she saw what i was doing