Nightfiend's (PFS-Standard) #7-18 Faithless and Forgotten, Part 3: The Infernal Inheritance (Inactive)

Game Master Nightfiend

Seeing Serge rush toward the statue to confront it face to face, Felli decides to assist and rushes to get into a flanking position to help Serge.

Double Move (difficult terrain).

Felli is currently holding his bow and will need to switch to a melee weapon in order to provide a flanking bonus.

Serge holds his earthbreaker towards the ceiling of the temple and whispers a prayer. Just as he does, the hammer takes on a fiery hue of bright red and golden light. "Heh, it seems your time is up," the paladin says as he holds the hammer overhead and charges for the creature, the full weight of Ragathiel's will placed upon the attack.

Earthbreaker, charge, smite evil, power attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 282d6 + 9 ⇒ (1, 5) + 9 = 15
Ragathiel be praised: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 282d6 + 9 ⇒ (6, 2) + 9 = 172d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 3) + 9 = 17

How about that, statue?

(Bird chirps at magnificent bashing)

I've heard of games where a nat 20 is confirmed with a nat 20 = insta-kill.

Yeah. Was going to do draw his sword next round, since I didn't have enough move speed to actually reach this statue this round.

Felli: In response to the paladin moving in to combat the animation, Felli hustles across the floor and into a more strategic position.

Fundir: Delayed

Serge: The statue’s coiled snake lashes out as Serge begins his charge. (AOO 15’ reach. Miss!)

(Attack) Snake bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
(Damage) Snake bite: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

After enduring the retaliatory assault of the statue’s coiled snake, the paladin raises his hammer high overhead and beckons Ragathiel for guidance. As if in response to the paladin cry for divine intervention, his massive Earth breaker takes on unearthly glow just before he brings the hammer down into a powerful swing. The impact of the blow echoes throughout the entire room. In awe of the sheer power of the strike, it almost seems like time stands still for a moment before the statue shatters into a thousand small pieces.

Out of Combat!

With the destruction of the guardian the room goes silent, with only the sound of the crumbling stone injecting itself into the moment. The last of the glyphs in the corridor have now become fully active again and the ambient glow on Serges Earth breaker slowly fades away.

Serge watches on with an angry scowl as the statue crumbles into a thousand pieces under the weight of his hammer, then as the room falls silent, he puts his earthbreaker away and picks up his greatsword. "In this moment, my Lord is all around me," the paladin says as he holds a hand to his chest and smiles. "Sometimes, rarely, I get the feeling I must be destined for more than an early death. I would not be blessed this way otherwise, I suppose." Serge says as he examines the others. "Are any of you injured?"

"Just my bruised ego."

"Nice hit. Your god must have felt this an appropriate moment to show off one of his followers' prowess, right?"

Mia smiles, and the bird chirps merrily.

"Yep. The earth-breaker is a gnarly weapon well favored where I come from. I've seen men on the receiving end of one of those things and it doesn't leave a nice pretty cut you can sew up. And all the bleeding is inside. A real mess maker... Not that I disapprove. Not my intention at all."

At that her mouth snaps shut and, once again, her skin turns a different shade of bronze.

I'm starting to miss the whole arranged couples thing. This is damn awkward. I'm not even sure I'm interested, but my mouth just keeps going.

Felli puts his bow away. "Well. I was coming to provide some support but looks like you managed without me. Good going."

He looks around the room, "Be careful and not step on the runes on the floor in the room. We don't know if they will do anything else."

Since he is near the pool of water, Felli begins to scan if anything might be in the pool. Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

After inspecting the well, Felli finds nothing worth reporting.

With enough of the ruin now open for exploration the group has more than enough time to categorize, document, and pack up their findings. This takes about three days of hard work, but the group manages to turn up a moderate amount of history. History that will likely help to discern who has the governing right over the archeological find. Many of the Taldan discoveries appear to have been manipulated in a way to make it look as if Tador had laid claim to the settlement long ago. After a carful inspection, the group is able to determine that the manipulation looks to be motivated by Cheliax in an attempt to manipulate history into a more palatable version. After separating the the real historical finds, it becomes abundantly apparent that Taldor’s presence in Ibhir never existed and was a complete fabrication.

The group can apply (3) days of rest for the purpose of healing, spells, and recovery. Those willing to help with the exploration and categorization of the place can make a perception check. Mia may include a separate roll for Gale if she wishes her bird to help explore.

Working with the others, Felli helps to explore the rest of the place.

If we can Take 20, I will for a 26 result. If not here is the roll.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14

Solstice helps categorize but is not much interested in wandering.

Perc Mia, guidance: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 1 = 19
Perception Gale, guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 1 = 18

I apologize for not posting yesterday. Life just got in the way. Thank you for delaying me GM.

Fundir is finally able to pick his jaw up off the floor at the magnificent strike Serge landed. "Your godsssss are truly with you, my friend! That had to be a persssssonal intercessssssion!" Reverently, he bows to the paladin before turning back to matters at hand.

Over the next three days, Fundir carefully combs through the complex, his falcon eyes helping the more knowledgeable of the party to discern the web of lies they have discovered.
Perception, Guidance: 1d20 + 10 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 4 + 1 = 21

Brayden would be proud.

"Indeed it was," Serge says to Fundir before assisting the others in poking through the remainder of the ruins, if nothing else than to keep a watchful eye on them.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 4

While exploring the area Fundir finds a secret door that leads to a recessed room behind the stained glass, which takes up a large portion of the Northern wall. After fully inspecting the door and securing the area, the group is able to inspect the hidden room.

Eerie green lights burn all along the walls of this laboratory. A staircase ascends to the east, and a collapsed one lies to the west. A stained-glass window looms over an operating slab where the remains of a humanoid creature lie chained to the stone. Several tablets and other strange items lie atop the various tables.

I am currently at work and can’t access the map till later today. When I get home I will update the map to reflect the discovery.

Felli decides, at the moment, not to get close to the chained creature. "Why would they have that chained up like this? This room just doesn't feel right."

Ok, map has been updated. Anyone wishing to explore or search the room can now move themselves into the area and roll a perception check.

Felli begins to search the room, especially around the chained figure.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Fundir curiously moves about the room, examining the remains and the tools. "Why, indeed? Thissss appearssss to be ssssome kind of experimentation room.. but for what?" he muses aloud.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 4 = 31
K. Nature for the bones?: 1d20 ⇒ 11

"Experimentation, or sacrifice maybe.
Whatever the reason, i say twisted individuals."

Serge frowns at the sight of the remains and slowly paces around the table once. "I think Mia is right about someone twisted being involved in this. Who else would do such a thing? This person deserves a proper burial just as much as anyone else does."

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Serge quickly glances into the room and is immediately turn off by the obvious moral violation that took place in this room long ago. While the paladin converses with Mia about the rooms’ foul presence, Felli and Fundir move into the room and begin a more careful inspection of the place.

Immediately upon entering the room, Fundir’s eyes fall upon a large ornately crafted bastard sword that is sitting atop one of the ancient tables. When the hunter looks up from the table he sees that Felli has made the same discovery.

Laying alongside the sword are a set of ancient tablets. The tablets appear to be very brittle, but still intact enough to be manipulated and read. (Linguistics DC 25 or the ability to read Jistkan will reveal more information about the books.)

Over the next few days the group is able to document and categorize many Justkan artifacts. These artifacts now make up a solid collection of history that can now be exported back to Corentyn.

The group will receive (3) nights of rest during the process of collecting and categorizing the find. You may refresh spells, heal, and make spell changes at this time.

After three days of hard work, the group escorts the find back to Corentyn aboard a Chelish frigate. After the group arrives back in Corenton, they make their way back towards the Museum of History. The night has grown into early evening with the days light almost completely absent. The city is currently under the process of transitioning to the night while the moon makes its first appearance.

Finally the group makes it to the museum. The building is dark with only a few muffled voices coming from the building’s East wing.

As the group passes into the city, Fundir's falcon eyes spot something curious. He turns to his friends and muttes just loud enough for them to hear without his voice carrying "Friendssss.. Expect trouble. We have been noticed.."

"Really? What trouble?" she answers in a low voice without looking anywhere in particular.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Serge studies the ornately carved blade and recognizes it as a +1 bastard sword. "This may be useful to one of you, but I feel I'm armed well enough to defend as I am."

__

Well-rested and back at the museum, Serge keeps his greatsword at the ready upon Fundir's warning. "Noticed by who, Fundir? What do you hear? What of Zefiro? Be at the ready," he says as he charges past Solstice. "Someone must be expecting us."

With the warning by Fundir, Felli draws his sword and starts looking around. "Where Fundir? What do you see?"

Take 10 on the spellcraft spoiler.

"Well done, Serge. I would have expected a paladin to be more knowledgable in religious matters, not the deciphering of the arcane."

The Library of History

Does Serge have the ability to cast detect magic? That would be a prerequisite to identify a magical item using Spell craft. Not that it necessarily matters with Mia being able to I.D. it by taking 10.

Cautiously the group moves up to the library where they find the main doors unlocked. Double doors open into a hall filled with bookshelves, display cases, and two large tables piled with manuscripts. Several oil lamps keep the darkness at bay even at night. A rolling ladder stands at the east end of the library. Two staircases near the doors rise to the balconies on both sides of the hall. The railed balconies run across the length of the hall with a third one rising even higher to the east. There, a pair of doors leads into a second-story office.

A woman with dark, flowing hair speaks from the highest balcony. “How nice of you to deliver yourselves to me. I was just about to come find you! I strongly advise that you turn yourself in for questioning—though I must admit that part of me hopes you won’t, since our friends to the east are sure to hammer the truth out of the traitor Zefiro anyway.”

This is the main hall in the east wing of the museum. The bookcases are 10 feet tall, making them about as tall as the north and south balconies. The rolling ladder is 10 feet tall. The lamps shed normal light throughout the library.

Felli sighs, "I would be lying if I said this outcome came as a surprise to me."

He then whispers to the others, "I don't see a way to talk our way out of this and surrender is not an option. They will torture us and eventually permanently silence us."

"What an odd threat. Why should we be afraid of you and a couple of simple goons? And if I was threatening someone I would pick somewhere more... daunting than a library. Besides, you don't want the truth, do you? I'm betting you just want to know if you need to squelch the truth. Which makes a library kind of ironic, doesn't it. Then again, you can't believe everything you read."

She realizes she is blathering and abruptly shuts up.

As the team approaches the library, Fundir elaborates. "When we esssscaped from town before, there wasssss a bird tracking ussss, remember? It wassss a Raven. One was jusssst circling and headed for the library.."

As Fundir enters the library, his mace is already in his hand. He looks about as the woman is talking, noting the different approaches and trying to decide on a tactic for this fight. He begins to swell and grow, taking on the form of a bull in preparation for the fight. Once his transformation is complete, he regards the woman again. "We both know how thissss will end. Why do you ssssay you hope we will ressssisssst? Do you want to kill special Envoysss of the Pathfinder SSSSociety? Do you want to possssssibly sssstart a war?"

Didn't i try to capture that bird?
Sleep hex i recall. :/

Didn't i try to capture that bird?

Sleep hex i recall. :/

Yep. I seem to remember it didn't fall from the roof though. But they might have more than one raven too.

Nope, Serge cannot detect magic, only eeevil. Ah well, Mia's got the arcane covered.

Serge scowls at the woman as he points his blade up at her. "Your words are so very threatening, yet we have done nothing to you. What have you done with Zefiro? Turn, leave this place, and never come back, or regret that you'd ever laid a hand on an innocent person, foolish witch."

“You have been a thorn in my side since you got here. It would appear that involving you into this little twist was a relatively bad idea. I knew it would be. Enough of the jibber, let’s get down to business. Its obvious that you don’t intend to surrender,” she says after Serge points his sword at her.

“Well it is probably better this way, anyway.” After her last statement the dark haired woman waves a hand over to the two guards on the walkway.

Round 1
Bold may post an action.

Guard Purple (19)
Gale (18)
Serge(18)
Solstice (15)
Dark haired woman (12)
Fundir (12)
Felli (11)
Mia (7)
Guard Brown (2)

After the woman waves her hand, the (purple) guard moves further along the balcony and then throws a javelin at Serge. The sound of the javelin's sharp tip penetrating the paladins armor makes a pinking sound. (Hit -6 HP)

(Attack) Yellow vs. Serge (FF): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19 < ---PINK!
(Damage) Yellow vs. Serge: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Finally something I can help fight. Lets see how the guard deals with a little firey distraction.

Solstice moves up the stairs and casts Ear-piercing Scream using her Bloodline Arcana to convert damage type to fire.

damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 points of fire damage to purple and dazed, DC 18 fort save for half damage and no daze.

(Note: Solstice has a longspear so she gets an AOO if engaged without reach, though hopefully he will be dazed)

"The only thorn in your side is the burning one you will feel once vengeance is delivered upon you," Serge confidently says as moves up the stairs and slices at the brown-armored guard.

Mwk greatsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 122d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 5) + 4 = 11

"Lady, i don't know your devious motives, but you're one sore loser, is what my impression is."

Gale can't do anything on its own, and wouldn't simply talk to anyone (in common) but Mia.

Gale: Sits quietly on Mia’s shoulder, watching. The little bird seems confused about the whole situation.

Serge: The paladin moves into the library and up the stair. After reaching the (Brown) guard, he takes a heavy two handed swing at the man with his great sword. The blade clanks as it strikes a nearby book shelf, missing his intended target all together. (Miss)

Solstice: The sorceress also moves into the building, but decides to ascend the Northern staircase. After reaching the top of the stairs she conjures an ear piercing sound that cascades throughout the room. The effect seems to have rendered the Man motionless as blood begins to slowly drip from his ears. (Save failed -6 HP and stunned for 1 round.)

Fort save purple vs. Solstice’s spell: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Dark haired woman: The woman moves North and joins the guard that appears to be motionless. (Double move)

Round 1 (Continued)
Bold may post an action.

Guard Purple (19) (-6 hp, Stunned)
Gale (18)
Serge(18) (-6 hp)
Solstice (15)
Dark haired woman (12)
Fundir (12)
Felli (11)
Mia (7)
Guard Brown (2)

Seeing the leader head for Solstice, Fundir gives a wordless cry of challenge and rushes to interpose himself, mace in hand.

Mia moves into the great hall and with Fundir going to Solstice's aid, she helps Serge.

Slumber hex on the guard facing Serge, DC 15 will.

Seeing Mia go to aid Serge, Felli decides to go help Fundir and Solstice since the woman headed in their direction. He enters the room and then rushes up the stairs passing Solstice as he slams his back into the wall, taking partial cover with the bookshelf.

+2 AC, +1 Reflex for Partial Cover

Round 1 (Continued)

Fundir: The hunter quickly moves into an intervening position between Solstice and the purple guard. With mace in hand, he stands ready to attack anyone who attempts to approach. (Ready action to attack anyone who comes within range.)

Felli: The rogue rushes up the Northern stairs and places himself into a defensible position behind a book shelf. (Partial cover noted)

Mia: Seeing Serge miss his target, Mia decides to lend the paladin a hand. After summoning up a hex she begins concentrating on the brown guard. After a moment the guard’s expression begins to fade into a look of expressionless slumber. Soon the guard gives into the hex and crumples to the ground. (Save failed casing the brown guard to fall asleep)

Willpower save brown vs. Mia’s spell: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Brown guard: The guard rests quietly on the ground at Serge's feet after falling victim to Mia’s hex. (Sleeping)

Top of round 2

Purple guard: The guard stands unmoving with a look of shock on his face. (Stunned)

Round 2
Bold may post an action.

Guard Purple (19) (-6 hp, Stunned)
Gale (18)
Serge (18) (-6 hp)
Solstice (15)
Dark haired woman (12)
Fundir (12)
Felli (11)
Mia (7)
Guard Brown (2) Prone, Helpless, Sleeping)

Nice. Both guards defenseless after the 1st round. I smell a Sneak Attack damage coming up. :P

GM, do I still need a disarm check considering he fell helpless and therefore dropped his weapon?

Solstice turns her attention to the mouthy woman and sees if she can make her trick work again. Firey Ear-piercing Scream

Scream: 1d6 ⇒ 1 points of fire damage to the leader and dazed, DC 18 fort save for half damage and no daze.