The Pathfinder Society has discovered a new Aspis Consortium base in the pirate city of Riddleport and sends a small team of agents to infiltrate the rival cell disguised as newly hired mercenaries from Magnimar.
With the tieflings preoccupied and the viper not paying attention, Consequences silently cuts the threads on the amulets and sneaks them out of the room without being spotted. They must be REALLY focused on their work.
Female Dwarf Fighter 3 | HP: 34/34 | AC 22 (T10, FF 22) | CMB: +6 CMD: 16 | F:+7 R:+1 W:+2 (+5 vs. cold weather, +2 vs. poison, spells, spell-like) | Init +0 | Perc +8, SM +1, Social -1, Appraise +2 | Speed 20 ft. | Active Conditions: None
Juno raises an eyebrow as Con appears with a trio of holy symbols. She ties one around her neck. Looking at Allessio she asks, "So this will let us pass now? I can just walk by?"
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
I'm pretty sure. Let me see that symbol, Juno. Alessio inspects the symbol carefully. I believe we can recreate this. Badriyah, if you would be so kind as to help me draw this symbol on the rest of us with your charcoal.
Alessio would like to use Linguistics to make a sort of forgery of the symbol. We have an example of it, so we should get a +8 to that check. Alessio has a +6 mod to Linguistics, bringing him to a +14. Hopefully we can get some assists in there too. That work, GM?
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
sweet!
Alessio helps make up a few extra symbols on the remaining members of the group and signals when he's ready to move on.
I assume you traitors to the Crown were celebrating on Wednesday (happy Treason day, by the way), and I had a live game yesterday, so that's two days of a break. Now we return to our normal scheduling.
The party moves to the western room without rousing the golem guardian. As you move past the bars, you see several heavy black curtains with a seven-sided rune on them. As a matter of fact, you see several layers of these black curtains. As you move past, you start hearing chanting and drums. Once you reach the last, the sound seems almost deafening compared to the silence of the rest of the safehouse.
This cavernous stone chamber may have once been an underground amphitheater. Several curtains painted with a seven-pointed rune obscure a complete view, but steep stairs and rows of stone benches descend into a central pit. Pounding drums and the rhythmic chanting of dozens of voices reverberate throughout this chamber. Many of the cultists whip themselves with barbed whips and then whip the blood onto the woman and the altar in the middle of the room.
Peeking into the pit, and with some effort, you count no less than 25 people in the room, not including yourselves. Cultists are gathered in the pit, on multiple layers of stairs and benches. The lowermost level contains a small stone altar, and a woman leading the ceremony. Her body turns into a fiery form in one moment, and she lets out a stream of colours that move around the room in the next. The cultists all chant, except for one. A man approaches you quickly after you enter. he was clearly tasked by guarding the entrance. He speaks in a hushed voice, thought the cultists below probably couldn't be roused by full-blown shouting either: "I don't know who you are, but you shouldn't be here. Explain yourselves, or leave."
Based on his appearance, the man seems like a younger acolyte tasked with mundane assignments until he gains experience, or an even younger member joins in.
The man lets out a sigh of relief and relaxes the hand resting on his weapon once he hears you are 'with' the Consortium. "I see. Still... you can't be here. You will interrupt the rituals. I understand you have something for us. I will be more than happy to pass on whatever you brought to the Lashmistress once the ceremony is finished, but I will not disturb her now. And neither will you."
"She expressed she doesn't wish to speak with you anyway, but she told everyone to expect you arriving today. Unfortunately, you chose a bad time if you wanted to negotiate anything. Just give me whatever you brought and I will pass it on. The Lashmistress would contact - or have someone get in touch with - your people afterwards."
Male Halfling HP:18/35 | AC 21 FF 16 T 16 CMB +1 CMD 16 | Per + 10 SM +1 Init +5 | Smokesticks: 3/4 Assault Leader 0/1 Adaptable Luck 0/3 uRogue (Escapologist) 4
Con spits in her face. That is what you have just done to me. We see the Lashmistress now or you had dissolved your working relationship with us. I am Thestil Shadowtongue and I will not be treated like some lackey. Now go get her....or I will teach you that this self-flagellation you engage in is just for show and that real pain.... is my game
The man wipes his face a degree of disgust, and looks at the halfling with squinted eyes. "If that is the way you want to see it, so be it. But I suppose this would make us even.", he points at the spittle on the floor. "Leave whatever you brought and be on your way. She will -NOT- speak with you. At least not right now."
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
She will speak to us, or we leave with our delivery. We will have our audience if we have to kill each acolyte in turn. Starting with you. Do you understand? Alessio delivers his threat in an even tone with stress on his final question.
Female Dwarf Fighter 3 | HP: 34/34 | AC 22 (T10, FF 22) | CMB: +6 CMD: 16 | F:+7 R:+1 W:+2 (+5 vs. cold weather, +2 vs. poison, spells, spell-like) | Init +0 | Perc +8, SM +1, Social -1, Appraise +2 | Speed 20 ft. | Active Conditions: None
GM NotEspi wrote:
I assume you traitors to the Crown were celebrating on Wednesday (happy Treason day, by the way), and I had a live game yesterday, so that's two days of a break. Now we return to our normal scheduling.
Haha. I'll have you know I celebrated a day of peaceful negotiation and compromise this past Sunday (Canada Day).
Juno scoffs at the acolyte. "Consider our working relationship over. Oh, and she can kiss the debt we owe goodbye."
Then she turns and stalks off.
We don't need to speak to the Lashmistress. Let's snoop in that last room and vandalize the heck out of this place while they're all distracted.
After helping Alessio draw out the holy symbols, Badriyah slips the charcoal back into the pouch and follows the others past the imposing statue. Listening to the others push the acolyte, she adds her own look of menace to the mix.
"Seems like we are the ones with something you want." She says casually to the acolyte. "It'd be pretty easy for us to just turn around and walk out of here with all the big magic items that I presume had some use or important meaning to your boss lady. " With a shrug she turns and starts to leave. "No loss to me. But I sure hope these things aren't needed for whatever big ritual you're talking about."
The acolyte seems lost for words for a few short moments, and once again grips the handle of his blade.
"As far as I am concerned, after you defaulting your debt to us, our 'working relationship', as you call it, is indeed over. I don't know who told you we need whatever you are bringing for our ritual, but I can assure you this is not the case. We perform the rite daily, and the first hiccup happens when you appear and interrupt it. As for threatening to wipe the entire temple - good luck with that. Even without the Lashmistress here, that wouldn't be so simple."
He takes a step back towards the pit while keeping you in sight. "With that said, I suggest you come back later. This is not a waiting room, however."
Female LG follower of Sarenrae | human (actually mostly human Ifrit) | freckles, sweet, naive, fierce personality in battle | Outsider (Native), Humanoid (human) | Resistances: Elec. 3, Acid 3, Fire 2, Cold 3 | Smite 1/1 | Boots of Speed 10/10 | Swashbuckler 5, Paladin 2, Unchained Monk 3, Bloodrager 1 | HP 106/106 | Protector Familiar HP 53 | with mage armor/rage: AC 35, T 30, FF 24 | CMD 37 | F: +23, R: +25 (Evasion), W: +17 | Init: +13 | Perc: -2, SM: -2 | Ki Pool 7/7 | Stunning Fist 6/6 | Rage 6/6 | LoH 7/7 | Panache 6/6 + Plume 1/1 | Reroll 1/1 + Lesson of H. 1/1 | Eefriti Magic 1/1 | Darkvision 60ft | Speed 40ft | Active cond.: +4 Dex
"Sorry that I ... I am asking but people are all do ... doing this ritual voluntarily, right?! And nobody ... you know ... gets hurt, right?" Setare asks the acolyte.
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
Alessio follows Con into the other room without a remark.
The secret door in this room is partially jammed and so is quite obvious; it can be pulled open with minimal effort. This door leads to a short, narrow hallway with metal stairs. Unfortunately, the top of the stairs is blocked by mortar and cobblestone, but it doesn't seem overly resilient.
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
Alessio offers his meager strength in aid. strength aid:1d20 ⇒ 10
Male Halfling HP:18/35 | AC 21 FF 16 T 16 CMB +1 CMD 16 | Per + 10 SM +1 Init +5 | Smokesticks: 3/4 Assault Leader 0/1 Adaptable Luck 0/3 uRogue (Escapologist) 4
Consequences joins in the effort to pull down the wall.
He knows that he will need to get lucky to pull down this wall....so he taps into his wellspring of luck to do just that as he pulls out his anytool and molds it into a crowbar.
The halfling, of all people, finds a weak spot in the mortar with his crowbar, and uses it to pry open a hole in the ceiling. Dust and small debris falls on you as create an opening leading to the streets of Riddleport. A quiet alley in a quiet part of town, but it's definitely not hidden as well as the trap door you came through.
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
We've found the temple. Let's get out of here. Alessio is ready to duck into the pathway out to the street if the rest of the crew agree.
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
We can run and burn those storage closets with some bombs, but we have precious little time if that golem is coming after us. Alessio handles some bomb components looking for some direction. Is the golem moving?
Footsteps! Heavy, cumbersome, but persistent and regular seems to be echoing through the large hall in the hideout. Or is that just debris falling to the ground below you? Only one way to find out!
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
perc:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
I think it's coming. I feel heavy footsteps. If it comes in, take it down. I'll burn the storage closets. Alessio moves down towards the storage closets to lob some bombs through the door.
Male Human Alchemist (chirurgeon, wasteland blightbreaker) 5 | HP 38/38 | AC 21/14/17 | F+7 R+9 W+2 | Init +6 | Perc +7 | Bombs: 10/10 | Active Conditions: None
As an alternative, you can wait for the thing outside the crawl hole, and just gang up on it with readied actions once it climbs onto the street via the ladder/stairs. Want me to set up a map for that?
Female LG follower of Sarenrae | human (actually mostly human Ifrit) | freckles, sweet, naive, fierce personality in battle | Outsider (Native), Humanoid (human) | Resistances: Elec. 3, Acid 3, Fire 2, Cold 3 | Smite 1/1 | Boots of Speed 10/10 | Swashbuckler 5, Paladin 2, Unchained Monk 3, Bloodrager 1 | HP 106/106 | Protector Familiar HP 53 | with mage armor/rage: AC 35, T 30, FF 24 | CMD 37 | F: +23, R: +25 (Evasion), W: +17 | Init: +13 | Perc: -2, SM: -2 | Ki Pool 7/7 | Stunning Fist 6/6 | Rage 6/6 | LoH 7/7 | Panache 6/6 + Plume 1/1 | Reroll 1/1 + Lesson of H. 1/1 | Eefriti Magic 1/1 | Darkvision 60ft | Speed 40ft | Active cond.: +4 Dex
GM confirmed that the golem is coming!
Hearing that the golem is coming Setare looks concerned but this immediate threat pumps adrenaline into her system and you suddenly hear the confidence in her voice.
"We should run up and confront the golem on the street! We will alert every cultist here and we still need to come back to explore the rest of the level!"
Setare runs up to the street level awaiting the rest of the team and the golem! Silently she whispers "Chaldira be with us!"
Badriyah follows the others up to the street after wishing Alessio good luck. With a quick check of her equipment, she readies a bomb and waits for the stone creature to emerge from the temple.
