PBP: The Godsmouth Heresy (PFS) (Inactive)

Game Master Richard M. Harris

Yggdrar's attack crashes into the staircase shaking the very foundation but having no effect on the monster.

The Darkmantle reaches its tentacles out towards Old Iron and begins to whip them about.

Slam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Grab: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

The tentacles slam into Old Iron Dealing 2 points of bludgeoning damage and he feels them start to wrap around but is able to break free.

Allright everyone else may act

Richard, I'm not sure if the "black line" on the map gives the darkmantle total cover from me or not. If it does, then:

"What's going on?" screams the Chelaxian, "I can't see a damnable thing around here. I'm getting out of here!"

Petronicus tries to barge down the stairwell, trying to get out of the magical darkness, but stumbles on the stairs, and picks himself back up again. Acrobatics to move at full speed in darkness: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4, nope, fall prone. Second move action to stand up again.

Seeing no way to push past his comrades in the packed staircase and completely unaware of what's going on in the darkness below, Evad waits for his opportunity to act.

Evad delays

"We need to clear this stairwell where we can have a chance against this thing!". Molos starts moving back up the stairs, trying to get some room.

Old Iron will attempt to overrun the creature.

He does not have improved overrun, so he will provoke. The creature can also choose to let me pass.

Overrun: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

The Darkmantle flails at Old Iron as he attempts to pass.

Slam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Grab: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

and he might as well be standing still as Old Iron rushes past him.

Please move Old Iron on the map as far as you are able down the stairs. If you reach the bottom it pops out into room 2.

Molos please move your token up the stairs as far as you are able, going up the stairs cost 10 feet per movement.

Starting Round 2, waiting for actions from Molos, Yggdrar, and Saarai and for Molos and Old Iron to move their tokens.

Hearing Molos' suggestion, and finding it sensible, Ahto moves with him back up the stairs, and out of the darkness.

It's a cattle chute in there," he says to Evad, as he nods back over his shoulder. "Best we get clear, and let the front rank handle it."

Someone please move my token. My phone browser won't let me do it.

Ahto and Molos moved back to the locked door.

Yggdrar hears the rest of the group retreat, but he stubbornly holds his ground. He refuses to leave; He couldn't allow himself to be stopped by something so paultry! Giving an animalistic roar, he brings that flail around once more, this time with even more force behind it as he lashed out at the creature.

Rage-fueled Power Attack
Miss chance (over 50=success): 1d100 ⇒ 69
ATTACK: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
DAMAGE: 1d10 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Cant move my token on my phone, DM. If someone will do so, I'd appreciate it.

The crushing blow from Yggdrars Rage-Fueled flail turns the Darkmantle into a gooey mess.

After a minute or so the darkness fades and the party is able to progress down the stairs unimpeded. The bottom of the stairs open into a square chamber.

Old carvings cover the walls of this square chamber, thick with dust and cobwebs. Three sets of stone double doors stand in the three facing walls. Heavy bronze seals emblazoned with the symbol of Pharasma secure the doors against whatever lies beyond.

Studying the Carvings

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Ahto pauses in front of the north wall and scrutinizes it.

"Huh. Some sort of riddle, I suppose," he says to no one in particular.

Petronicus kneels down to study the creature, picking it apart with his dagger. "Never seen one of these before. Don't quite understand why a creature of the dark has the power to make more darkness. Seems that it wouldn't be very useful down here, kind of like a shark having the power to make more sea water. What's the point?"

"One thing's for sure though, this crypt has a connection to deeper tunnels. No way a flesh and blood creature would be able to survive down here with no natural food source ... unless it eats the flesh of the dead." Petronicus shudders at the thought.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Looking at the carvings, he suddenly calls out, "Hey look, it's the runelords! I'd recognize their ioun stone-studded heads anywhere!"

Just curious which way is north?

Evad looks around the room as the others point out the graffiti and pictures of the runelords. Hand on his chin stroking his scruffy beard.

What in Gozreh could this mean?

He searches for double meaning as he reads it over. Wondering aloud.

Does anyone see any "treasure" chests among the pictures of the runelords? When it says "I don't know what it means", what exactly is the it, it is referring to? I wonder if this is of importance at all or just some madman's ravings.

North is up

The large Elf slowly comes down from his burst of anger, taking a moment to catch his breath as the darkness fades. He follows everyone's eyes to the carvings in the wall, studying them as he wipes off the head of his flail.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Kn: History: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Yggdrar doesn't recognize the stone faces, but the writing he does understand, and adds his thoughts. "Could be some poor soul lost its way down here. Possibly delirious from a lack of food or water. Or maybe some creature caused its madness."

Yggdrar doesn't recognize the stone faces, but the writing he does understand, and adds his thoughts. "Could be some poor soul lost its way down here. Possibly delirious from a lack of food or water. Or maybe some creature caused its madness."

Petronicus turns to the tall elf. "But how could they get down here? I thought the place is locked up tight!"

"The scrawl does not appear to be new, just consiserably more recent than the rest of the room.," Ahto replies. "I doubt that Pharasmin priestess holds the only key to this place, and this city's reputation for lawlessness makes it unsurprising that someone would be locked down here by someone keen on making an enemy or mere inconvenience disappear."

"Are any of you trap spotters? It wouldn't shock me that someone devoted to the Runelords would have put all kinds of vile mechanisms around this place."

Yggdrar motions to himself. "I have some experience with traps, and I have very good eyes. If traps are a problem, I'll take the lead."

Petronicus steps back and lets the tall elf take the lead. "Please, be my guest. I have an allergy to "vile mechanisms."

"And you can start with those doors, right over there," he says, pointing at the only exit.

While waiting for the elf, Krupt takes a look at the door to the east to see if he can spot anything unusual. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

"So which door shall it be?" Ahto asks. "Lacking a map, we can only make an educated guess."

He points to the scrawl on the north wall. "This could have been a warning. a sign post, or a lure for a trap. It makes the north door the most intriguing of the three options, but that does not necessarily translate to being the safest or most correct."

Krupt turns around at the Abadarian's comment.

"Oh right, I forgot about the other doors. Let me take a look at those as well."

Perception on northern doors: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Perception on western doors: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Petronicus peers over each of the doors and notices nothing other than the large Pharasman seal locking it from opening.

"Ah yes, the Pharasmin seals. If I remember correctly, and I almost always do, we have that magical chime with five charges. We need to save one charge to get out the main door at the top of the stairs. This means we have four charges left."

He points at each of the door leading out of the chamber. "I don't know if each of these doors requires a separate charge, but if it does ... well, that's a problem. Also a problem, if we need another charge to get back out through them on the way back."

Petronicus absent-mindedly scratches his head. "Seems that we just pick a door and go through. I don't see any particular reason to pick one over the other. We just need to keep at least two charges in the chime: one for upstairs, and one (potentially) for getting back through these doors. Oh, and who has the chime?"

He then steps back to the stairs and points at the doors. "So Yggdrar, care to try your luck?"

The tall elven barbarian nods and opts to take point for the group, giving them a moment to debate over which door to enter first. All looked shut and locked, guessing this is where that 'chime of opening' would come into play. He kept his Flail in hand, taking a moment to regard each door carefully.

"I vote east, and we just go through each door in order. I don't think it'll matter that much which door we enter first."

I assume I have it. No one else mentioned taking it, and I offered.

Ahto retrieves the chime from his pouch.

"Let us have consensus on the choice before I ring the chime. Which door shall be opened?"

Ahto silently ponders the possibility that a single ring of the chime within the small chamber would unlock all three doors.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Ahto retrieves the chime from his pouch.

"Let us have consensus on the choice before I ring the chime. Which door shall be opened?"

Krupts stands by the entrance stairs holding his polearm. "Makes no difference to me. One is as good as the other in my book."

After examining the chime again Ahto does not discover any new information about the item.

"That one wanted to head east. I have no objection, so use it on the east door, and let's get underway."

"Trial and error, or error by trial, east seems the way to go."

"They always say you're supposed to go to the left" Old Iron grins, showing off his chipped snake teeth. "So we should go to the right."

Ahto nods, and approaches the east door.

He holds the chime before him and looks intently at the seal of Pharasma.

"I can only assume this is how the device works, as we were not given more specific instructions by the Pharasmin woman."

He takes a breath, then rings the chime once.

"Hmm, the tone of that chime is quite pleasant. Reminds me of our dinner bell back home in Kintargo. Hmm, now I'm hungry for roast pig."

Krupt absent-mindedly pulls a piece of jerky from his pocket and takes a bite. He looks around at the group.

"I guess it's too early to take lunch, yes?"

As the chime rings out the spiral seal on the door spins slowly, dissolving a bit with every revolution. It fades completely and the door opens on its own slowly and without sound.

In the small L shaped room, A strange statue of a half-snake, half human creature stands in a wide alcove to the south of two large stone doors. Comprising the lower body of a coiling serpent and the upper torso of a human woman, the statue has six wings and a disk containing a seven-pointed star in place of its head. Its crossed arms hold a quill and whip, and the entire statue is covered in verdigris. The faint outline of strange runes can be made out beneath the patina coating the statue.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Petronicus looks about the room cautiously. "Well, I guess now we know that one chime only opens one door. If all of these rooms don't connect, that will really limit our ability to explore."

He then moves over to stand next to the statue, looking for anything unusual, while trying to decipher what the raded runes mean. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12Linguistics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Knoweldge (religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Ahto stares at the statue for a long moment, and gives a small shrug.

"Some creature of old, or from another plane, or something else I didn't care to listen to an academic priest lecture on for hours and hours. Nothing to do with enforcing law and meting out just punishment, I'd wager, or else I'd remember it," he says gruffly.

Spellcraft 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

As a regular action while in the dungeon, DM, Molos will strive to keep Detect Magic active while exploring, with multiple re castings as needed.

"That's statue's magical, but I'm not sure what sort of magic or how strong."

Evad enters the room.

"What a strange statue"

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Evad notices what looks to be a magical trap.

"Whoa! Hang on don't touch that statue, it's magically trapped!"

Gotta love that skill crit!

Petronicus quickly backs away from the state as if it had burned him.

Upon entering the room, Yggdrar takes a quick scan, checking for any obvious threats before motions everyone in. He still had his weapon in one hand as he scanned the room with the others of his group, keeping his distance from teh statue when one of them declared it dangerous. He noticed something off about it, but wasn't about to investigate it further.

He laid eyes on the statue for a long time, approaching it and laying a hand on her stone stomach. "I recognize this being. Lissala, goddess of fate and runes. I had heard from my Elders that she was, is, a Thassilonian goddess." He looks to Petronicus, also examining the statue, and comments, "If you're having trouble reading the markings, I can translate."

Kn: Religion 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Perception:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

"Lissala, you say? Never heard of her. Must have gotten axed at some point, otherwise there would still be worshipers of her around, right? Oh, and why would anyone trap a statue? It's not like people are going to walk off with a stone statue otherwise."

Petronicus shakes his head at the folly of long-dead Thassilonians.

At Yggdrar's suggestion Krupt bristles a bit, never liking a show-off who upstages him. "Fine, go ahead and read away."

Saarai moves next to Evad and ponders the statue, then casts detect magic.

"He's right...good catch," she says.

perception: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 9 + 1 = 25
spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"I do have some experience with magical traps...there was that thing with the queen's jewels, but I'll leave that story for another time," she says as she looks at the statue carefully for a way to disable it.

Can I take 10 on disable device? If so, that gives me a 22. Otherwise, let me know and I'll roll for it.

Yggdrar and Petronicus pondering over the runes sense no hidden messages or secrets, they are just runes related to Lissalan worship.

Saarai picks and jabs at the trap for a few minutes but is not able to disable it. She sense that she is going to have to give it one good go to make a difference, but at a risk of failure.

A roll of 22 is not high enough to beat the Disable Device DC, but does not trigger it

Not being of any more use near the statue, Petronicus moves over to the exit doors and checks them for anything unusual. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Old Iron peeks into the hallway and sees it's a dead end, then goes back to the opposite door of the first room.

He laughs. "Told ya we shoulda gone right."

He's going to check the door for traps while he's waiting, poking around it with the butt of his halberd.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Petronicus looks quizzically at Old Iron Tyr. "Do you have trouble with depth perception, lizard-man?" he says, pointing at the two large stone doors on the western side of the statue room.

Oops. Didnt see that >_<

Old Iron turns back and leans his halberd against his shoulder. "Sorry. Didn't see it. They don't call me 'Old Iron' because I've got young eyes! You know."

He squints his eyes. "Ah, see it now. Hard go make it out behind the massive ego in front of it."

Not realizing that the nagaji is talking about him, Petronicus dismisses his comment with a wave of his hand and turns back around to ponder the door some more. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Best wishes for a quick recovery for the missus!

Thoughts are with you, DM.

I hope everything turns out alright. Best wishes!

Take the time you need, family comes first. I will pray for your wife.

ok combats up... thank you everyone for your well-wishes. We are still in the hospital, but just doing alot of sitting around and waiting on tests. So lets roll some virtual dice while we wait.

Hope she will be feeling better soon, Richard.

Good luck! I hate that kind of stuff...

Sorry, we have our big convention this weekend in Portland, so I'm running lots of PFS. Will be able to post again Sunday PM West Coast time. Please bot me until then.

Ok so the main storyline is mostly completed... there is one more "scene" so to speak, but yes technically you have completed the mission by stopping the alchemist.

There are also a handful of other rooms yet to be explored... but there are a couple of combats that you guys will destroy and 1 trap that Saarai will eat for lunch.

If you guys want to continue and play it out I totally will, or if yall choose to leave with the Alchemist now I will cinematically describe the rest of the scenes and we can get to the paperwork stage.... although it will be friday before I can send out chronicle sheets if thats the choice.

VOTE NOW!

oh and lets go ahead and get our PFS info posted:

Character Name:
Player Name:
PFS Number:
Day Job Roll:
Faction:

I wouldn't mind handling the rest of the rooms in narrative fashion. Perhaps tell us what's in there, and we could contribute how we'd deal with it. Either that, or you just do it all, you're the GM!

Petronicus Krupt III
Alex Greenshields
PFS#: 2840-5
Profession (demonic investigator): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Faction: Dark Archive

I agree with Pete.

Old Iron Tyr
Ethan Smith
PFS#: 99807-9
Mercenary Company (diplomacy caravan), Take 10: 10 + 1 = 11
Faction: Exchange

A pleasure playing with you, Mr. Greenshields. I'm one of the many players who has lost a character to the Dalsine Affair ;)

Yes, I'm up for hearing about the rest of it in a cinematic way. What Petronicus and Old Iron are requesting. Sort of playing on Fast Forward.

Evad Alacar
David Harris
PFS # 90071-5
No Day Job
Scarab Sages

Also, Richard thanks very much for running this for us. It's been great!
Fellow Pathfinders thanks also to you for making it a fun game.

I'm fine with the rest of the group. Many thanks to the DM for running us through this one!

Molos Voren
PFS# 12445-9.
No day job.
Dark Archive

"Crack-jawed" Ahto Ulrych
Cullen Case
PFS# 2729-2
Headsman: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Exchange

I am fine with a cinematic ending, if that is the majority.

A pleasure playing with you, Mr. Greenshields. I'm one of the many players who has lost a character to the Dalsine Affair ;)

Well, I hope you also had fun despite your loss. It was a pleasure playing with you as well.

Saarai Shae
PatheticWretch
PFS# 132,076-2
Faction Dark Archive

craft alchemy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Assuming we have completed all our objectives and will receive full credit, I would prefer to call an "official" end to this so I can use this character for a game I had starting this week.

I would be happy to stay on for any narrative endings, however. This has been a fun group! I liked the banter with some of you...very fun!

Thanks so much for running this, DM! Great work!

If it's okay, I'm going to go ahead and join one of these other opportunities I had come up since it sounds like we have reached our "official" end.

I will be sticking around for any narrative conclusions (or if our DM objects!).

You are good to go Saarai... I will get certs sent out today.

Chronicle sheets are listed below, if you cannot access them or there is an error please let me know. I will work on the cinematic finish for you guys monday. Feel free to go ahead and venture to other games. Sorry for the delay in the finish, life happens.

Thanks for sticking with this. I hope you all enjoyed yourself!

Ahto

Evad

Molos

Old Iron

Petronicus

Saarai

DM, all of the sheets say they are for Crack Jaw. I'm on an apple device, so it doesn't work well with google docs so it might be on my end, but if that's the case, could you get corrected sheets up for all of us?

Same on PC..

Thanks again Richard!

Thanks again for running this, GM!

hmmmmm allright, I will take a look and see why it is doing that.

Allright lets try this again:

Ahto

Evad

Molos

Old Iron

Petronicus

Saarai

You need to give us permission, DM.

f+$~.... I hate google drive.

allright guys try those links again... i think ive got the permissions set right now

Looks good. Thank you, Richard.

That's great! Thanks again for running this! Was a fun time!

Perfect, DM. Much obliged!

Thank you again -- had a lot of fun!

Yes. Thanks, Richard!

Thank you very much!

This may seem like a stupid question, but this was my first PFS game with a PFS registered character for PFS credit, so:

I noticed that we were each given a sheet listing the same items. Do each of our characters now possess those items, or should we be dividing them up? If the latter, when and how do we resolve that?

Treasure in PFS is done in the abstract. What that means is that the total gold you received for playing the module equals the total value of everything we picked up divided by 4 or 5 (I forget). We automatically receive NONE of the items we found during the adventure, but have to purchase any we wish to use in the future.

We each have access to the items listed on the chronicle sheet, in addition to the "always available" items, and the items that we qualify for given our Prestige score.

For more info on this, read the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play, which you can download for free HERE.

Good question.

Basically, each of us has "access" to those items...we don't receive them.

Think of it as turning everything we find over to the Pathfinder Society, BUT anyone could buy an item from them. Even if we both wanted a +1 longsword, we could both buy it.

So the only items you receive that you record on your sheet are:

XP (each 3 XP advances you a level, so in this case you get a whole level)

PP (these are prestige points you can spend on items or services later

Gold (whatever amount it said you carry over and can spend, and includes your day job gold)

Everything else stays with the Pathfinders...but you can buy it, even if it is over the cost of the items you could normally buy at your prestige level.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Ninja'd!

Can we get this thread made inactive, good DM?

Bumping so I can put this thread on inactive for myself.