[PFS] 5-23 Cairn of Shadows by GM Upaynao (Inactive)

Game Master Upaynao

Seeing what happened to Eglantine and sensing things might go poorly, Skug rethinks his actions and instead of going for the elderly creature strings his bow as he moves to a more advantageous position.

Xichikitte vs SR: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

The creature brushes off the spell Xichikitte casts upon her. It also appears that the Acid Arrow did indeed have some effect. Oleander's arrows rain right and left; only one finds it's mark and draws blood. "ELVEN WHORE!"

Eglantine is able to retrieve her potion and upon ingesting it pops out of existence to reappear away from the chains. Said chains, free of their burden, home on in towards Eadie, as does another set towards Takahiro

Trap vs Eadie: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22
Trap vs Takahiro: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28

Before he can attack, Takahiro finds himself grappled! The chains tighten upon him.

Damage: 8d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 5, 2, 2, 2, 4, 3) = 29
For the purposes of flow, I'm going to assume you still try and hit her, even though you probably wouldn't; I just don't feel comfortable making decisions in your stead Taka.

Nonetheless, the katana almost takes the creature's arm off as Shizuru finds the creature's ties to darkness worthy of smiting.

And then comes Eadie. Eadie, whom the chains do not find purchase upon. Eadie, who has assaulted the creature verbally, now assaults her physically. The first blow ruins her jaw, the last lodges itself into her skull. She falls, still alive for the moment, but bleeding out.

"AND THE OATH-TAKER WAS MADE KING BY THE LORD IN DARKNESS! HIS MIGHT WAS INFINITE AND HIS CRUELTY BOUNDLESS!!! ALL HAIL THE MIDNIGHT LORD!" Teledrak's voice echoes from below, his terror palpable. But perhaps not as palpable as the tremor which seems to make the entire tomb shake. And as the Pathfinders go to aid Takahiro, the flayed body's eyes roll up in it's head as it's jaw opens. "Zon-Kuthooooooooooooooooooooooooo..." rumbles out atonally from not only it's mouth, but countless others as praise for the Prince in Darkness is sung but his unwilling servants.

Round 5

Grandma 95 dmg
Xichikitte 7 dmg
Oleander 8 dmg
Eglantine 28 dmg
Takahiro 49 dmg, Grappled
Eadie 4 dmg
Insidion
Skug 3 dmg

Battle Map

We will be rolling a new initiative for the next fight, but Takahiro's life is measured in rounds now. Much like the trap before, try to limit yourselves to one action per "turn" if I may use the term loosely.

Seeing Takahiro grabbed by the chains that had so cruelly hurt her, Eglantine snaps a wand into her palm and quickly shouts the command word. "I can't do a whole lot but maybe I can help you get free!" she shouts at Takahiro. "Eadie, what's a geek?"

5-ft step, swift action to draw wand, and grease Takahiro's clothing, for the +10 bonus to Escape Artist/his CMD

“No idea.”

Eadie takes a 5’ step away and makes a defensive lunging full attack against Takahiro’s chains. “But according to some mean girls at school – I am.”

defensive falchion + haste + Power Attack (PA) + Furious Focus (FF): 1d20 + 18 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 18 + 1 - 4 = 19
magic adamantine damage: 2d4 + 21 ⇒ (3, 1) + 21 = 25

iterative + haste + PA + No FF: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 3 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 1 - 3 - 4 = 20
magic adamantine damage: 2d4 + 21 ⇒ (1, 4) + 21 = 26

hasted attack + haste + PA + No FF: 1d20 + 18 + 1 - 3 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 18 + 1 - 3 - 4 = 13
magic adamantine damage: 2d4 + 21 ⇒ (2, 1) + 21 = 24

“Does anyone know what the flayed body creature that's got Teledrak so stirred up is?”

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Grapple CMD 35, AC 26, T 15, FF 20

Xichi casts Detect Magic, attempting to determine if the chains are a magical effect that might be dispelled.

I have a wand of CLW available for anyone who needs it and/or can use it.

Oleander also has some adamantine arrows. She reaches for them, but before using them waits to see how effective Eadie's weapon and the grease spell are.

The golden child of the heavens is not yet needed by Shizuru to be a sunbeam, so he heals himself and begins trying to slip the grapple.

Lay hands heal (Swift) 3d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 5) = 12
Liberating command (immediate)

Grease + LC
Escape (CMB) 1d20 + 11 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 10 + 6 = 44

A trio of addition Insidion images join the dragon disciple as he broods at the back of the group.

mirror image: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Sorry, things are REALLY busy here. Just another week or so of this I swear! I will update sometime on Thursday if I have the opportunity, on Friday most definitely.

Sometimes I really miss having a 9-5 job.

OK, back. So Liberating command was not cast upon Taka, but it doesn't really matter as that's more than enough for him to escape. Meanwhile the remaining pathfinders wreck each torture table. Sound about right?

Xichikitte searches for magic within the chains, but does not find any. Only pure malevolence, which Oleander and Eadie put an end to using starmetal.

Those are durable arrows right Oleander? If not, don't bother; Eadie is going to wreck them with each swipe of her weapon.

The shaking subsides slightly as the volume of the toneless chanting increases. "WOE, WOE TO THE CHAMPIONS OF THE OLD WAYS, THE MIDNIGHT LORD HAS CHOSEN HIS NEW HERALD! IN PAIN AND DARKNESS WILL HE CLEANSE THEM OF THEIR SIN!" shrieks Telendrak from below, seemingly in pain.

Xichikitte 7 dmg

Oleander 8 dmg
Eglantine 28 dmg
Takahiro 37 dmg
Eadie 4 dmg
Insidion
Skug 3 dmg

Xichi allows the other party members to search the torture chamber, and walks back to the intersection to peer North.

Darkvision 60ft

Yeap, only ever get adamantine arrows in durable! Oh woe the Core archer.

"Takahiro, you need healing before we can head onwards."

The ranger reaches out a hand to gentle heal the brave paladin.
CLW: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Eadie takes a moment to coup de grace the helpless grandma. She performs the execution silently and professionally.

magic adamantine dmg: 4d4 + 21 + 21 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 3) + 21 + 21 = 53

Once everyone is ready to enter the northern space, she applies an oil of bless weapon to her skymetal blade. “Peeps, I’d like to head directly for the new Herald.”

“Once it's dealt with, hopefully Teledrak will give us a break and we can find that artefact that cost those fetchlings their lives.”

As she moves out, the warrior keeps a sharp eye out for traps and threats.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

"Phew! Glad you're out of there. Those chains bite hard," E.G. commisserates to Takahiro. "Aaand.... that shouting really doesn't sound good. Better be prepared for more trouble. I'm not quite equipped to fight an outright god... so let's hope it's not that. I don't want that poor bastard down there to die-- but I don't want us to die either, by rushing in half-cocked."

Eglantine retrieves her own healing wand and starts using it on herself... or trying.

UMD, CLW: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

Frowning, E.G. smacks the wand against her palm a few times.

Do you want us staying in rounds/single actions at this point, GM?

Nope, you're good!

In that case...

"I'm having trouble with this wand. Anyone mind turning it on for me?"

Presuming someone who can activate the CLW helps, and presuming GM allows average out of combat wand heals, that'll be six charges off my own wand.

"Soo...." E.G. squints around, realizes Xichi and Eadie are exploring the northern corridor, and trots after them, while trying to tune out the sounds of the man screaming below, albeit not without a wince. "Ugh. I guess we should see what's up here before trying to get down that darn chain shaft again..."

“Don’t know much about them, but I can have a look at it for you, E.G.”

Eadie blinks twice under her great helm and holds out her hand expectantly.

“Could it be activated like one of those snapleaf things?”

As the cries from below continues, Oleander suddenly pales more than before.

"Wolfie is still down there... I hope he has the sense to hide."

Eadie blinks twice under her great helm and holds out her hand expectantly.

“Could it be activated like one of those snapleaf things?”

"Ermmmm.... no," Eglantine says with an apologetic smile up at the helmed visage of the other woman. "Definitely not activated via breaking! Perhaps someone.... else wishes to take a look~?"

Hey I got reception out here on this hill! One dot of 3G! still out here another day.

"No wands no wands, so sorry" Takahiro apologises for the delay and starts channeling out healing energy.

Channel 2d6 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7
Channel 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5
Channel 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7
Channel 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5
Channel 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Lay hands on self 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 2) = 8

party healed in full I think

Yes, the party is healed up to full.

Stepping back towards the shaft they came from, the pathfinders turn into the thus far unexplored hallway, accompanied by the rattle of the dead. The chamber the hall opens up into is much like the chamber they ascended into, with chains dropping down into utter darkness.splayed across the wall like parchment are stretches of grey skin, remnants of Kayal workers or prisoners. They too call out the praises of Zon-Kuthon as the tremors seem to focus, much like a jumble of voices finally converging into a single, clear note.

Even Insidion seems unsettled by this place.

He looks around in the room carefully once the front-liners have entered.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Perception roll from before was: 15 + 15 = 30

“Yeah, we get it. You lot think Zon-Kuthon is cool.” Eadie pauses to pop in her ear plugs.

Is Insidion’s haste still up?, GM Upaynao?

As she enters the nave, the young Pathfinder prods the hanging chains with her falchion to test their reaction. The blessed oil dripping from her blade adding to the stains on the Kuthonite floor.

Insidion's haste should be fading at this point.

The prodding does not seem to elicit any response from the chains.

Eadie *shrugs* and looks over her shoulder at the rest of the group. “Is everyone ready? If so I’m going to have a good look around.”

The warrior waits until everyone signals their readiness before investigating the vestibule fully. She continues poking chains and bodies, while searching for hidden compartments in the walls and the central altar/slab(?)

Perception roll from before was 30

"Hey, is that a channel ringing the room? Perhaps it's for draining body fluids away from the altar? GROSS!"

That channel really is a pit going down 200 or so down in utter darkness. In case I didn't describe that well enough.

Eadie pokes and looks about but nothing. Nothing catches her eye. However, emanating softly from down below, she could swear she heard a couple of voicesone male and one female, weakly repeating monotonously
"I am Telendrak... I am Telendrak... I am Telendrak..."

“Well, bum.”

Eadie pulls out her ear plugs and sheathes her falchion before moving past the others to haul up her backpack and recover the long knotted rope.

“Looks like we need to descend through this internal shaft to enter some kinda hidden chamber on the ground floor.”

She waits for comments or advice from the others, before anchoring the rope at the top around a convenient iron ring and then tossing the free end down the shaft.

“Is everyone OK with climbing down?”

Oleander nods.

"There are more voices down there now. I don't imagine there are that many folk wanting to visit here, so somehow someone got behind us.."

Skug straps on his climbing kit and looks for a place to secure everyone's ropes. "Skug like climb."

"Let's go and finish this then" Takahiro readies to head back down and see what all the yelling is about.

I think Spider Climb is probably still up, lasts 10 mins...!?

"Welp, I’m gonna sink faster than a copper-dreadful in an Owlbear market."

Eadie grips the knotted rope in both hands, entwining both ankles around the silken cord, as she tries to keep up down with Skug.

Take 10 Climb, medium encumbrance: 10 + 5 - 3 = 12

As she disappears from view, the black knight calls up, "That's an Abadarian term, E.G."

Oleander follows the rest of the team.

"I hope wolfie is okay..."

Xichi looks dubiously at the chains, remembering his previous failure.

Perhaps it is easier going down?

Climb, Take Ten: 10 - 1 = 9

He has Feather Fall ready at hand in case he or anybody else falls.

Still taking advantage of her wee size, E.G. will join the others in resuming a downward climb... with some wariness of what may wait at the bottom. "Do we need a reliable light source?"

Insidion also begins the descent, but keeps his feather fall at the ready should he need it.

"Their obsession with chains is bizarre," he observes crossly.

climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Filling down the rope, the pathfinders land in a rather large room. Shackles and spikes adorn the walls, most of them holding an occupant. Of the many writhing here amidst the vibrations, only two appear to be genuinely alive; a kayal and human male. They raise their heads slowly to look upon you, as the dead still rattle "...Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...". "I am Telendrak?" asks one, as Oleander's animal companion snarls and barks somehow cut through the din.

There appears to be a door leading out of the room.

Xichi, suspicious, keeps a Detect Magic active as he scans the room.

Can't hit Perception 30, though.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28 So close

"I think...." starts Oleander, and then Wolfies howl cuts through the air. "Wolfie..."

She approaches the two men who may be alive. "Who are you? How did you get here, and what is this place?"

Nothing here is particularly magical.

Eadie draws her enchanted falchion and looks about.

Aid Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

"I can hear a dog or coyote barking. Why would someone bring a pet in here, Oleander?"

She points vaguely to the west. "I thought I saw something move on that door, but the shadows have been playing tricks on me since we got here."

"Did you want to have another look, Oleander?"

I haven't clicked the spoiler.

Eadie squints suspiciously at the kayal. "What makes you think you're Telendrak? Are you twins?"

A chill suddenly grips the warrior's heart. "Telendrak, do you worship Zon-Kuthon? How did horses serve your people?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

I'll hold off opening the spoiler until the GM confirms we can aid another on this check.

Go ahead and open the spoiler :D

"Wolfie... it sounds like he is just...."

She rushes to the southern wall and feels around.

"There is a way through here..."

“Like a secret door do you mean?”

Eadie moves closer to support the ranger.

“Do you want me to ...” She mimes a ‘chop-chop’ action with her adamantium blade.

Skug rushes in front of Eadie and takes an enormous backswing. "Brax break!"

Insidion crouches, ready for anything they might find on the other side of the secret door.

Oleander looks for a way to open the door, and then, if she finds it, does so as quietly as she can.

Hurrying before Skug breaks anything they might regret, Oleander finds a way to open the stone door, which swings inward relatively quietly, as the "Telendrak" Eadie questioned replies in a rather subdued tone as he eyes the opened door with barely contained fear "Horse... Horse... Prince in Darkness... I am Telendrak... No hurt... No more hurt..."

Wolfie dashes through the door, rejoining his master with frantic joy, jumping up and whining loudly as the chains feebly attempt to grab at him.

And then the clamor of the dead ceases.

And the walls begin to chuckle.

"Heh. Heheh. You fools. You whimpering, pathetic Pathfinders. Fools. Flesh for the Wanderer in Beyond, Prince of Darkness, Claimer of the Shadow" sounds a learned voice as unctuous as cream and sharp as a Brevish blade. "I will knit your bones for His everlasting glory. You are too late. I now lay claim to the Shadow Obelisk, and it will be baptized in your blood, then consecrated in the flesh-fumes of this Telendrak. All glory be to Him. All hail. Zon!"

And the lost voices of the dead reply.

"KUTHOOON!"

Something with an actual throat does seem to have spoken those same words aloud, somewhere in the main chapel.

“Yeah – FAIL ZON!”

Eadie waits for the dead choir to chime in before speaking in a puzzled tone.

“We’ve got the real Telendrak with us. Yours is obvs a Kuthonite fake …”

She thinks for a while before continuing more confidently, “Why, you haven’t even been in the Inner Sanctum of Doom to get the Shadow Asterisk, HAVE YOU?”

“I bet Grandma chased you off after killing some of your friends, didn’t she!”

“Yeah ... you big brave Onyx dudes ran away, expecting us to fetch the relic for you. Didn’t you?”

She laughs. “Pro tip, genius: You wait to ambush the dungeon delvers OUTSIDE the dungeon. Even goblins know that!”

“Bet you were too dumb to bring fly magic to reach us too.” She chuckles again before her tone turns serious.

“OK, Mastermind. Think you can take us out without flying? BRING IT!”

Insidion sneers at the voice and prepares to quicken the party's actions with a haste spell.

Oleander leans down to ruffle Wolfie's fur.

"Good boy. Good boy!"
After a moment she nocks another arrow to her bow and waits to see what will happen next.