[PFS_Aerondor] 00-06 Black Waters (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

Searlas looks back at Muunokhoi and thinks for a moment before muttering in Tian. "I would not be surprised if he is telling the truth... and that's the part that scares me."

Searlas follows, very warily, on the lookout for danger.

The ruined paths of the Tri-Towers Yard wind their way around black ponds and gray, shattered buildings. Powerful fragrances precede one roofless hall where a thin path meanders through an abundance of flower arrangements in wild bloom.

Just off this path is the entrance to a small classroom. Marlinchen leads to to the building.

And assuming you look in

Ten students dressed in checkered uniforms sit stiffly at wooden desks, staring straight ahead. No one moves. At the front of the class, a conservatively dressed woman leans against the wall.

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Alexus whispers to his companions
"Poor soules have been trapped here for 10 years. Is there a way we can help them?"

As Marlinchen enters the room, the children light up, silently whispering to each other. The teacher silently gestures at the classroom and the children turn to nod to once another.

Apart from the silence it looks like...a normal class room.

He politely waves to the teacher who "Shushes" the children. He then respectfully approaches her and starts a quiet conversation.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Searlas utters one of few words he knows in Azlant, then speaks softly and quickly to group. "Stercus... Flowers here are the same as were left at the funerals a decade ago... And as expected, ghostly students and teachers... We are certainly in for a real treat..."

From a fold in his cloak, a little ectoplasmic bird crawls into his hand. "Harawini, if you would be so nice as to help inspect the room for me...

The little bird turns his head back towards Searlas and chirps back with a few words in common. "Fly free! Find things!"

Harawini's Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

He'll attempt to listen in on the conversation and begin inspecting the room for other abnormalities, perhaps anything that could help explain what these spirits seek to facilitate their passing.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"Searlas, will they attack?" whispers Muusa. "We need to investigate without...upsetting...them."

Marlinchen turns back to the pathfinders and smiles.

"Mrs Heracks says she knows the way to the necropolis! She'll be happy you show you if you like."

The children remain silent, staring attentively at the old blackboard.

Searlas responds in Tien. "I see no immediate threat. Hopefully she is showing us the way because she feels the need to..."

"Many thanks Marlinchen and Mrs. Heracks. That would be wonderful."

He goes back to muttering in archaic languages that he doesn't actually know.
"Stercus, stercus, stercus, morituri...."

Going to have a short pause here in case anyone else wants to do anything, as I know it is still the weekend in the US

Hania nods to Searlas, silently agreeing to follow for now and see what turns up.

"Students, your teacher Mrs Heracks is going to help us out for a bit, but while we're gone can you all write down the answer to 1 question? What do you want most right now?"

Alexus whispers to Searlas "CVery clever, my friend."

Searlas whispers back. "Ready to see 30 pictures of my head on a plate?"

Deris looks around slightly confused. After a moment the children start to write on their desks, it would appear that there is no paper there though.

Mrs Heracks moves jerkily towards the doorway, pausing to give a stern look at Searlas.

Following, waiting, or something else?

Searlas takes a quick look at what the kids are writing, then follows Mrs. Heracks.

Alexus follows Mrs. Heracks

The see-through students are miming writing, although nothing as such appears and there are no papers or pens. As Deris leaves the room the students return to sitting quietly and completely still at their desks.

Mrs Heracks leads you a wide, black pool. It has the occasional bubble percolating up in the centre.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

"...there's an arm cut off at the shoulder in there..." says Muusa in a grave whisper.

"Ms. Heracks, are there people we need to rescue from there? Give them a proper burial, maybe?" Muusa tries to keep any quaver out of her voice.

goodness, losing track of my characters...

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

"Hrmm... what?" Searlas does a double take and speaks quickly and softly in Tien. "That's um... mildly disturbing"

He then regains his composure and addresses Mrs. Heracks in common. "Did you wish for us to see this? Is there something we can help you with?"

Deris leans closer in to Mrs Heracks.

"She says the way into the necropolis is below that arm!"

Mrs Heracks jerkily raises her arm and points at the middle of the pool.

"Yes.. over there."

"How much did this school cost to go to? An arm and a-" Ai manages to stop her joke, holding both hands over her mouth. She studies the scene for a moment, then looks to the others. "Do you think we should get it back for her? If it's hers, I mean. I know I would want my arm back, if we were separated."

The spectral Mrs Heracks seems to have both arms.

Searlas fidgets a bit nervously, then taps a couple times on the pewter mug attached to his belt. Hariwini pops his head up over the edge of the mug. "Go see if you can spot a passage deeper."

The familiar just sits in the mug and chirps a few times before Searlas tries again. "Fly there, find a hole."

The shimmering thrush climbs out of the mug and makes a lazy circle over the water. "Find a hole... find a hole... find a hole."

Hariwini's Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

"Strange isn't it, the bird can talk but I'm not sure it knows what it's saying. Although he can be very articulate if I focus... The strangest thing is when I first found him I kept forgetting some of the details of his coloring and feather patterns because I'm certain they keep changing in the morning. Either way, we should certainly collect these remains for proper disposal. With luck they wont try to collect us..."

If Hariwini doesn't note anything, Searlas will help look for a way forward, and the bird will climb back into the mug.

Hania looks sadly at the remains, thinking of the beauty of human life lost.

She also looks around carefully, keeping an eye out for any threat to her companions.

"Well Hania... at least we haven't been filled full of goblin arrows yet. Couldn't take 2 steps in Kaer Maga without finding an arrow lodged in your-"

Hariwini cuts him off with a few chirps.

"Deris, please extend our thanks to Mrs. Heracks."

Muusa ponders the pool. "It looks like tar. Do we just...walk into it?"

Such a useful creature!

"The hands holding, the hands holding." chirps back Hariwini.

Indeed, peering into the gloom of the pool is would appear the end of the arm is attached to something. It would also appear the arm is encased in something.

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

"Whats that Harwini? What is the hand holding?"

Searlas takes a look at the arm and looks momentarily looks a bit ill.

"Oh... it's covered in eggs. Lots of eggs. Expect something to be guarding this next..."

Searlas takes a small stone and tosses it into the water, landing near the hand.

Ripples spread out from the pool. Maybe some thing stirs... or maybe not. Hard to tell.

Hania looks carefully at the center of the pond, searching for an aura of evil. detect evil

Hania detects no evil there.

Hania looks over at her companions. "There's no evil in the center of the pond. There could still be an enemy."

Searlas looks at the arm, looks back at the party. "Well... I guess one of us is going to have to remove it... and whatever it's attached to... Hania, you're tough, how about you pull it and I'll ready myself to give fire support!"

Hariwini chirps from his mug. "Coward! Coward!"

He pulls out a flask of holy water, and another flask of acid.

Searlas will also tap himself with his Wand of Mage armor, along with anyone who'd like a hit from it. (+4 Armor bonus to AC for 1 hour)

Hania looks carefully at the edge of the pond, seeing how deep it looks. She wants to know if she can walk, or will need to swim.

Alexus accepts the hit of Searlas'es Wand. He then draws his scimitar and begins to gesture with his left hand.
"mobi ui thric goawy ihk wux persvek wer treskri di waphir" casting spell in draconic

It doesn't look that deep. Every thirty seconds or so a bubble emerges from the middle, near the arm. Without wading in it will be hard to know for sure.

Alexus, how will you tell if it is undead? Knowledge(religion)

The pool is in a large depression, with a few other ruined structures within it as well. You can get to within maybe 15 feet of the severed arm.

Indeed..Alexus knows nothing about religion. He then will cast disrupt undead at any hostile target and observe if it deals any damage

And incase I wasn't clear, you can get to within about 15' without entering the pool. After that it will be mean getting your feet wet.. and muddy. The pool bottom looks pretty muddy.

Hania give Searlas a hard-to-decipher look. It looks like she may agree with the bird. She puts her backpack down near Searlas, and then walks to the edge of the pool. She slowly begins to wade in, feeling with her foot before taking each step forward. She begins to feel her courage fade, and starts to softly sing to herself a hymn to Shelyn.

Hania makes it to the middle of the pool. There is definitely an arm there, and it seems to be holding onto something. A single quick tug doesn't move it. But there is an unmistakable disturbance in the water, as if something else is in there and is now aware of Hania.

"Oh sh-"

Hariwini interrupts "SHINEY!"

Searlas, without thinking, leaps forward to help get Hania out of the pool, wading in as far as needed to lend her a hand.

"I think you got it's attention!"

A moment later he looks down, noticing he's knee deep in muck and a stones throw from the shore. "For Cayden's sake why did I just..."

Still softly singing, Hania begins to walk slowly and carefully back out of the pool. She smiles at Searlas.

You pull back to the edge of the pool.

Deris looks quite excited. "Mrs Heracks says that is the way in! Why are you leaving? "

"Ok. It isn't evil. But it could be some sort of...creature that is laying eggs on things. Mrs. Heracks, we were taught in school to inquire critically; I'm sure you understand." Muusa bows to the spirit and takes a spot next to Hania. She readies a charge of Chill Touch, her toes just in the water.

Nothing happens for a moment or two...

AFter thinking about the eggs for a bit, Searlas thinks they belong to a giant water bug. They can sense movement and try to drown their prey..

"Alright guys, everyone lets work together and pull this... thing out. Hariwini will circle us and warn of impending trouble. Which will likely manifest itself in the form of a giant water bug... Yeah, this will be fun."

The bird climbs out of the battered mug and begins making a lazy circle.

"Looking for trouble! Looking for trouble! Just like Searlas! Looking for trouble!"

Searlas looks moderately annoyed. "Seriously?"

How are you looking at pulling out whatever the hand is holding? It is presumably pretty solid if it is keeping the arm down.

Badly

Searlas will see what sort of mechanism is pinning this down, grimacing and plunging himself deep into the water to get a better angle.

Would Disable Device be applicable? If it is, he'll use guidance and attempt Disable Device with his Inspired trait to roll twice and take the better result. His bonus is +2, and another +1 for guidance, feel free to roll on my behalf if the skill is applicable.