[PFS_Aerondor] 02-22 Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained (EotT part 4) (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

The glowing red portal from Akiton to the Maze of the Open Road on distant Golarion rises from the pinnacle of the towering pyramid ahead, as howling, icy winds tear across the red sands, whipping them into an angry, biting torrent. Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro rushes up the structure, turning back only briefly to ensure that she’s being followed. Reaching the top of the massive structure, she turns to speak, but pauses for a moment to think. Her voice wavers with a twinge of desperation and fear.

“I… we… We will never catch up to Adril if we take the Maze back. He’s already in Skyreach.”

Slowly, her pained expression surrenders to resolve. “I’m going to rift the portal. It’s the only way…”

Getting ready for whatever is on the other side, Wynn knocks an arrow....

He nods towards Eliza "Do what needs to be done."

"Right. Let's go."

Are we considered to be healed up?

Yes, healed up, rested, full of spells etc. You have had a couple of days, and anything not healed in that time naturally the Princess will have had her attendees deal with. You had enough time for your day job checks after all!

Kalendir grips his bow. "So Adril yet lives." He frowns. "Make it fast. he has been ahead of us for too long."

Knuckles going white from clenching his fist, Morrin looks at the Venture Captain, "We must hurry. Whatever he is up to, needs to be stopped."

“I’m going to attempt to tear a rift into the portal chamber at Skyreach. It’s sort of foyer in the tower’s upper chambers— those reserved only for the use of the Ten and their most trusted aides. It should be the easiest chamber to access, as it doesn’t actually exist in Skyreach. It’s more of a hub connected to several dimensional corridors that run through the Grand Lodge. If and when we arrive, we shall be partially insubstantial. The Decemvirate uses this property to keep their identities obscured from one another when exiting and entering their private chambers. While the Decemvirate can enter and leave the chamber at will, we shall be visitors. In order to enter, each of us needs an envoy. Within the chamber stands a basin containing a small number of special ioun stones called eraminho. These stones act as vessels for the souls of the Society’s most trusted protectors, some even former members of the Decemvirate. By activating these stones, we can connect with the spirits to gain access to the inner chambers. Once inside, we should seek out the faction rooms first, and use them to make contact with whatever allies of the Society we each may have outside the Ten themselves. These rooms are the only neutral rooms within the upper tower, so even if Adril seizes command of Skyreach, the faction rooms will remain somewhat of a blind-spot. After that, we need to get to Shemis and protect her at all costs. All set?"

For the next little while I would like you to post a sense motive and perception check at the bottom of each page. Not that I want to make you worried or anything :-)

Alie casts Mage Armor, False Life and Heroism on herself while getting prepped for the mission.

False Life 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Sense Motive 1d20 ⇒ 14

Tortuga will use his ki to harden his skin.

Perception: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (14) + 22 = 36
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

Kalendir tightens his pack and quiver. "All ready."

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Pulling out a wand, the innkeeper nods at the others, "Ready myself, I hope Adril isn't."

Force Ward is up with 3 burn spent, updating headliner stat block now. Currently at 39 nonlethal damage.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Eliza approaches the portal and sets to work, soon tearing a lightless hole in its undulating, glowingred surface. A bone-numbing blast of frigid energy shoots from the rift and you all find yourselves sucked toward the blackness. An inhuman shrieking emanates from the rift. Eliza tries to yell something to you as she steps in, though her message is wholly unintelligible, overpowered by the shrieking of the voice . Seconds later she vanishes into the blackness as well.

The void is freezing, dark and eternal. And leaves you all feeling discombobulated.

Fort DC 19 with your next posts please.

The darkness thins only slightly, ebbing into a deep, blackish purple twilight. The surrounding space appears without clear definition or form. Distance is difficult to judge, though there appears to be some sort of a perimeter marked by darker, shadowed arches. A number of unidentifiable figures are within the room. Yourself and six others.

Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

"Eh... hello?"

Fort 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35

Alie came to her senses, freezing despite herself. The void was unimaginably cold, but she was able to shake off the effects reasonably well.

Fort: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26

Shaking for a moment, Morrin rubs his arms together before looking for the others. "Hello? Who's there?"

Putting away his wand, Morrin holds his hands up high while heading towards the closest shadowy figure.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39

Kalendir pulls out his wayfinder as he tries to being light to the darkness.

fortitude: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20 +4 if it is due to cold environment

Wynnreyell shakes off the cold feeling and lets his eyes adjust to the light.

Fortitude save: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Fletch places a steadying hand on Romulus's haunches as the immense wolf begins to growl.

Looking down you realise you can't really see yourself, let alone anyone else. Vague indistinct figures float around the room.

I guess it is Thanks giving and thus a quiet time for many of you. I'll need some actions to progress things.

At the moment nobody can really make out anyone. Just an oddly sounding voice saying "Hello, Who's there?"

"We are with the Pathfinders. We seek Adril Hestram. May I ask who we are speaking with? Please show yourself." Kalendir pleads, a bit worried this might be yet another ambush.

Alie wasn't sure what she was experiencing. "Are you speaking to us? This is quite different from anything I've ever been through," she calls out, not sure where the voice was coming from.

All the voices in the room are indistinct.

"We are with the Pathfinders. We seek Adril Hestram. May I ask who we are speaking with? Please show yourself."

says one.

Another adds "We are with the Pathfinders. We seek Adril Hestram. May I ask who we are speaking with? Please show yourself"

To be clear, they are not echoing your words, nobody's voice can be identified. When Alie speaks, she hears herself, but everyone else here's an analymous voice. Likewise you don't see each other, just vague shadows.

"I don't know what is going on, so may I ask, where are we? Alie, can you make sense of this?"

Not feeling right about the event, Morrin puts away his dagger and pulls out his wand of enervation.

Sorry, cut and paste error there, the second line was

"Are you speaking to us? This is quite different from anything I've ever been through

A voice replies

"I don't know what is going on, so may I ask, where are we? Alie, can you make sense of this?"

Anyone have any ideas besides yelling the word Echo? :)

To be clear, there is no echo, it is your own voices being distorted.

Alie casts Detect Magic, hoping to find the ioun stone filled basin so that she might get her bearings and help the others.

There are lots of magical auras all around. The whole room is infused with magic.

Alie continues searching the room, looking for the eraminho. She calls out to the others to do the same, "Remember we need to look for the special ioun stones. Try to find those," she calls out, hoping for her voice to get through to the others.

"Ah, right! Let's do this quickly, so we can get out of this dreaded place. Help search for the stones everyone!"

Morrin will start to look around the area for anything that looks like an ioun stone.

A voice suddenly calls out in pain, as someone feels a sword slice into them.

And while I'll put it in the status, remember none of you know who has been hurt!

Status: bold may post
Wynn (single action in surprise round)
Wynn (full round action)
Tortuga
Kalendir
Alie 7 tmp hp
Morrin
Fletch
Ms Stabby

Tortuga backs away from the others and uses the shield spell from his ring to bolster his defenses.

Fletch tries a spell he hasn't used before. He casts hunter's eye. It should let him see through mists and concealment and even spot ethereal and invisible creatures.

Fletch Perception and hunter's eye: 1d20 + 18 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 18 + 20 = 52

Meanwhile, Romulus uses his fine nose, with its Scent ability.

Romulus Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

Unfortunately that won't help you here. True seeing might, but this is an artifact level illusion that has been used to keep the Decemvorate secret for... a long time.

Fletch's vision sharpens. He can make out the shapes in the room clearly. But what each shape is... that is another thing entirely. They shimmer and change, the images altering just as the voices do.

Status: bold may post
Wynn (single action in surprise round)
Wynn (full round action)
Kalendir
Alie 7 tmp hp
Morrin
Ms Stabby
Tortuga : Shield
Fletch : Hunter's eye

"Everyone alright? Who got hurt?" Kalendir calls out as he draws his bow. His bow ignites into flames, in hopes of a small light in the darkness.

Cast Sun Metal.

Are we allowed a will save for the illusion aspect?

DM

Nope, no will saves, you'll need to think your way out of this somehow.

Status: bold may post
Wynn (single action in surprise round)
Wynn (full round action)
Morrin
Ms Stabby
Tortuga : Shield
Fletch : Hunter's eye
Kalendir ; sun metal
Alie 7 tmp hp ; true seeing

Morrin will use Telekinetic Invisibility defensively, and 5 foot step away from all the shadows.

Cast Telekinetic Invisibility Defensively. DC 21: 1d20 + 11 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 11 + 7 = 37

"Guys trouble, I feel it"

Wynn will cast See invisibility in the surprise round.

"Does anyone see anything"

Wynn then cast gravity bow, and knocks an arrow.

Wynn can make out an invisible figure in the room. Apart from it being invisible he can't tell a lot more about it.

What the group can see is one figure moving up next to another one. There is a flurry of motion, screams of pain and the smell of blood.

Kalendir feels an unearthly chill as something touches him once, twice... stealing his strength as it does so.

Romulus detects a pair of unfamiliar scents in the room.

Status: bold may post
Wynn see invisible; gravity bow
Morrin - telekenetic invisibilty; keeping distance from all
Tortuga : Shield ; keeping distance from all
Fletch : Hunter's eye
(Romulus)
Kalendir ; sun metal ; 8 STR damage
Alie 12 damage ; true seeing
Ms Stabby

Feeling something grasp him Kalendir leaps back and grasps the mummified hand at his neck.

Cast See Invisibility from Hand of Glory and 5 foot step back.

"Gaahhh. Something got me."

Are we able to tell which shapes are attacking and which are being attacked? It's pretty much impossible to think your way out of a situation when you have zero information to work with.

This is a dark shadowy area that you can't make out details of people. I've avoided using the map (although there is one with question marks) to try to keep this in the theatre of the mind. Once we have a map everyone goes tactical. Where there are two people fighting, you can see they are doing that for sure. And if someone has a weapon drawn, again I'd say that you are aware they are carrying a weapon out. Alie has a little more leeway with true sight.

@Kalendir, with its attack on you, you can make out the thing that was next to you, so If you wanted to attack it you could, at least this round. No need for the see invisibility. Although you totally could use that if you wanted.

Alie takes a 5’ step away from the creature with the twin blades and casts Hold Monster on it.

DC 26 Will to resist.

will: 1d20 ⇒ 6
It stops moving.

Fletch carefully puts away his bow, then swiftly draws his greatsword and moves toward the combatants, Romulus in tow.

Tortuga moves towards the one that stopped moving and tries to put him or her on the ground on the ground.

Trip: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (12) + 25 = 37

If successful, Vicious Stomp for non-lethal damage.

Attack: 1d20 + 18 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 18 + 4 = 40
Damage: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 2) + 5 = 15
Holy: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8 if evil

The figure, unable to move, falls to the ground with a thud. Then another thud as it is stomped on.

Status: bold may post
Wynn see invisible; gravity bow
Morrin - telekenetic invisibilty; keeping distance from all
Ms Stabby - held (dc26), prone 23 NL;
other shadowy figure
Tortuga : Shield ; keeping distance from all
Fletch : Hunter's eye
(Romulus)
Kalendir ; sun metal ; see invisible; 8 STR damage
Alie 12 damage ; true seeing

Watching the fight unfold, Morrin begins to gather power, hopefully picking a target that isn't one of his team mates.

Full round of Gather Power. Next round, will be the big blast!